Post-Gazette, August 14, 2015
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VOL. 119 - NO. 33 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AUGUST 14, 2015 $.35 A COPY 95th Annual Madonna Della Cava Feast Members of the Madonna Della Cava Society. (Continued on Page 9) News Briefs Congress Closes U.S. Protections by Sal Giarratani on Meats from Other Countries by Girard A. Plante Quote to Note What is happening with the members of tion. Representatives favoring the bill the U.S. House of Representatives? You may clamor that laws labeling GMOs will spike “I am the only one (candidate) to take out half know that recently the majority voted 300- food prices. Vermont Rep. Peter Welch (D) of a brain — although you would think, if you go 131 to toss out federal inspections of disagrees with the bill’s intent: “What’s the to Washington someone had beaten me to it.” “out-of-country” poultry, beef, and pork. Are problem with letting consumers know what — Ben Carson you aghast with disbelief as I am at the mere they are buying?” Indeed. His Way or the Highway thought? Or are you angry upon learning As I researched the necessary facts and President Obama, in trying to get his Iran deal that our meats will not receive rightful in- details for my column, I recalled reading a through Capitol Hill, recently suggested the en- spection after they have passed through the book in the 1980s entitled The Jungle, which tire Republican caucus doesn’t love or even like hands of other nations? chronicled the horrors of the meatpacking America in its opposition to the deal. I guess now These food inspections include labeling of industry in 1906. One of the best investiga- that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has meats in countries where animals were tive journalists of his time, also referred to come out against the deal, he doesn’t love born, raised, and slaughtered, reports the as a “muckraker,” Upton Sinclair set out to America, either? online newspaper Food Safety News in its write about the vagaries of immigrants la- I guess it also includes two thirds of the Ameri- June 11th edition. The first action on the boring within the industry. But he tripped can people who, when polled, are opposed to the bill – Country of Origin Labeling Amend- across various other atrocities as he walked deal, too. ments Act of 2015 or COOL – was voted on through plants fraught with myriad unsafe Kudos to U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer for by the House on June 11th. COOL was en- conditions. standing up against Obama, who seemingly be- acted in 2013 to ensure that Americans Sinclair wrote: “There would be meat lieves that to not be with him is to be against know exactly where our meat originates. stored in great piles in rooms; and the wa- America’s best interests. The president, sound- A fight is sure to follow by House mem- ter from leaky roofs would drip over it, and ing Nixonian, has also stated that to be against bers such as Massachusetts Rep. Jim thousands of rats would race about on it. It the deal is to be for war. There is nothing that McGovern (D). “I think that’s the wrong way was too dark in these storage places to see black and white about this flawed Obama-Kerry to proceed,” he said. The Consumer Federa- well, but a man could run his hand over deal. tion of America survey shows that 90 per- these piles of meat sweep off handfuls of the UNH Students Seek cent of Americans want to know exactly dried dung of rats. These rats were nui- Bias-Free Language where their meat is from. Labeling the pack- sances, and the packers would put poisoned The University of New Hampshire president aging of meats addresses those concerns. bread out for them; they would die, and then Wait. There’s more bad news for food pro- rats, bread, and meat would go into the hop- said he was both troubled and offended by a “bias- rd free language guide” posted on the school’s tection. On Thursday, July 23 , the House pers together.” vote was 275-150 to end any state “issuing Upon reading Sinclair’s putrid depiction of (Continued on Page 14) mandatory labeling laws for foods that con- the meatpacking industry, Americans grew tain genetically modified organisms,” or GMOs, reports The Hill in its online publica- (Continued on Page 2) Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, AUGUST 14, 2015 Res Publica by David Trumbull MASSFISCAL SAYS Closing the Union Loophole is a Top Priority for THE APPLES OF THE HESPERIDES Fairness Advocates as Court Begins The legend concerning the apples for him. Hearing Mass. Campaign Finance Law apples of the Hesperides Continuing his outward On February 24th, two Mas- and Mike Kane to close the starts with the marriage of journey, Hercules