Plans being hatched to block school lunch changes

[alp227]

Source: Politico

House Republicans are gaining steam in their latest effort to scale back key pieces of one of first lady Michelle Obama’s crowning food policy achievements: school lunch reform.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture is looking at including language in the fiscal 2015 spending bill to potentially halt key school nutrition regulations for increased whole-grain requirements and competitive foods restrictions, which are set to kick in this July.

It’s a move that has nutrition advocates very concerned, not only for the regulations but because it represents what they see as a growing pattern of partisanship and congressional intervention in school nutrition policy set by the Department of Agriculture.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/05/school-lunch-changes-106602.html

[Ash_F]

1. They would hurt children to "make a point" /nt

Last edited Mon May 12, 2014, 09:57 PM - Edit history (1)

[atreides1]

12. They would kill children

To "make a point". Their rabid hatred of ACA is an indicator that they would rather see 46,000 people die every year...then provide access to health care!

[sakabatou]

25. Because an embryo is more important to them than a living, breathing person

[atreides1]

37. Yes.

You know that Republicans believe life begins at conception and ends at birth!

[McCamy Taylor]

36. Because food vendors in schools make a lot of money

and under Citizens United bribery is now legal.

[murielm99]

2. It should be easy to make them look bad for this.

Messing with food for kids? Doing damage to children's nutritional programs? Only the worst of villains would do such a thing.

[Louisiana1976]

9. +1 million

[freshwest]

22. Have to overcome the Libertarian, Koch, Tea meme. Government, public schools, taxes = Evil:

Here are just a few excerpts of the Libertarian Party platform that David Koch ran on in 1980:

“We urge the repeal of federal campaign finance laws, and the immediate abolition of the despotic Federal Election Commission.”

“We favor the abolition of Medicare and Medicaid programs.”

“We oppose any compulsory insurance or tax-supported plan to provide health services, including those which finance abortion services.”

“We also favor the deregulation of the medical insurance industry.”

“We favor the repeal of the fraudulent, virtually bankrupt, and increasingly oppressive Social Security system. Pending that repeal, participation in Social Security should be made voluntary.”

“We propose the abolition of the governmental Postal Service. The present system, in addition to being inefficient, encourages governmental surveillance of private correspondence. Pending abolition, we call for an end to the monopoly system and for allowing free competition in all aspects of postal service.”

“We oppose all personal and corporate income taxation, including capital gains taxes.”

“We support the eventual repeal of all taxation.”

“As an interim measure, all criminal and civil sanctions against tax evasion should be terminated immediately.”

“We support repeal of all law which impede the ability of any person to find employment, such as minimum wage laws.”

“We advocate the complete separation of education and State. Government schools lead to the indoctrination of children and interfere with the free choice of individuals. Government ownership, operation, regulation, and subsidy of schools and colleges should be ended.”

“We condemn compulsory education laws … and we call for the immediate repeal of such laws.”

“We support the repeal of all taxes on the income or property of private schools, whether profit or non-profit.”

“We support the abolition of the Environmental Protection Agency.”

“We support abolition of the Department of Energy.”

“We call for the dissolution of all government agencies concerned with transportation, including the Department of Transportation.”

“We demand the return of America's railroad system to private ownership. We call for the privatization of the public roads and national highway system.”

“We specifically oppose laws requiring an individual to buy or use so-called "self-protection" equipment such as safety belts, air bags, or crash helmets.”

“We advocate the abolition of the Federal Aviation Administration.”

“We advocate the abolition of the Food and Drug Administration.”

“We support an end to all subsidies for child-bearing built into our present laws, including all welfare plans and the provision of tax-supported services for children.”

“We oppose all government welfare, relief projects, and ‘aid to the poor’ programs. All these government programs are privacy-invading, paternalistic, demeaning, and inefficient. The proper source of help for such persons is the voluntary efforts of private groups and individuals.”

“We call for the privatization of the inland waterways, and of the distribution system that brings water to industry, agriculture and households.”

“We call for the repeal of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.”

“We call for the abolition of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.”

