37... Our Right To Know What They're Feeding Us-- It's Not Soylent Green, Right?

Last week the L.A. City Council unanimously endorsed Prop 37, the one that would force food manufacturers to reveal whether or not they're sneaking genetically engineered ingredients into food being sold in grocery stores and other markets. “It's not often that the LA City Council votes unanimously to support a measure, but Prop 37 was a no-brainer. We have the right to know what's in the food we're eating and feeding our families," said Councilmember Paul Koretz. "I'm proud to be a part of this true grassroots campaign in our struggle against the biggest pesticide and junk food companies in the world." The L.A. City Council joined all the progressive elected officials in southern California, from Senator Barbara Boxer to Congressmembers Barbara Lee, Maxine Waters, Judy Chu, and Brad Sherman in endorsing Prop 37.

The Pesticide and junk food industries are spending over a million dollars a day on false and misleading ads and seem to be turning around public opinion and persuading low-info voters that they don't need to be told what kind of garbage and potentially dangerous crap they're being fed. The Yes on Prop 37 have finally cobbled together the money they needed to put together their own response ad (above) and they're up on TV too now. There's also the PSA that Bill Maher did (below) that's starting to get some TV play.

There have been persistent rumors about Dennis Kucinich moving to L.A. after this current session of Congress is over. His wife is an actress and he's going to honor her wish to live in L.A. The fact that his political action committee sent out an e-mail asking his supporters to back Prop 37 lends credence to the rumor.

You have the right to know what you're eating.

Why should big corporations get to decide what to tell you about the food that you and your family eat?

That's your right. And this election, you have a chance to affirm it. We need to pass Prop 37 in California.

Proposition 37 requires labels on all food made from plants or animals with any genetically modified ingredients. And it would prohibit marketing these foods, including processed foods, as "natural." It's giving consumers a choice, and it's simple and honest.

Throughout my career in Congress, I have been a leading advocate for regulating genetically engineered food. I have led the charge for over a decade with a steadfast commitment to consumer choice and awareness and the public's right to know. I was the original sponsor of the Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act-- a bill which would create national standards for labeling and a legal framework to ensure its accuracy.

Prop 37 is a step in the right direction for California and, like many initiatives, would set an example for the rest of the country.

The sad truth is that the United States is already far behind other nations in ensuring the safety of genetically modified foods and providing consumers with easy access to information before they purchase food.

Consumers deserve the right to know-- just like they do in the European Union, Japan-- even in Russia and China.

Proposition 37 respects the rights of consumers and places the public interests above the special interests.

It is no surprise that big business is aggressively funding a campaign to defeat Prop 37. They don't want consumers to make informed choices. Democrat or Republican, Liberal or Conservative-- this should be a no-brainer for all of us: let the people decide what they want to buy, what they want to eat, and what they want to feed their families.

So, please vote YES on Proposition 37 on November 6. And if you are an absentee voter, make sure to fill out your ballot and return it to your local board of elections.

Remember, the corporations that oppose the right of consumers to know what's in their food are pulling every dirty trick in the book-– from inventing a false title for their top science spokesman (who is well known among actual scientists as a mentally unbalanced, greed-obsessed and deranged anti-science radical), to making up newspaper endorsements and even fabricating quotes from the U.S. government. These opposition ads have been rated “mostly untrue” and “misleading” by newspaper fact checkers.