Somewhere in the East Wing, Michelle Obama must be fuming. The first lady has labored hard to fight the rising tide of diet-related maladies among children -- and her husband has now handed the nation's agricultural research agenda to someone who recently owed her living to robust sales of stuff like Milky Way, M&M's, Twix, Skittles, Wrigley's gum, and Snickers bars, all heavily marketed to kids.Surely she must realize by now for whom her husband works. She'll likely "stand by her man" because of all the perks, influence, and wealth that comes with the relationship. She knows that the First Lady's job is to do good works and create a positive public image. She is performing her role very well, as he is his--to serve the interests of major corporations who sponsored him.
in the time remaining, to help us understand how the man-made system of capitalism will lead to the extinction of our human species, and so many others.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Obama taps food-industry exec for top ag-research post
by Tom Philpott from Grist.