“We support the repeal of all state usury laws.”

The GOP is against taxes that support schools, public schools and anything that supports children. This is why Sanders and Reid called them out, and they were immediately attacked in the media and on the ground in NV.

Look at the list and the links if you have time. It's why Obama, Reid and Sanders have called them out, along with others. The GOP is just following the agenda set out there.

And they have many converts and work all sides of the political field to get it done. They are close and willing to bankrupt the country and kill millions to create their version of liberty and freedom.

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/koch-brothers

http://www.historycommons.org/context.jsp?item=a7980koch

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024806298

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/harry-reid-republicans-addicted-to-koch

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/06/harry-reid-koch-brothers_n_4914164.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/04/harry-reid-koch_n_5092685.html

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/harry-reid-koch-brothers-102859.html

http://www.businessinsider.com/harry-reid-koch-bros-un-american-2014-2

Last but not least:

http://www.reid.senate.gov/koch-facts#.U0AZsa1dUi4

[leftyohiolib]

30. "It should be easy to make them look bad for this." remember we're talking about democrats

dems are lousy with messaging, people are too busy trying to talk rather than listen and people are lazy about voting. come november there'll be a whole new cast on dancing with the "stars"

[jtuck004]

35. Their folks love it. They would vote for public flogging of 6th graders. n/t

[L0oniX]

3. They won't scale back pentagon spending but good food for school children? O yea they'll cut that.

IMO this is more about those f*cking racist agenda assholes!

[pipoman]

4. The reforms need adjustment, not a return to chips and sodas

[RKP5637]

5. Jesus, just what the fuck is wrong with these damn fools. n/t

[freshwest]

11. PIzza Hut and other vendors selling school food may have a lobbyist working the GOP.

The menu in my blue district already follows the guideline and is tasty and healthy. And the kids love the food.

[RKP5637]

18. Yep, I think most kids would prefer better food given a chance ... and to build healthy food choices

for their futures.

[grilled onions]

6. At the same time

they show zero concern for all the stories lately of kids going hungry because they are a little short on their lunch cards. So they don't care if the kids continue to eat less than nutritous food nor no food at all. Aren't they special???????

[Louisiana1976]

10. Well said.

[SheilaT]

7. I keep on reading stories about kids

simply not eating what the schools are now providing. Since I haven't eaten a school lunch lately, I can't comment too much, but I think what we're seeing is more than one generation having been raised largely on fast food. So many people no longer cook or eat real food that it's quite scary.

[DhhD]

20. The ones with additional money go and empty the plate the parents bought, then buy junk food.

Children on the federal reduced fee and free lunch programs, must go through the healthier food line; they pick choices from that line.

[Art_from_Ark]

29. When I was in school, there was only one lunch line

The only "junk food" was the occasional home-made pizza. Soda pop and snack vending machines were strictly forbidden in the cafeteria area (although the high-school band somehow managed to get a pop machine in the band room-- the only one on campus)

[lunasun]

21. Me too & All those Thanks Michelle Obama #s stories too

http://www.businessinsider.com/students-tweeting-awful-photos-school-lunches-michelle-obama-healthier-meals-2014-4

They do not want the healthy items and then complain there is nothing to eat or
disgusted by good food choices,
or the healthy items are provided in a cheap untasty way
I do not know myself
my guess is it could be like bad ACA press just conservatives causing bad pr for WH initiatives
but hey maybe the food sucks too
a lot of possibilites

[aznativ]

34. I volunteer from time to time at my kids school and have eaten the lunches

about ten of them to be exact. And they look about as bad as what is in the video.

The meals suck. I cant believe I am paying for this trash. I eat fairly healthy (you know veggies, chicken, lots of whole grains ...) and this stuff is horrible. No salt shakers anywhere to cover the shit taste.

You should see how much food these kids throw out.

Our high school has a student store where the kids can get chips and drinks (no sodas) and the line there is out the door. The store is closing at the end of this year because most of their product is outlawed now. Was a source of thousands in $$ to help defray campus expenses.

