Meezer Monday: Presidential Debate: Rebuttal

I would like thank Skeezix and my very flexible fellow candidates for being able to move the debates as my human was gone this weekend and did not inform me ahead of time. This is a grave error that I will not allow to happen again.

At any rate, I would like to reiterate my position. I am a progressive. I am a liberal. I say that with all due enthusiasm. While I think Clinton was a fine president, I think he was a fine conservative president and I save my accolade to FDR.

While I believe every sentient being has certain rights, such things as the right to

“life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,“

I also believe that the government should not be legislating things that are private, moral decisions.

I am:

• in favor of ending the occupation of Iraq and returning the troops.
• in favor of creating a balanced budget, although this means increasing taxes. My tax proposals are primarily aimed at the top 1 percent of Americans and also at large coorporations. I hope to re-close some tax loopholes that John F. Kennedy closed that have been re-opened by subsequent presidents.
• in favor of personal privacy, including the right to marry whom you want, have the babies you want (or not) and to be safe from unlawful entering of a home as guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment.
• in favor of free speech, even when it makes me roar! I believe everyone has the right to express their opinion for without dissent we will never have creative ideas
• in favor of freedom of all religions. The US is NOT a religious state and has never been a religious state. The founders remembered running from religious states in the old world and they did not want to have this happen again. There should be absolute separation of Church and State!
• in favor of campaign finance reform
• in favor of habeas corpus, even in time of war

I would support a constitutional convention to change the whiner–err winner take all electoral votes to create a system similar to the British Parliamentary system where the percentage of votes elects the percentage of the candidates within each party.

Skeezix has the questions lined up for each candidate. In the interest of time and space, I will let you read my questions there.

The questions for me in regard to the food issue:

From Skittles:

It is a well established fact that 1 acre of land growing produce for consumption, if utilizing modern day agricultural methods, produces far more to eat than an acre of land utilizing organic methods. How would you deal with a decrease in the overall food supply, if the US were to suddenly go organic, and the subsequent increase in food
prices?

First off, I disagree with you on the “well established fact”.

From Gujara.com

The basic claim is that organic farms are less productive. One prominent 21-year Swiss study found an average 20% lower organic yields over conventional methods, however, that came with consumption of 50% less fertilizer and energy, and 97% less pesticide[1]. A major survey published in 2001, analyzed of over 154 growing seasons of data on various crops and concluded that organic yields were 95-100% of conventional yields[1]. Comparitive yield studies are still scarce, and overall results remain “inconclusive”.

What other studies that I have sited below show is that while organic farms may yield slightly less food, (not nearly as much as you imply) they cost considerably less money to run. Additionally, the lower yields are not shown to hold true in underdeveloped countries, where organic farming methods actually produce higher yields than “conventional” chemical farming methods. (more citations below)

Further, studies on the viability of organic farming show that the United States actually overproduces food for it’s needs. There would be no food shortage if the United States choses to go completely organic.

Additionally, you have misunderstood my point about the cat food Skittles. I do not mean to REQUIRE organic food for everyone. I would offer incentives to using organic foods. I have no doubt that many conglomerates would resist the necessity of this change very much.

My incentives would allow the small family farmer who is farming using organic methods to actually make a living from farming rather than government subsides. They would grow what grew well in their fields on their farms. As there would be fewer middle men buying their produce to deliver to consumers far from the foods’ origin and fewer transportation costs, food prices would likely remain stable AND farmers would have a better standard of living.

Studies (see below) show that organic food is typically more cost effective to produce and offers healthier food. Healthier, more nutritious food would then mean that people would get more nutrition from what they ate. This would have a major impact on working on the obesity epidemic.

I believe the high cost of fuel to be a far greater threat to the price off food than going organic. I would also like to point out that many people refused to believe that we should look for alternative fuel sources. We are paying for that refusal now. If we don’t do something to change our farming methods, we could be seeing the same problem with our food supply. The plants are no longer as nourishing. What is happening to the soil? Where will we be 10 years from now if we don’t make changes in how we produce food?