finally sachusetts companies, in so-called union loophole in Jupiter, chief of all Roman came to the sacred garden coordination with the na- Massachusetts campaign gods, to the goddess named of Juno. It was located near tionally recognized Gold- finance law. Juno. The wedding was at- the spot where Atlas was water Institute, filed a bold Massachusetts is one of tended by all other deities, holding the sky on his shoul- lawsuit seeking to close the only six states with cam- who brought beautiful gifts. ders. Remembering the “union loophole” in Massa- paign finance laws that favor The grandmother of the advice of Prometheus, Her- chusetts campaign finance unions. bride brought a wedding gift cules offered to relieve Atlas law, and both plaintiffs in the Executive director of of golden apples growing on of the weight temporarily lawsuit have connections to MassFiscal Paul D. Craney live branches. As soon as if he would gather the golden the Massachusetts Fiscal said, “Campaign finance law the ceremonies had ended, apples from the garden. Atlas This circular Pyxis, or box, Alliance. 1A Auto Inc., a boils down to freedom of the branches were planted agreed, fetched the apples, depicts two scenes. The one family-owned auto parts re- speech. It’s just not fair to in the sacred garden of Juno. and returned shortly there- shown presents the Olym- tailer in Pepperell, is run by tell businesses they can’t The Hesperides, three da- after. Hercules soon discov- pian gods feasting around Rick Green, who is also the participate, while unions ughters of Atlas, and a ered that Atlas did not intend a tripod table holding chairman of Massachusetts and special interest groups goddess named Hesperis, to resume his great burden, the golden Apple of the Fiscal Alliance’s board of di- pour money into campaigns. were directed to cultivate but instead offered to deliver Hesperides — The Walters rectors. Mike Kane, whose We need to level the play- and watch over the grow- the apples himself. Having Art Museum. Ashland business, 126 Self ing field in Massachusetts ing trees. The golden fruit this great weight upon his Storage Inc., is also part of politics.” soon became known as the back prevented Hercules pleased Jupiter, so he was the suit, serves on Massa- “Closing the union loop- apples of the Hesperides. from resorting to any kind of chained to this rock. Each chusetts Fiscal Alliance’s hole must be the number The girls were negligent in day a giant eagle tore at force against Atlas. Using their duties and frequently caution and wit, Hercules board as well. one priority for advocates of his liver, which grew Massachusetts’ campaign fairness,” concluded Craney. plucked off apples for them- whole again each night. The pretended to agree to the pro- contribution restrictions are According to an article selves. Consequently, Juno best artistic representation posal of Atlas, but begged him tilted heavily in favor of in Boston Magazine, “It’s sent a large serpent to guard of this legend has been to hold the sky just long unions and against busi- impossible to overstate how the fruit. This monster had portrayed on an eight-foot- enough to permit a pad to be nesses. Since 1908, busi- much of a major role orga- a hundred heads that slept high oil-on-canvas master- placed on his head. The gull- nesses have faced a total nized labor plays in Massa- at different intervals, so that piece by Peter Paul Rubens. ible Atlas laid the apples on contribution ban to state chusetts politics ... Thou- it was ever watchful. The It is entitled “Prometheus the ground and took back the candidates. These special sands of active union mem- eleventh task required of Bound,” and is owned by the sky. As soon as the weight rules allow unions to con- bers are the foot soldiers Hercules was to bring back Philadelphia Museum of Art. was transferred, Hercules tribute as much as $15,000 in the always-evolving voter to the king, at the city of Prometheus is also repre- picked up the golden fruit to state candidates, while outreach efforts. And Tiryns, the apples of the sented in a sculptured wall and started his journey back individuals are permitted to they crave their financial Hesperides. plaque that is now in the home. contribute up to $1,000. Af- donations.” The journey to the sacred National Museum at Naples, After receiving the apples, ter unions have donated The Boston Magazine garden of Juno took Her- Italy. Hercules shot and the king immediately re- cules into the Caucasus killed the eagle; then he turned them to the Hes- $15,000 to a campaign, article cited as a recent Mountains where he came freed Prometheus from his perides because it was not their political actions com- example the 2013 mayoral upon Prometheus, still bonds.