Next year our kids wont even be able to sell candybars on campus for fundraisers so that is out too.

I think this whole thing went to far. As for those of you going crazy because people are against this...go to your local school and purchase a meal two and choke some of it down. I cant speak for other schools, but ours is nasty.

Now if we could have our kids served what Michelle's kids are served at Sidwell....welll I'd be eating there every day:

http://www.sidwell.edu/documents/menus/P12W1-W4US.pdf

[jwirr]

8. They are not human. They cannot go lower.

[reformist2]

13. They are brainwashed members of a cult. The name of the cult is capitalism.

I think many of them honestly believe that maximizing corporate profits always makes everything better. It took years of brainwashing (and bribery) to get them to think this way, but they do.

[QuestForSense]

26. Oh yes they can, and have.

Lunches seized from kids in debt at Salt Lake City elementary
Up to 40 kids at Uintah Elementary picked up their lunches Tuesday, then watched as the meals were taken and thrown away because of outstanding balances on their accounts — a move that shocked and angered parents.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024412684

After tossed lunch debacle, Utah district eyes public relations hire
The district issued a request for proposals from public relations firms for up to $49,999 — $1 shy of what’s required for full board approval, according to the district’s administrative procedures.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014732425

The first is bad enough, but the second one actually upset my stomach. Obviously, fiscal concerns are not their motivation. The silence which followed was deafening, and the story disappeared faster than a fart in a windstorm. Perhaps there's so much of this crap going on that nothing can break the surface, but I wonder if the silence doesn't embolden the fanatics to keep coming back, like the ravening wolves they are.

[okaawhatever]

14. Okay, so what lobbies are getting to them? It is probably cheaper for their bread suppliers to not

use whole grains. Also, there was a bunch of extra money for this program in previous budgets, so they may try to use that as an excuse. Who else would fight to keep quality food out of children's mouths?

[handmade34]

15. here ya go...

http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/05/my-trip-mcdonalds-sponsored-nutritionist-convention

[okaawhatever]

16. That explains a lot. Thx for the info. nt

[Kablooie]

17. It's so pleasant to see what my tax money goes to pay for.

[chuckstevens]

19. Just what Jesus would do!

How do these assholes get away with being thought of as Christians with "family values?"

[hawaii73]

23. Sick of These Continued Shenanigans

Once again, the Rethugs want to try to prove a point by trying to thwart anything Pres. Obama or in this case, his wife, tries to do.

Honestly, what is wrong with this country?

From day one of his inauguration it has been thwart this, stop that. Are we (the American people) so stupid that they can't see this has happened for nearly six years now. One after another. I just wish more Democrats had some backbone, including the President. He ought to be lambasting these people day after day. I guess when you have so much of the media in your hip pocket (Fox, hundreds of right-wing radio stations and the never-ending social media) it is impossible.

I live in the south and travel throughout the country. A week doesn't go by where I don't hear the hate mongers (Limbaugh), Hannity, Savage, Levin, etc.) babbling on and on about the Democrats as I surf the dial. The left has little ammo in this war in the media. I guess if you're living in many of these states and all you hear is Rush and others, you take their word for everything as gospel and we all know it is pure BS they put out there. The dumbing down of America I call it.

[Historic NY]

24. Kids who cares when we can make brownie points...

"give them porridge " & boloney sandwiches.

[EEO]

27. They are totally "the party of mean."

[blkmusclmachine]

32. Catsup = vegetable

[roody]

28. I teach first grade in public school.

We have seen an improvement in the quality of school lunch food.

[SoapBox]

33. Bastards.

[heaven05]

38. well the rethugs

are being consistent in their racist stupidity. Such dangerous clowns, in positions of authority, that are harming, even killing americans, adult and children alike...... What a sad state this kkkountry is in.

[geretogo]

39. The Corporatists are making sure the children eat only low nutrition Corporate foods . It diminishes

their learning there by proving Public schools are bad . They hate poor children as much as much as
they hate democratic government .

[TeamPooka]

40. GOP doing it "for the children"