"politics" news and stories

Our food system may not be perfect, but we have to admit we've come a long way since last December, with a new eye for public health and environmental responsibility. Here's a 2010 recap of the top stories worth a revisit before we move forward into the new year.

Redefining Organic
Until February 2010, the term "organic" was taken pretty loosely. Consumers weren't too sure what the organic stamp actually guaranteed. So the USDA released new rules, including the minimum time animals should have access to pasture: 4 months each year, with 30 percent of their diet sourced from said pasture.

Sustainable Seafood
In 2010, people weren't just concerned for their own health; they started really thinking about the health of what they ate as they reached for more locally grown, sustainably raised foods, and nothing became more political than seafood. We become more aware of the Seafood Watch Guide, which tells us which fish are sustainable to consume and where we can find it. We learned that bluefin tuna, a popular fish used in sushi, was going extinct and there was no move by the U.S. to protect it. And we saw the beginning of the battle over the first genetically engineered animal: salmon, which is yet to be approved but may face required labeling.

New York Cracks Down For Health
Mayor Bloomberg started this year off with a war against health-plaguing substances in New York City restaurants, which are historically models for restaurants across the country. We said good-bye to trans fats and almost lost salt and bake sales, too. In came proposed taxes to high-sugar items, as well as menu labeling and letter grades.

Photo: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, Flickr

Of all the ink spilled about last week's notorious Beer Summit, in which President Obama, police sergeant James Crowley and Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates gathered at the White House for a brewski, none have been more hilarious than this Washington Post recap. Writer Dana Milbank not only sums up the media's "tipsy" coverage of the affair but suggests our commander in chief take a cue from American beer names to address other diplomacy issues.

To wit: Sen. John Ensign would be welcomed to the White House with a quaff of Horny Devil, a California brew, whereas "if a certain former Alaska governor tries to challenge Obama in 2012, he can pour her an Arctic Devil Barley Wine." An equal opportunity satirist, Milbank also takes down "hot-tempered chief of staff Rahm Emanuel" by suggesting he indulge in Permanently Pissed Off Pilsner.

How do you feel about President Obama's choice of Bud Light -- a brew owned by a Belgian conglomerate -- for sipping?



[Via The Washingon Post]

Less than two months into her term as first lady, Michelle Obama has emerged as an outspoken advocate for healthier eating. Last week Obama brought eight cases of fresh fruit to a D.C. soup kitchen, where she served steamed broccoli, mushroom risotto and homemade apple-carrot muffins as she talked about her desire to increase access to healthy food all over the country, reports the New York Times.

"We can provide this kind of healthy food for communities across the country, and we can do it by each of us lending a hand," Obama said.

This comes after a speech to the Department of Agriculture last month in which Obama talked up community gardens, followed a few days later by her press tour of the White House kitchen where chefs were preparing healthy items like creamed spinach sans cream. Obama has also talked to various magazines, from Vogue to Parents, about how she's struggled to get her girls to eat veggies and cut out sugary treats.

Apparently Laura Bush also served fresh, organic foods in the White House, but didn't discuss her family's eating habits with reporters. I think it's great that Obama's raising the profile of healthy food - this country could certainly use it. As the New York Times suggests, parents can always use the "But Sasha and Malia eat their veggies..." tactic!

Do you think Michelle Obama's healthy eating campagin will create permanent change in the way Americans eat?

Source

George W. Bush. In the furor of elections, he's become back-page news. And, on January 20, he'll be out of our lives for good. Whether that prospect leaves you elated or crestfallen, you can celebrate it with the "Georgie Is Outta Here!" party in a box.

The set includes paper plates, cups, napkins, balloons, and a tablecloth decorated with our 43rd president's (rather caricatured) visage, as well as games and mock Bush "to do" lists. Suitable for both Republican and Democratic parties, though the latter might appreciate it a little more.

Did you watch the debates on Friday? The political campaigns are really heating up as we head into the final weeks before election day. Even the food blogs, normally partisan-free zones, are full of political stories.

There are a whole bunch of ways for you to cast your vote via the food you pick this year. Inventor Spot has gathered a list of seven of those opportunities. Make your preference known through Baskin-Robbins ice cream flavors, lollipops, hot sauce and beer. I especially like the coffee choices from Fresh Beanz Coffee Company.

Voting with food or beverage items may not have as much impact as the ballot you'll cast on November 4th, but it sure tastes a heck of a lot better!