FoodCare Reform – Mr. Obama’s Plan

Speaking to the National Association of Food Producers, last Thursday, President Obama said, “To say it as plainly as I can, food care reform is the single most important thing we can do for America’s long-term fiscal health. That is a fact.”  “It is urgent,” he said, “that we act to rid our country of this problem as soon as possible.”

Finally, after months of letting the Congress try to craft the Foodcare Reform Bill, Mr. Obama has decided to lay out the plan that he wants Congress to make into the law of the land.  He has told Nancy Bellicosi, Speaker of the House, and Harry Dweeb, the Majority Leader in the Senate, that he expects an appropriate Bill on his desk prior to the Columbus Day Recess or he will ask that all Members of Congress remain in Washington until they finish their work.  Here is Mr. Obama’s plan:

President Obama has called for Food care Reform in 2009 that upholds three core principles.  It must:

–  Reduce Costs

–  Guarantee choice, including a public option

–  Ensure Quality Food for All (Universal Foodcare).

Mr. Obama further explained that it was obvious that with Government Foodcare, we will be able to reduce food costs since we will grow and distribute food more efficiently than the private sector.  The government doesn’t have all those evil rich CEOs that demand profits and who get paid unfair salaries. Fears that this means the government will be nationalizing farms and grocery outlets are unfounded according to the President.  The President emphasized this saying, “no matter how we reform food care, we will keep this promise: If you like your grocer, you will be able to keep your grocer. Period. If you like your local baker, you will be able to keep your local baker. Period. No one will take it away. No matter what. My view is that food care reform should be guided by a simple principle: fix what’s broken and build on what works.”

A public option (think of it as a mega grocery store called ObamaFoods) would bring competition to the market.  Instead of the current situation where a few fat cats dominate the market and set the prices as high as they want, ObamaFoods would bring competition and lower prices.  People would be free to choose to buy their food at ObamaFoods stores and would even get double credit there for their food stamps.  Mr. Obama explained that, “…there is no intent here to eliminate private food stores and producers, just to keep the fat cats honest.”

Of course, Universal Foodcare is a God-given right for everyone and especially in a country as rich as ours, there is no reason why anyone should go hungry.  We are so rich (almost 9 of 10 people in our country who want a job have one) that surely we can afford to buy food for those who can’t afford it (after paying their cable bill and boat payment).  In 2008, it was estimated that 37 Million people (including non-citizen residents) fell below the poverty line ($21,203 for a family of four).  It is our moral obligation to feed these people and to feed them well.   With food stamps, you can barely get flour and sugar and salt and all those messy ingredients.  We need to be able to let our hungry have their Ding Dongs and Twinkies already made, not force them to do all that messy cooking.

Reference articles on hungry Americans  here and here.

Makes about as much sense as the current plans the Administration has for Healthcare, doesn’t it?  And, don’t doubt that they are thinking about it.  If $19 Billion went to Food Stamps programs in the “Stimulus Bill,” and ‘only’ $18 Billion went to Health Care, how far away can this program be?

If you have not emailed or called your Senators and Congress person, please do so now and tell them how you feel about socialized medicine.  Thanks.