In regard The US Building-Up A Stockpile of Wheat

In the above article, I mentioned that we need to stockpile wheat and halt exports until we do. We could also import wheat from Canada in the short-term as we work to build-up our own stockpile. On the surface, it sounds like I'm stating we should let people go hungry until we stockpile our own reserves.

The food crisis the world faces is as much a national security threat to us as it is to other countries - and with the concentration of millions of people in cities, we face a particular vulnerability for most if not all of our large metropolitan areas; We have an enormous ability to grow and STORE huge quantities of wheat and still be able to export the surplus rather than selling much of our production on the open market. It would also help to stabilize rising food costs in our own country.

Granted, the first year we implemented such a policy, on a global basis, we would face one year or possibly two where our wheat exports were slightly diminished. The above would have to be accomplished via turning more farmland to wheat production, however, in the long-term, if there is a continuation of drought conditions (which are predicted) and adverse weather patterns, by stockpiling our own supply - we mitigate the chances of famine in our own country and help to retain the ability to spring back the next year IF conditions are favorable to again produce an excess amount of wheat that can be used to supplement other counties who are experiencing famine.

If we allow ourselves to be exposed to famine, considering the consequences and the subsequent social unrest and the possibility of riots that would occur throughout the country, there's a huge possibility it would impact our ability to replenish our own supplies and would diminish our own ability to spring-back when and if conditions improve. Further, as our popularity across the world suffers and considering the tense conditions that exist because of our current political ideology - I also believe that it's essential that we have the ability to sustain our own population in the event of a boycott of the US based on future military deployments and war that are possible if the GOP should win the 2008 Presidential elections.

From a humanitarian standpoint, we do have a responsibility to help those who are less fortunate than us, but risking our own survival and placing ourselves at risk when other countries are curtailing exports in the face of diminished supplies impacts our own national security to the point that it has the possibility to plunge our own country into a situation where recovery becomes hard - or downright impossible if we allow the US to continue with a policy that risks our own survival. Food is as much a national security issue as oil is – which we do stockpile in the strategic oil reserve, but short-sighted politicians that favor profit over the safety and welfare of our own citizens is nothing short of a recipe for disaster. If we stockpile oil because it impacts national security – why wouldn’t the same type of policy also be considered as it pertains to food? What good is it to have the ability to put gas in your auto while ignoring the fact that humans need “fuel” too, and in my opinion, one is worthless without the other.

William Cormier

by William Cormier (90 articles, 4 quicklinks, 12 diaries, 220 comments) on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at 8:20:31 PM
 

Thanks, William

We all should be aware of the food crisis.

My post below is not to be critical of your pointing it out. My point is to point out what we can and should do about it.

Thanks again.

by Sarah Morgan (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 127 comments) on Friday, March 28, 2008 at 11:21:53 AM
 

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

Not that we do not have good reason to be alarmed and to take action to resolve the world's growing problems. Obviously, we do. There are huge problems that have been caused by the greed and folly of careless, short-sighted and thoughtless people in power, not only in this country, but all over the world.

However, we shouldn't let fear be our rallying cry, and we should not fall into dispair and fear that catastrophy is unavoidable.

Actually, we can turn all this horrible stuff around in fairly short order, IF we would only face the fact that our partisan political-economic system has become fatal to truly representative government, and if we would then enable our government to be of, by and for the people and set a truly good example for the rest of the world.

But that will take acknowledging what must be done, and having the courage and the faith to do it. And the way to do it has been provided for us:

http://reformationcomingsoon.bravehost.com/NewDeclaration.html

Then there's this relevant article:

http://reformationcomingsoon.bravehost.com/InheritTheEarth.html

And this explains why our present partisan political-economic system should and will become obsolete:

http://reformationcomingsoon.bravehost.com/PartisanPolitics.html 

by Sarah Morgan (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 127 comments) on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at 8:44:23 PM