Edwards pushes food safety and country-of-origin labeling

[draft_mario_cuomo]

Edwards continues to focus on real solutions for real issues...

==Associated Press - July 10, 2007 5:24 PM ET

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Democratic presidential contender John Edwards is calling for tougher enforcement of food-labeling laws and tighter inspections of food being shipped into the country.

Edwards complained to Iowa reporters during a conference call today that Congress has failed to pass food labeling laws that would specify the country where a food originated.

The labeling issue is part of a larger package Edwards has proposed to improve food safety.

He says labeling food to identify its country of origin could prevent concerns, such as recent ones surrounding food imported from China.==

Read the rest at http://www.wqad.com/Global/story.asp?S=6770764

[kurth]

1. Finally, some common sense

that could save American lives.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

4. Exactly nt

[Tellurian]

16. Yes, how can anyone think this is not a good thing?

I read yesterday the head of China's Food Administration was executed because he had taken money ($800,000+) to allow tainted food from China be sold in other countries..resulting in 10-12 deaths. hmm..

[Kurovski]

2. K&R #5 (nt)

[saracat]

3. Edwards rocks .He seems to be the only candidate giving a damn about the issues

[waiting for hope]

14. You have that right -

and that is what has the MSM and GOP running scared - all they have is haircuts, a house and hedge fund. Really, all they have is a big fat nothing.

[Olney Blue]

5. Smart and practical- a much-needed idea!!!!!

[Adelante]

6. About that China trade deal he voted for

Has he said one way or another if he feels he was wrong on that one?

[draft_mario_cuomo]

7. I am not sure but that is an important question

That also should be put into context. I see a lot of people who are not exactly fans of JE often bringing that up. The vote for that was 83-15 (Clobama were not in the senate at the time) was pushed for by a Democratic president and also supported by one AL Gore. Edwards had a 17% rating from the right-wing CATO institute on trade, indicating a strongly pro-fair trade voting record. That was the most pro-fair trade rating of anyone running in 2004, for instance.

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/09/19/pntr.vote.hfr/index.html

[Adelante]

8. Do you know much about trade?

I admit I do not, except that issues of labor, environment and human rights need to be in there, which is something I agree with Edwards and others about. But lately I've been wondering how the China trade deal and NAFTA stack up next to each other in terms of more or less devastating impact on the economy. Do you have a judgment on what I realize may be a difficult thing to estimate? I would be interested in hearing it, if you do.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

11. Not much more than the typical DUer

Your question is important. How about a thread on all the trade agreements we have had since NAFTA? I am sure several Duers are knowledgeable about the topic.

[Adelante]

12. That's a good idea

My back is out so I can't sit long, but when I'm feeling better I think I will. Thanks for the suggestion.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

13. No problem, get well! nt

[Adelante]

9. Interesting opposition - from your 2000 link

Unions warn that the pact could cost hundreds of thousands of American workers their jobs as Chinese goods flood the U.S. market and companies move their factories to China to take advantage of lower wages.

"I believe that we will deeply regret this stampede to pass this legislation and the way in which we have taken all the human rights, religious freedom, right to organize, all of those concerns and we just put them in parenthesis, put them in brackets, as if they don't exist," said Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minnesota. Other opponents worried that the U.S. would be unable to influence Beijing over human rights concerns without a yearly vote on trade.

"Giving permanent normal trade relations to the government of China will destroy an important lever that we now have and we have had to influence Chinese behavior," Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms, R-North Carolina, argued. "We are tossing it aside."

[Alexander]

10. His Senate votes don't match up with his rhetoric.

I'm afraid it will take much more to sell me on Edwards.

[JANdad]

17. Is there anything he COULD do to convince you?

Just askin'

Perhaps he could impale himself in front of the WH...

I don't know...just off the top of my head...

I guess evolving as a politician is something candidates are not allowed to do now-a-days...

They should be of a virgin birth and be able to walk on water to get a pass...

[draft_mario_cuomo]

18. There is also no candidate in the field, and maybe 2 politicians in the US, who have not evolved

People forget that Edwards only entered politics in 1998. Is it that surprising that after he got to learn the issues, see the impact of policies on people that he shifted slightly in his views? It isn't as if he was in politics for 20 years and then suddenly changed his views.

[anitar1]

15. Well yeah--the GD congress pushed the bill through to

cover up country of origin ect--I remember it not too long ago.Now they are protesting the bill they passed.For their corporate buddies.