Coburn Blocks Food Safety Bill

[cal04]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/09/23/us/politics/AP-US-Congress-Food-Safety.html?_r=1&hp

Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn has blocked consideration of a food safety bill that would give the Food and Drug Administration more power to prevent foodborne illness.

The legislation would give the agency more power to recall tainted products, increase inspections of food processors and require producers to follow stricter standards for keeping food safe. Coburn, a Republican, says he is objecting because the bill is not paid for.

Republicans say Democrats could get around Coburn's objections by voting to end debate on the bill, which would require 60 votes. The legislation passed the House last year and has strong bipartisan support. A spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said Democrats should not have to resort to such procedural moves.

[bushisanidiot]

1. The party of "NO" strikes again. They really don't give a shit about the american people.

they don't even care about their constituents. The republican tea party is beholden ONLY to the special interests that are lining their pockets.

THAT'S NOT WHY YOU WERE HIRED!!!!

KICK THE REPUKE BUMS OUT!

[blondeatlast]

2. "Teh gay" in the military is a threat--but tainted food is not. It would hurt my brain

to be a GOTea-er.

[Bitwit1234]

3. What difference does it make if they "shouldn't" have to do it

damn it do it and get it over with. This is the problem. Pass the laws by any legal means and tell the republicans like Coburn to go to Hades where he belongs.

[gratuitous]

5. Making our food supply safe shouldn't require legislative legerdemain

But apparently it does, just like everything else. The question is, will Democrats finally just say, "Fuck it" and do what's best, what they know is right, and what they were elected to do, or will they just snap their fingers, say "Oh, darnie" and let some more citizens die from tainted food? How many lives is kowtowing to a lowdown motherfucker like Tom Coburn worth, anyway? Fifty? A hundred? When the survivors of these luckless individuals ask the inevitable and uncomfortable "why" question, are you going to feel all right saying that you didn't want to cross Sen. Coburn (who was doing the heavy lifting for his pals the Koch brothers or Cargill or Archer Daniels Midland)?

How much more money do these folks need, and how many more deaths will be required to make sure they feel financially secure?

[monmouth]

4. Well Harry, sometimes Dems have to resort to do what's right.

Krist, get some spine will ya? He's really getting on my last nerve. I don't care what they have to resort to, procedural, mocedural, just get it done!

[Buns_of_Fire]

6. ...and to think this asscarrot's a doctor -- an M.D., that is. nt

[okieinpain]

7. someone in congress should threaten to take away funding to

tinker air force base. oklahoman's live in a stupid bubble of supper republician and oklahoma doesn't need anything from the federal government. I laugh at that every time i drive by tinker and think what would happen if the fed's said fine we can move all of that business to california.