After the US Department of Agriculture's surprise beef recall in February, we wrote about Consumer Help Web's disapproval of the process. On February 18, we chastised the federal agency, pointing out that "consumers have no way of knowing if tainted beef is in their freezer."
To make matters worse, USDA officials have told a Congressional committee that they are not allowed to nor do they intend to disclose the names of food distributors who may have received tainted meat products from Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company.
This position did not sit well with Congressional leaders, especially after a USDA spokesperson referred to the information as "proprietary". We join our voice with Representative Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), who candidly told USDA officials that information regarding safety hazards American consumers face are not "proprietary".
We understand the need for rules to help protect the interests of businesses and their employees (who are also consumers) when a company is under investigation. But three weeks after a so-called "recall", consumers still can't identify the products. We find that inexcusable.
Don't count on decreasing your dependence on traditional energy sources based on legislation approved in the House of Representatives today.
The Democrat controlled House passed H.R. 6 less than an hour ago. This legislation jumps fuel economy requirements from 27.5 miles per gallon to 35 miles per gallon and increases the tax burden on traditional energy companies. Rolling back the previous tax credits is earmarked to investigate alternative energy sources such as wind and solar. The fuel economy requirements, called CAFE requirements, would be phased in over a 12 year period.
Except Senate Republicans and a defiant White House are promising the bill will never become law. Original author Rep. Nick Rahal (D-WV) and 198 co-sponsors ensured the bill, introduced at the beginning of 2007, would easily pass the House.
The bill had not yet been passed when the White House released a statement saying that H.R. 6 "...would raise taxes and increase energy prices for Americans. That is a misguided approach and if it made it to the President's desk, he would veto it."
Despite the promised veto and the threat that Senate Republican leaders might even manage enough votes to keep the bill from going to the White House, the House moved quickly after threatening the legislation all week.
"This showdown over energy happened along party lines," said Consumer Help Web COO George Bounacos. "Things are now politicized to the point that the Bush administration refers to their concept as 'energy security' and the House bill approving the Senate's earlier amendments refers to 'energy alternatives.' While they argue over words and taxes, nothing changes and consumers still face huge price increases at the gas pump since that remains our primary fuel source for personal transportation."
Strong lobbying groups for the automobile manufacturing and energy industries kept the bill stalled almost to the holiday break. With the House's work now down, CNN is quoting Senate Democrats who say they will introduce the legislation as early as 48 hours, even calling back candidates involved in the 2008 Presidential election process.
Oil prices jumped $3 higher today, once again crossing the $90 mark.
What is happening now is a national disgrace. After years of gutting federal consumer protection, this spring and summer saw big cases reach the public's consciousness. Suddenly, the average consumer wanted to know about consumer protection, which is something we consumer advocates have been trying to talk with them about for over a decade. Tax cuts, celebrities in jail for two hours at a time and American Idol took the place of paying attention to the products we use and consume.
One can imagine a U-shaped curve showing American interest in consumerism peaking with Ralph Nader's crusades decades ago, bottoming out during the "greed is good" phase and peaking again with word about shoddy products endangering us. CPSC Commissioner Nord gets that issue. In Nord's testimony to Congress (pdf link) weeks ago, she reminded Congress that the CPSC had not been reauthorized since 1990. In her words:
"Most of America's consumer products, not just toys, now come from overseas manufacturers. Much has changed in the marketplace, in technology and in communications since 1990. The result is that the inspection and enforcement tools at the agency's disposal with respect to imported products are not as strong as they need to be."
Nord also pointed out two very critical issues that most pundits seem to miss:
* Relative to the USDA and FDA's groups tasked with product safety, the CPSC has a minuscule amount of resources available.
* As Nord testified, the CPSC does not have ultimate authority on imports. By statute, Customs and Border Protection has the direct authority to deal with failures of import goods.
So while America pounds the wardrums for being exposed to potentially dangerous products in an all-you-can eat land of dollar stores and low cost providers trumping quality nearly every time, a balanced look at the issue is appropriate.
The CPSC failed because Congress, and by extension the American people, continually cut the agency's resources. This was followed by nearly a generation of not acknowledging the global marketplace, all of which stopped the CPSC from doing an effective job.
Why not work with the agency on a go-forward plan, a tactic we've now suggested three times, instead of starting with a new agency. Holding an entity accountable for circumstances beyond its control and mandate is a national embarrassment, exactly what one would expect when stories of what DVDs are on sale and the middle of the pro football season knock the tragic story of 3,000 people dead in Bangladesh off the front page of most newspapers.
After the US Department of Agriculture's surprise beef recall in February, we wrote about Consumer Help Web's disapproval of the process. On February 18, we chastised the federal agency, pointing out that "consumers have no way of knowing if tainted beef is in their freezer."
