I am sorry if this offended anyone. Debbie Neustadt wrote: > Tom has started and its seems that every comment made keeps him going. > > Thomas Mathews wrote: >> Spot-on metaphors there regarding the ideological pew and >> Clintonitis, Bill. >> >> So, how do we mobilize the amazing outpouring of grassroots support >> for Obama that we saw during the campaign and put it to work to >> vaccinate the Obama administration against Clintonitis? That's not a >> rhetorical question. >> >> As for Ken's complaint that my single issue has not registered with >> the general public, well I do have to apologize for that. I am not a >> very good activist. I'm too busy earning a living to have much time >> or energy left when I get home from work to do much organizing or >> educating. I'm on winter break now, so I can e-mail during the day. >> (And by the way, I'm concerned with many issues, most of which >> Vilsack is bad on. Let's hope Obama proves to be better on those >> issues than he appears just now. He hasn't even been inaugurated, >> after all.) >> >> But the fact is, we as environmentalists should be concerned about >> the release of genetically engineered organisms into the environment. >> Life may not exist anywhere else in the Universe. If it does, it's >> safe to say the life forms on Earth are unique and irreplaceable. >> Genetic engineering mutilates life at the molecular level. And the >> transgenes introduced into organisms by genetic engineering are >> passed on to future generations. >> >> (Genetically engineered organisms are now commonly referred to as >> genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Transgenes are sections of >> DNA (genes) transplanted from one organism into another of a >> different species. Genes from a fish have been engineered into a >> strawberry plant, for example.) >> >> If General Motors puts bad brake pads in some of its vehicles, those >> products can be recalled and the mistakes corrected. No recalls are >> possible for transgenes from GMOs released into the environment. >> Transgenes from GMO corn have been found in native corn in Mexico in >> the region of origin for maize. This could ultimately mean that the >> entire species that we call corn (Zea mays) will be contaminated with >> transgenes. >> This is a very serious health concern, as Gov. Vilsack and others >> support using corn as a "pharm" crop, that is, to engineer genes into >> corn plants that cause the plant to produce pharmaceutical >> substances. If these pharm genes spread into corn grown for food >> there could be toxic or allergenic effects on people eating that >> corn. If the pharm genes spread widely, corn would no longer be >> available as a food crop. >> >> Corn is only one species, but the supporters of GMO agriculture see >> no limits to the number of different crop species that could be >> "improved" by genetic engineering. >> >> It is simply wrong in a moral sense for humans to inflict this >> genetic damage on other species. There is even an effort to produce >> GMO trees. This must be stopped and it is Sierra Club that should >> play a leading role-- THE leading role--in stopping it. (Current >> national Sierra Club policy calls for a moratorium on the release of >> GMOs into the environment.) >> >> Genetic engineering, confined to a laboratory or factory, is being >> used to do important research and to make useful substances for >> medicine and other fields. All GMOs should be confined. Releasing >> them into the environment is an action that has grave moral, >> environmental, and safety implications. All pharm crops should be >> confined in greenhouses. >> >> For about the past two decades, the federal government, through the >> EPA, USDA, and FDA, has taken the role of promoter of genetic >> engineering in agriculture, when they should have been strictly >> regulating it. We must convince the Obama administration to reverse >> this pattern. Early indications are that this will be a daunting >> task. After 100 days I hope to be proven wrong. That's as positive an >> attitude as I can manage now, Ken. >> >> Space does not permit my discussing in this note other issues of >> concern to me. >> >> Tom >> >> >> In a message dated 12/19/2008 11:48:59 A.M. Central Standard Time, >> [log in to unmask] writes: >> >> I for one don't intend to apologize for voting for Obama, nor for >> that >> matter am I sorry that my wife and I supported him financially (with >> more $$ by at least an order of magnitude than we've ever given >> another candidate); we also housed an Obama staffer, gratis, for 7 >> months; and we volunteered many days of effort. I am concerned, >> however, that Obama may be developing a more serious case of >> Clintonitis than I'd expected, and that it should be treated early. >> >> I'm bothered by the Vilsack appointment--Tom Matthews is right >> that Vilsack panders to the corporate imperators, >> while paying loftysounding lip service to us non-rich, >> non-influential, plebeian >> types. SC's concerns about his "truthiness" were conveyed in the >> tone of the news release, >> which expressed "congratulations." Compare that to the release >> on the >> Solis appointment, in which Carl Pope uses the word "overjoyed". >> >> I'm also bothered by the naming of Rick Warren to give the >> invocation at the Inauguration. This is a symbolic and >> momentary appointment >> of course, but it is also high-profile. I have gay and >> lesbian friends who are thunderstruck that such a prominent >> homophobe will be >> first on the podium on the Capitol porch. Obama may see this >> as reaching across the ideological aisle, but he can reach >> without falling out >> of the pew. >> >> BW >> >> >> >> Quoting KENNETH LARSON <[log in to unmask]>: >> >> > Some need to get "real" and give the Obama administration a >> > chance... Maybe a positive attitude would