GMO Foods - Yes on I-522

[Xploder]

Labeling means nothing in either the long or the short term. Unless you're some kind of food-nazi that checks every single package of shit you buy in a store, you won't know or care where it came from. If what you want is to ban GMO's, I can almost, kinda sorta, get behind that. Not because of the evul corporate overlords or whetever but for the simple reason that you're adding something into the food chain that you have absolutely no idea whether or not, in the long term, is going to be harmful. I think that with shitloads more testing, it could be a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, the companies that produce these products are seriously only concerned with their bottom line - nothing else. Therefore, they can and will release all manner of crap that could be harmful to certain people. In other words, GMO's are nothing but a crapshoot. I know a buttload of farmers in both Ohio and Illinois (relatives - unfortunately both republican and xtian) who swear by them. The thing is, once you actually talk to them, they like the fact that the seed is cheaper and the whole process of growing said (thing) is cheaper for them. If you think they give one shit about the person that ultimately is gonna eat said (thing), you're sadly mistaken. I know for a fact that they don't eat what they produce with GMO's which is kind of odd but whatever. They also believe that man coexisted with dinosaurs. Durr.

Now when it comes to me? I'm eating it cause I don't give a damn. Unless there's some weird ass pesticide that they spray on the crops in such a concentration that it either kills me or gives me god-like powers a la the X-Men, I ain't worried. I'm 52 and still manage to have all my faculties and still manage to muddle my way through a lot of high-end math bullshit with no problems. If it was going to kill me OR make we ill in some way, it would have by now.

Also, I have no idea what my sig is anymore so I'm adding it. Go suck a lemon.

[Xploder]

I'm just gonna keep on eating em and hope for super X-Men powers. Cause that's just how I roll when drinking rum.

Go me.

also: sig!

[Clockwork Jackal]

Ok, so I'm a registered voter in the state of Washington. Why shouldn't I vote for 522? It seems like a good idea. Convince me.

[Lounsbury]

A final comment, the most serious issue and concern presented is not one specific to the technology, but to market: that is undue control and influence of a seed company. This really has nothing per se to do with the technology and everything to do with anti-corporation sentiment.

The same market control fears could be whipped up relative to traditional or neo - traditional hybrids. To the extent that there is real concern beyond irrational emotive fear-mongering over corporations, these are issues dealt with perfectly reasonably by anti-trust regulation.

[Simple Dog]

Update: I-522 failed, 54%-46%.

[mswas]

Originally Posted by Simple Dog

Update: I-522 failed, 54%-46%.

Woohoo! A win for science! Keeping people ignorant FTW!

[ulfhjorr]

Which is good. The whole idea of labeling GMO foods is ridiculous.

What they should do is go the route of organics -- define and protect a set of "GMO-Free" label requirements so that those who want to choose those products (or advertise their products as such) can do so and so that those who choose to go that route can bear the associated costs rather than passing on their costs on to others.

[Lounsbury]

Very good. I should share (need to find the reference again as I did not clip it) a recent analysis re GenMon highlighting that the science ignorant panic mongering restrictions that are like this initiative actually push these developments more and more into the hands of the Syngentas and the Monstantos as they are the only ones who can afford to continue to invest and then deal with the regulatory compliance costs. The perverse effect of such non-real-risk based regulations are to perversely incentivize concentration and Big Ag Science, over smaller, decentralised developments.