Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Musings: For Sale, Cheap

It's good to read that the state Ethics Commission is warning lawmakers not to attend today's “A Taste of Ag” event. The menu sounds super yummy, and we all know how our legislators love to tie on the feed bag. However, the problem lies not with the chow, but with the hosts: the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association and Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.

As Larry Geller reports over at Disappeared News:

This event is clearly aimed at winning the hearts and minds of legislators. In addition to the fancy menu (see below) it will feature three keynote speakers representing the American Farm Bureau Federation, the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation and the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association. As the sponsors clearly know, the best way to win someone’s heart is through the stomach. The keynote speakers are aimed at their minds. After all, this is their business: lobbying legislators (another interpretation of “winning hearts and minds”).

So just who is behind the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association? Well, H. Doug Matsuoka did a little digging over at his blog:

In their testimony in opposition to GMO labeling, they describe themselves as “a nonprofit trade association representing the seed industry in Hawaii.” How cool, right?

Wrong! I tried to find out more about them by researching their officers and directors.


He then goes on to present a little chart that shows where all but one HCIA official — including our own Cindy Goldstein, the DuPont/Pioneer shill — is employed:

The corporations represented listed in alphabetical order:

BASF
Dow
DuPont
Monsanto
Syngenta

What we have is a who’s who of multinational GMO corporations.  As much as they try to represent themselves as “agricultural” companies, note that all of them are primarily chemical companies with a major portion of their sales in poisons such as herbicides and fungicides.


We all know that these corporations have gazillions to spend on lobbying lawmakers and bullying opponents, which is why it has been virtually impossible to pass any laws regulating the GMO industry in Hawaii and elsewhere.

And while that isn't likely to change any time soon, at least Ethics Commission Executive Director Les Kondo is putting lawmakers on notice that it's just a little too blatant to gorge on grinds at one of their events. Or as the old German proverb puts it, “Whose bread I eat his song I sing.”

What's really sad, though, is that our lawmakers can be bought for a $50 buffet, even if it is all you can eat.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Let's not forget the chemical companies and our misbegotten foreign policy of "winning hearts and minds" in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The only thing that was won was big contracts in burning that policy into the bodies of those unfortunate people. Better living through chemicals: a slogan for all times.

Alan D. McNarie said...

Yep, and the GMO companies are spreading moolah around the legislature again--and to Honolulu's Mayor. http://bigislandweekly.com/news/the-monsanto-machine.html

Anonymous said...

this is the way its done here, give use to it.

Dawson said...

this is the way its done here, give use to it.

Give me five good reasons why anyone should "give use to" corruption and influence peddling. Five good reasons why "this is the way its done" justifies continuing to do it that way.

Anonymous said...

Because no one, no lawsuit, no takings, will change the excessive government corruption. Employees showing up for work late, leaving early and still paid for 8 hours (aka theft) runs rampant in some departments.

Hiring of unqualified workers, appointing 15 over $45k a year special Mayors staff. Retaining former directors and deputies to fill non existing position, taking away valuable jobs for the county (grant writers) in civil defense, for example.

So suck it up Dawson and give on the bandwagon, someone is keeping track.

Anonymous said...

You could add, no Joan, no Andy, no Charlie, will change the status quo.

Dawson said...

Because no one, no lawsuit, no takings, will change the excessive government corruption.

Not a good reason why anyone should accept it. Try again.


Employees showing up for work late, leaving early and still paid for 8 hours (aka theft) runs rampant in some departments.

Hiring of unqualified workers, appointing 15 over $45k a year special Mayors staff. Retaining former directors and deputies to fill non existing position, taking away valuable jobs for the county (grant writers) in civil defense, for example.


Yep, but still not good reasons why anyone should accept it.


You could add, no Joan, no Andy, no Charlie, will change the status quo.

The truth is you're so scared that the Joans, Andys and Charlies of the world are in the process of changing the status quo that you have to post your denial on this blog. Why not accept the idea that the end of business as usual is inevitable, and admit that the idea of change terrifies you?

Anonymous said...

The blatant corruption is so out of control here on Kauai that one is lead to believe that we're living in a third world country.

All the Shapiro's, Sacchini's, gentlemen farmers, bonnie and clydes (PA and ol dirty cop) and the good ol boys and gals don't need to even fight for a piece of action.

These people are pimps, that are prostituting the people of Kauai. The citizens of Kauai that are not benefiting from the organized criminals in office must wake up and realize that Kauai is turning into Juarez, Mexico.

We must keep the good fight and dismantle the cartels of Kauai. These people are easily identified, for they work in state, county, police, prosecuting, boards and commission offices.

Anonymous said...

Tuesday morning, sit in the parking lot and WATCH, the truth is walking in the door whenever they damn well feel like it. Functional or not, that is the way. Give use it.

Anonymous said...

You can find a county vehicle, truck, in a bank parking lot, during work hours, you gonna tell 'em, no more. Good luck with that. They gonna say, I take my break, no matter 40 minutes in line.