go a long way to >> success > when advocating for your seemingly single issue >> that has not > registered with the general population... >> > >> > When you look at the trouble the US is in and list the top 6 >> > problems.. Like The Economy, Foreign Policy (War), Energy >> > independence, Education, Health Care, Global Warming... where >> are > some of the issues that in a perfect world would be more >> important > at this point of history ...? >> > >> > In the election, SC really had only one choice ... We got >> that > choice...We won! Now it is our role to support it and >> work with >> it, > or run for office the next election. The SC does not >> want to >> find > itself in the same position of the Republicans who >> had the >> single > issues of "abortion" or the "danger" of Gay >> Marriage.. They are > "out of influence" and "out of Power.." >> with few friends in high > places. We are so much better off >> ... No apology is necessary >> at > this point ....can you contemplate a McCain Palin >> Administration >> and > those appointments.. Let's hold off evaluations for >> at least a > 100 days after January 20th. >> > >> > Ken Larson, Ph.D. >> > Ames, Iowa.. >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> > From: Thomas Mathews<mailto:[log in to unmask]> >> > To: > >> >> [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> >> >> > Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 8:17 AM >> > Subject: New Sec. of Labor >> > >> > >> > Maybe Ms. Solis can help us guide the new administration in >> the > right direction. Goodness knows we need a ray of >> hope, from this >> new > administration that led us to believe it would be all >> about >> Hope. > Maybe I won't have to apologize to people because I >> voted for > Obama. Maybe. >> > Tom >> > >> > > >> >> http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=83221.0<http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=83221.0> >> >> > >> > ( FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December, 18, 2008 >> > CONTACT: Josh Dorner, 202.675.2384 >> > >> > >> > Obama Picks Major Green Jobs >> > Advocate to Head Labor Dept. >> > Sierra Club Congratulates Rep. Hilda Solis >> > >> > >> > Washington, D.C.?Media reports indicate that President-Elect >> Barack >> > Obama has chosen Representative Hilda Solis of California to >> head the >> > Department of Labor. Rep. Solis has been a preeminent >> advocate for >> > green jobs and environmental justice during her career in the >> House. >> > She has a lifetime League of Conservation Voters score of 97. >> > >> > >> > Representative Solis co-authored the Green Jobs Act, which >> later became >> > part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, >> which became >> > law December 19, 2007. The Green Jobs Act authorized $125 >> million for >> > workforce training programs. The training will be targeted to >> > veterans, displaced workers, at risk youth, and individuals >> in families >> > under 200% of the federal poverty line. It could benefit >> programs such >> > as the one at the East Los Angeles Skills Center where >> workers are >> > trained to install solar panels. Upon the signing, >> Congresswoman Solis >> > stated: "The bill is a message for all workers across our >> nation that >> > there is a place for them in the clean energy future." >> > >> > >> > >> > Statement of Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director >> > >> > >> > "The Sierra Club is overjoyed at the news of Hilda Solis' >> selection as >> > Secretary of Labor. She has been a tireless advocate for >> environmental >> > issues, environmental justice, worker's rights, and green >> jobs. We send >> > our deepest congratulations to Representative Solis. >> > >> > >> > "Representative Solis was one of the earliest and most vocal >> supporters >> > of green jobs in the House of Representatives. We can think >> of no >> > better person to help President-Elect Obama implement his >> plans for an >> > economic recovery fueled by the creation of millions of new >> green >> > jobs. Hilda Solis also understands that green jobs must also >> be good >> > jobs and has worked to make sure that the clean energy economy >> is one >> > that lifts up all workers. >> > >> > >> > "This latest pick underscores the strong commitment of the >> > administration to action on clean energy, global warming, and >> a green >> > economic recovery. President-Elect Obama has assembled a >> team of >> > unprecedented strength to advise him on energy, environmental, >> science, >> > and climate issues. This extraordinary team is poised to >> help the >> > President-Elect implement his ambitious agenda to put America >> back to >> > work by tackling the significant climate and energy challenges >> facing >> > our country. >> > >> > >> > "One of our other top legislative priorities is passage of >> the Employee >> > Free Choice Act. We are very pleased that a strong supporter >> of this >> > essential legislation has been tapped to head up the >> Deparment of >> > Labor, yet another agency that has been gravely damaged >> during the >> > past eight years. >> > >> > >> > "Hilda Solis has been a strong ally of the Sierra Club and we >> very much >> > look forward to working with her in her new position." >> > >> > >> > # # # >> > >> > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >> - To > unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any >> message to: > [log in to unmask] >> Check out our > Listserv Lists support site for more >> information: > http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp To view >> the Sierra Club >> List > Terms & Conditions, see: >> http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> > One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL Mail, >> Gmail, > and Yahoo Mail. 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