Grassley Wants Power
Friday, November 11, 2005
(SNN Washington) It seems only fitting that Senator Chuck Grassley is from a state which excels in the area of hog confinement. Yesterday on NPR's "Talk of the Nation" he revealed himself to be a big supporter of the Energy Hog.
"You know, what--what makes our economy grow is energy," the Senator said. "And, and Americans are used to going to the gas tank (sic), and when they put that hose in their, uh, tank, and when I do it, I wanna get gas out of it. And when I turn the light switch on, I want the lights to go on, and I don't want somebody to tell me I gotta change my way of living to satisfy them. Because this is America, and this is something we've worked our way into, and the American people are entitled to it, and if we're going improve (sic) our standard of living, you have to consume more energy."
American people are entitled to it...you have to consume more energy.
Everybody remembers the Energy Hog. He came to us way back in October of 2005. The Government had just spent two years developing the cartoon hog as a warning against wastefulness.
Iowa has a long history of leading the nation in hog production. According to the Iowa Department of Agriculture, Iowa has a 26% of the nation’s total market share of hogs. In 2001, 26.3 million hogs were marketed in Iowa. Additionally, 27.4 million hogs were slaughtered in the state, a figure which that represents 27.9% of the nation’s processing market share.
27.4 million hogs were slaughtered in Iowa, 27.9% of the nation’s processing market share.
Hog confinement has become a big issue in Iowa. Today, more than 80% of hogs raised for slaughter come from farms where more than 1,000 animals are housed. It has long been feared that the closely confined hogs, already known for their intelligence, would rebel and choose an Uberschwein. A "Super Hog" that would rise up and take control of the human masters. It now seems that this has already happened.
Could Senator Chuck Grassley be the Uberschwein? The Senator has often helped along legislation to protect the interests of massive hog confinement operations. And the Senator also shows a propensity to wallow in his own feces.
He has bucked the White House line, which sets him apart nowadays.
