Obama has appointed a Monsanto lobbyist as senior advisor to the Food and Drug Administration Commissioner on food safety. I believe this is a nasty conflict of interest and just shameful. Our president spoke against the corruption of our system and in the lobbying-based system in particular. To appoint a Monsanto lobbyist, well, I think it makes clear that Monsanto is campaign contributor.
If you would like to take action on this issue, please go to: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27042
Below is a letter I composed and sent to the President on July 22, 2009. This letter was in response to an email I received from Obama staff concerning support for the Obama healthcare plan.
Dear Mr. President,
It is apparent that we will need health care reform even more badly because of your choices for key positions. I am appalled that you stood against lobbyists and have now appointed a Monsanto lobbyist, Michael Taylor, as a Senior Advisor on food safety. Genetic Modification and Engineering is not safe nor is there any evidence to prove that GMO/GE products should be used in our environment or for human consumption. And the idea that Daniel Wolff could be appointed Under-Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety is nothing short of a tragedy.
I had thought that when Mrs. Obama planted her lovely organic garden, things could begin to change in our government. Food is what makes us healthy, not prescriptions. All the healthcare in the world won’t make us healthy if we don’t have proper nutrition. But it is quite obvious that Mrs. Obama’s garden is just that, a lovely little garden. The support you received for the values the garden represented was misplaced.
I am gravely disappointed that all the values you said you upheld have now been bought out by “big agribusiness.” I expected you and the powers of your office to protect our children and their health.
Sincerely,
Breann Murray Tolley
