ROUNDUP NATION

President Trump's Executive Order last week elevating glyphosate (Roundup) availability to national security status officially makes America a Roundup Nation.  For RFK Jr. to endorse the designation certainly besmirches his reputation.  Quite unfortunate. 

                  Kudos to Bayer for pulling off this publicity stunt.  As Monsanto, originator of Roundup, began staggering under thousands of lawsuits alleging cancer consequences to the notorious weed killer, it sought protection under the skirts of the EPA.  How can a product deemed safe by the EPA be liable for health problems?  That defense eventually broke down, partly thanks to RFK Jr.'s legal expertise.                 

                  Losing in the courtroom, Bayer, which had acquired Monsanto by this time, sought legislative relief.  Last fall Bayer and friends attached a liability indemnification (modeled after vaccine protection) to an appropriations bill, granting protection for any product deemed safe by the EPA.  The backlash was severe enough to strip it out. 

                  Well, if you can't find friends in the judicial branch or legislative branches, why not try for the executive branch?  Bingo.  In Trump, they found a lackey to elevate glyphosate to national security status.  While RFK Jr. argues in his reputational triage X post that this does not protect Bayer from liability lawsuits, it surely tilts arguments in their favor if continued lawsuits dare to impugn an item of national security.  How stupid does RFK Jr. think I am? 

                  This all gets me to thinking about items of national security.  Of all the products and issues that could be elevated to national security protection, Trump chose glyphosate.  I can think of a bunch of things that are more important.  Before offering a list, realize that nearly half of the corn grown in America goes into ethanol for fuel, not food.  Half the soybeans are exported.  In other words, the fear mongering about food and the importance of growing these crops is absurd.  Nothing about the official justification or necessity makes sense, except that this is a naked public relations and legal slam dunk by Bayer.

                  Okay, here are some suggestions for items of higher national security: 

1.  Overgrazing on private and public lands by poor cattle owners/manager.

2.  Chemical-laden water, especially in America's corn belt.

3.  Public schools who fail to teach 47 percent of kids how to read.

4.  Foreign U.S. military bases.

5.  Federal agents in cities who don't want them.

6.  Prohibiting my ability to sell a Polyface Chicken Pot Pie to a neighbor. 

7.  The IRS

8.  Fraud in welfare, Medicare.

9.  The bloated federal budget and national debt

10.  Taylor Swift 

11.  Foreign aid of any type, period

12.  Prisons

                  I'm smiling and hope you are.  If you were going to elevate something above glyphosate as an item of national security, what would it be?  Humor is appreciated.