Obama Nominates Pesticide Executive to Be Chief Agricultural Negotiator

[HCE SuiGeneris]

in the Office of the US Trade Representative

An interview with Amy Goodman at DemocracyNow!

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/11/17/obama_nominates_pesticide_executive_to_be


President Obama’s nominee for the Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the office of the US Trade Representative, Islam Siddiqui is currently a vice president at CropLife America, a coalition of the major industrial players in the pesticide industry, including Syngenta, Monsanto, and Dow Chemical.

He was previously a lobbyist for CropLife and also served in the US Department of Agriculture under President Clinton and the California Department of Food and Agriculture. A coalition of over eighty environmental, family farm and consumer advocacy organizations have sent a letter to the Senate Finance Committee urging them to reject his nomination.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Can anyone help me understand why this is a "good move" on behalf of the administration?

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Why has he chosen half the people he has?

:shrug:

[upi402]

I think he's a Clinton Republican

There is no opposition party to counterbalance the corporatists.

Oh well, Obama bowed to a foreigner! OMG!!!:wow:
:eyes:

[depakid]

12. That's been readily apparent for some years now

the only question is whether his cadre whether his cadre learned from previous mistakes.

[glitch]

17. Choreographed to make the people defend Obama the way they defended Clinton

against the batshit right. Meanwhile, the corporatist policies get further entrenched.

[upi402]

3. double post

[girl gone mad]

10. money talks.

[theHandpuppet]

14. So few henhouses...

And so many corporate foxes whose appetites must be satisfied.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sandnsea]

4. 28 years at CA State Food & Ag

There's clearly more to the guy than whatever he did at CropLife. Anybody know what kind of a job he did in California?

"As the Director for the Division of Plant Industry, Mr.
Siddiqui was responsible for the plant pest prevention programs in
California. He worked closely with USDA?s Foreign Agricultural Service and
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in resolving a number of
agricultural export problems with China, Japan, Australia, South Korea,
Canada, Mexico, and European Union countries."

http://clinton4.nara.gov/library/hot_releases/December_29_2000_12.html

[rollingrock]

5. Michelle Obama herself

insisted on a pesticide-free garden at the WH. and what does her husband do? goes and nominates a pesticide exec. ah the irony. well, at least its consistent with his AG and FDA picks, both with lobbyist ties to Monsanto.

[kenny blankenship]

19. Symbolism v. Substance

Nancy Reagan was exhorting the nation's young people to just say No to drugs, while husband Ronny's men were running a thriving cocaine import business to support their terrorist pals in Central America from the White House basement. It's as old as watch what we do, not what we say.

[doodadem]

6. From Center for Biological Diversity

"Does the talking head of Big Agriculture belong in charge of America's agricultural trade relations? Obama thinks so. Despite claiming that lobbyists wouldn't find jobs in his White House, Obama recently nominated former pesticide lobbyist Islam Siddiqui to be Chief Agriculture Negotiator at the U.S. Trade Representative's office.

Siddiqui's record is abysmal. He led the development of the first national organic labeling standards, which allowed sewage-sludge fertilized, genetically modified, and irradiated food to be labeled as organic before public outcry forced more stringent standards. Siddiqui currently works for CropLife America, a pesticide and biotechnology trade group that fights to weaken environmental laws and treaties and keep persistent organic pollutants like DDT in use.

Siddiqui's pro-pesticide group launched a petition campaign chiding Michelle Obama for planting an organic, pesticide-free garden and lobbied to allow pesticide testing on children. CropLife America also intervened in a Center for Biological Diversity lawsuit to protect endangered species from pesticide exposure. CropLife America's Web site declares that pesticides "contribute to biodiversity conservation" and "positively impact" endangered species. No one told that to the California tiger salamander, delta smelt, and countless other species that have been sickened and killed by toxic pesticides.

Siddiqui's agenda is a threat to biodiversity and human health worldwide. The planet can't afford to have Big Agriculture's talking head in charge of America's agricultural trade relations.

Please contact your senators today and ask them to vote against the confirmation of Islam Siddiqui as Chief Agricultural Negotiator. Urgent action is needed -- the vote could happen in the next two days.



Click here to find out more and take action.

If you have trouble following the link, go to http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1730.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

15. "...lobbied to allow pesticide testing on children."

WTF?!

Another arm of Monsanto becoming entrenched in the Administration. :mad:

[autorank]

7. A cousin of little Timmy, perhaps? k*r

:sarcasm:
It's just food for goodness sakes. Why do we get excited about this.

Next thing you're going to be telling us that that panel of "experts" recommending against
earlier mammograms was biased just because it had three insurance company shills and no
physicians with clinical experience. Jeebus X Rist!

[AllentownJake]

8. Who the hell knows

Half of the nominees in this administration would make the people on DU scream bloody murder if they were appointed by Shrub or McCain.

I guess we should be happy with the half that doesn't make us shake our head and say what the fuck is going on?

[glitch]

18. Half? I wish. nt

[yurbud]

9. Good move? get those big pesti-bucks for selling your soul (or constituents)

[Enthusiast]

11. I must admit,

the choices by this administration seem very curious to me.

[theHandpuppet]

13. No kidding

And passing out posts like party favors to corporate interests is the pattern. Nothing would surprise me anymore. So much for change you can believe in!

[glinda]

16. He ought to answer to the Public that voted him in. Explain his self.

[glitch]

20. The word you are looking for is "Chump" nt

[faithnotgreed]

21. kicking

[Kitsune]

22. I would really like it if, at some point, we could actually elect a Democrat for a change.

Just sayin'.