Candidates Criticize Bush on Beef Safety

Several Democratic candidates said they plan to make beef safety a major issue as they campaign this week in Iowa, which is the eighth-largest cattle-producing state and where presidential nominating precinct caucuses will be held Jan. 19.

Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.) issued a five-point plan for responding to the mad cow discovery, including more inspections and federal aid to the beef industry. "The current mad cow investigation underscores the urgent need for a national system to make diseased livestock easier to track and contain," he said. "I urge President Bush for once not to listen to the demands of corporate America and act on behalf of the health and economic needs of all Americans."

Wow, that's a surprise. When have the candidates not complainted about Bush on any issue. One thing they need to remember, this issue reared its head too early to make a difference in the general election and last time I checked, BSE (mad cow) has killed exactly 0 (yes, zero!) people in the US, while it's killed 143 in Britain. I realize there is potential for an outbreak, but our food supply is the safest in the world. Sure, there are addition safeguards that we could apply, but at this point there is no cause for alarm. People just need to be sensible about this issue and go to their local McDonald's and have a Big Mac.