Congressman Ron Paul endangers public health

Rep. Ron Paul and foodborne Salmonella Infection.

Making mockery of established science and endangering public health and food safety Congressman Ron Paul of Texas introduced legislation H.R.4077 in the US Congress on 11/5/2007 to legalize distribution of  unpasteurized milk for human consumption across state lines. The title of the bill states, “To authorize the interstate traffic of unpasteurized milk and milk products in final package form for human consumption when the milk or milk product originates in a State that allows the sale of unpasteurized milk and milk products in final package form and is destined for another State that allows the sale of unpasteurized milk and milk products in final package form.”

He reintroduced the same bill H.R.778 again in 1/28/2009.  As of today his bill is stranded in the Congress with a lack of any co-sponsors.

Here is a portion of text from US Food and Drug Admistratration advisory on serious health risk of consuming unpasterurized milk. “Milk and milk products provide a wealth of nutrition benefits. But raw milk can harbor dangerous microorganisms that can pose serious health risks to you and your family. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 800 people in the United States have gotten sick from drinking raw milk or eating cheese made from raw milk since 1998.

Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, or goats that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria. This raw, unpasteurized milk can carry dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, which are responsible for causing numerous foodborne illnesses.”

Health Canada, Canada’s federal public health authority offers similar health advisory which states, “Health Canada would like to remind Canadians not to drink raw (unpasteurized) milk because it could contain bacteria that can make you seriously ill.

Several different kinds of bacteria that could be found in raw milk, such as Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria, have been linked to food-borne illness. These bacteria can lead to very serious health conditions ranging from fever, vomiting and diarrhea to life-threatening kidney failure, miscarriage and death. Children, pregnant women, the elderly and individuals with compromised immune systems are particularly at risk.”

USA Today reported on its 8/6/2006 article: • In June, 2006, more than 58 people in Wisconsin became ill with Campylobacter jejuni from unpasteurized cheese curds.

• In January, 2006,  five people became ill with campylobacteriosis after drinking raw milk from a dairy in Larimer County, Colo.

• In December 2005, six children in Washington state were infected with a potentially deadly form of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria from drinking unpasteurized milk.

Reuters news article dated August 20, 2007 reveals the dangers of consuming unpasteurized milk, “A survey of unpasteurized milk samples drawn from dairy farms across Wisconsin found a significant presence of Coxiella burnetii and Listeria monocytogenes, two different types of bacteria that can cause serious infection and even death in some people.

These findings have particular relevance for consumers seeking raw milk products. The study, reported at the annual International Conference on Diseases in Nature Communicable to Man held last week in Madison, Wisconsin, was based on a random sampling of milk from 901 Wisconsin dairy farms. The farms were chosen to encompass small and large herds, producers of Grade A and B milk, and all five of the state’s geographic regions.

Approximately 76 percent of the samples had detectable C. burnetii DNA, and 5 percent of the samples harbored L. monocytogenes.”

Do you believe it is a smart thing to endanger public health and waste money treating patients as a result of almost totally avoidable health troubles ? Is is an insanity of Ron Paul ?

Congressman Ron Paul wants you to be scared

Many Ron-Paul supporter believe 9-11 was an Inside Job.

Just like “9/11 was an inside job” like belief held by so many of  Ron Paul’s supporters Newsweek article debunking the myth of ‘North American Superhighway’ drew huge fire from Ron Paul supporters. Some Ron Paul supporting bloggers described the Newsweek article as ‘hit piece’. The governments of Mexico, the US and Canada has put out updates on myth busting facts on Ron Paul and his supporters’ belief of ‘North American Superhighway’ here: http://www.spp.gov/myths_vs_facts.asp

Here is an excerpt from Newsweek article.

“Ron Paul wants you to be scared. There’s a conspiracy in the land—what he calls a “conspiracy of ideas”—to give up America’s sovereignty………

Like all good conspiracies, the NAFTA superhighway is a strange stew of fact and fiction, fired by paranoia. There is a big road planned. It’s called the Trans-Texas Corridor. The idea was unveiled in 2002 by GOP Gov. Rick Perry. And it’s true the corridor was originally designed to be 1,200 feet wide, including a highway for vehicles, railway lines, petroleum pipes, electricity and water lines and broadband fiber optics. (It’s since been scaled back slightly.) A considerable swath of Texas land, perhaps as much as a half-million acres, will be taken by eminent domain.

It’s also true that more than one organization wants to improve commerce between North American countries. The “unholy alliance” Paul speaks of is the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP). It was launched in 2005 by the heads of state of the United States, Mexico and Canada. Part of the SPP mandate is to increase security cooperation against terror threats. It also aims to improve trade. But much of the home page of the SPP Web site is devoted to “Myth vs. Fact.” It dispels tales about a “secret plan” to build a superhighway.”

For Newsweek’s full article go to:  article labeling the NAFTA Superhighway a baseless conspiracy theory