President Obama Gives Berth… to Industry
President Obama gives berth to industry on big issues like GE food and fracking.
By Rich Bindell
It’s probably safe to say that a majority of Americans were pretty surprised that President Obama hosted an official press conference to share his birth documentation with the nation. Why did the President feel compelled to dignify Donald Trump and other “birthers” with a response at all? Surely, as President, the relationship of power is such that he does not need to lower himself to respond to such a ridiculous and empty allegation. Many have said that the entire situation is an embarrassment and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick even said that American politics has hit “a new low.” But Obama’s quick response to quell Trump’s desire for press reminds us of the President’s other recent acts of acquiescence: the deregulation of genetically engineered crops, the pending approval of GE salmon, and the lack of action on fracking including the potential effects on the drinking water of millions.
President Obama may have just delivered to the nation his certificate of birth, but for the past two years, he’s been yielding to the influence of industry, practically offering various lobbying groups a “certificate of berth.” Here are three areas where Obama gives wide berth to the interests of big companies…
Genetically engineered (GE) Crops: The pace that has been driving the GE food industry has been extremely fast. Between 1992 and 2010, at least 13 GE products have been introduced, from tomatoes to alfalfa to sugar beets. Biotechnology in agriculture has been touted as a way of fighting hunger throughout the world, but the claims have mostly been false promises. Industry claims that GE crops can have higher yields for farmers while keeping costs down and reducing the need for agrochemicals. But farmers have had to endure increased costs minus the promised higher yields while chemical use in GE crops have contributed to the development of insect and weed resistance. A few large companies like Monsanto now dominate the GE food industry and control pricing. But Obama has been silent on the topic due to pressures from the biotech and food industries who have spent over half a billion dollars in the last decade on campaign contributions and lobbying Congress.
GE Salmon: The American people don’t want it, and they’ve said so loud and clear. Yet the FDA presses on its mission to approve a transgenic fish for your dinner plate under the guise of an animal drug. President Obama has the authority to call for transparency and thorough research — a definitive and unbiased independent study, unlike the studies that the FDA is currently relying upon, most of which have been provided by AquaBounty, the company behind GE salmon. Obama has not responded to consumer and scientific concerns. Again, he is highly influenced by those with a well-funded lobbying presence.
Fracking: As energy companies have been quickly setting up drilling sites all over the Marcellus Shale states of Pennsylvania and New York, consumers are becoming more informed about the potential dangers of fracking. The President’s energy plan for the future is banking on natural gas as a bridge fuel, but the plan doesn’t seem to include listening to the concerns of the residents in those states. Instead of waiting for a proper assessment of how fracking impacts public health and the environment, Obama is allowing industry to continue to construct new drilling sites. We don’t need to look much farther than how much money the natural gas industry spends on lobbying to influence public policy to understand what’s going on.
We need our President to represent the best interests of the people, not the profits of a few large companies well embedded in the marketplace. It’s difficult to watch Obama quickly respond to the requests of a few misguided people while he continues to maintain political silence on big and controversial issues that remain a concern to most consumers.