From Cato:

In light of the recent and sad deaths of many loved companion animals due to tainted foods from China , I would like to ask Cheysuli what she would serve China’s President Hu Jintao when he came to his first state dinner at the White House?

Cato, at first I considered beginning with a serving of fugu and following it with some Chinese food heavily sprinkled with Monosodium glutamate and served with a nice aspartame filled diet drink and a dessert laced with high fructose corn syrup.

Then I recalled that we had already exported Coca-Cola and McDonalds to China. Therefore, I would serve him the finest organic, in season foods that were grown as locally as possible. I would show him the way things ought to be and be the bigger cat.

Temperature Taking Methods:

From Skittles:

Chey: Would you be willing to voluntarily take a trip to a vet, and submit to the Booty Method, in order to better understand your constituency?

Skittles, as a younger cat I did have to have that method used. I have no desire to resubmit when there is obviously something better. I can only pledge to work on educating veterinarians to use the ear method when at all possible.

Vishus Deer Mennis:

From Skittles

Chey: How would you control unregulated use of Vicious Deer Repellent, so that it isn’t used indiscriminately?

I don’t know that any cat would want to use the Repellent indiscriminately. Cats don’t waste things. Humans do. The Repellent isn’t made of catnip so it’s unlikely to be a drug problem amongst cats. The Repellent doesn’t roll once it is sprayed so cats are unlikely to want to play with it. I doubt very much that there will be excessive use of this. If there it becomes a problem, then I am sure we will deal with that at the time, but my sources for see no such issue. It will, of course, not be available for kittens. Only adult cats will be charged with it’s use. Kittens in dangerous areas will be protected by human adults with the repellent.

Questions from Doc:

1. What is your opinion of mandatory spay & neuter city ordinances?

2. If you wear a collar, would you be willing to wear an American flag charm?

3. I would also like to ask each of my opponents what their personal catnip preferences and habits are.

Question one in regards to mandatory spay and neuter city ordinances. I am happy to be spayed. I was also happy to be a Momma cat. I think with pet over population there are good reasons for these ordinances. Humans continue to be ignorant about the horrible lives stray and feral cats lead. In addition to vishus deer, there are other cats, stray dogs and even evil humans that cause pain and suffering to these poor creatures. These terrors are in addition to the gnawing hunger that many of these cats suffer daily.

City ordinances are city ordinances. They should not be overwritten by the federal government. If many humans and pets start lobbying, I am certain such ordinances will be reviewed by the Supreme Court.

Question two:Would I be willing to wear a flag charm?

I have to ask what the point of the question is? My jewelry preferences should have no impact on my ability to be president. Having said that, I don’t wear a collar so it would be difficult to wear a charm. I generally avoid jewelry as a rule–unless it was made for someone else by Mom Robyn. Only she suits my fine fine meezer tastes.

Question 3 on personal catnip preferences.

I am not affected by catnip. I have been known to roll with a toy filled with it and then get up and leave none the worse for wear. I don’t get crazy or cranky or sleepy like the cats in my family. I can only imagine what delights they take when they imbibe. I’m not attracted to the smell of raw stuff when my human uses it on the others and other than a quick sniff to see what is sticking to my paws, I wander on. I do like chasing Gemini when she is high though…

I would like to thank my fellow candidates and Skeezix once again for the debates. We will be opening the floor to questions from the general population.

I am running for president not on any platform but the platform of adherence to the constitution as I have understood it. I believe there are certain things that create a “commons”. I believe all citizens have the right to healthcare and healthy food. I believe all citizens have a right to shelter and education. I will strive to make these things part of the commons, which means they will be administered by the government. Yes, that means big government. However, I will not allow the government to decide what a woman can do with her body. I do support everyone’s right to choose their own marriage partner.

I support the Bill the of Rights: ALL Of THEM!

Citations on food:

India Report on costs of convention vs. traditional

Feeding the World Sustainably at Gristmill

Cultivating our Garden

There’s Farming and then there’s Farming at Gristmill

Can Organic Farming Feed the World?