IF IT WALKS LIKE A DUCK

            I'm thankful some people find the time and emotional fortitude to wade through bills as they come before legislative assemblies.  God bless 'em.

             Virginia Delegate Scott Wyatt has submitted HB 262 for this session's Virginia assembly that has seemingly innocuous language that would put farmers' markets and roadside stands under the authority of the Va. Commissioner of Agriculture as part of the activities known as "agribusiness."

             According to the patron, the intent is to capture all the powerful marketing forces of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  But when the legislature is in session, be assured that your freedoms are in jeopardy.  Something that sounds kind and encouraging can actually be a sinister plot to destroy the peasants.

             When folks at the Virginia Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (VICFA) asked me to read the bill, I read and re-read and re-read it and couldn't figure out its implications.  First, I'm not up on what going under the authority of the commissioner means, except that it's probably not good.  Sounds like a power grab.  But if it taps into marketing clout, what's the problem?

             So VICFA asked the patron who asubmitted the bill.  He said it was at the request of "the industry."  Red flags.  Red flags.  It was not requested by farmers' markets or farmers.  Whenever politicians use the term "the industry" you know what they mean.  It's a euphemism for "Mr. Global," which is  Solari founder Catherine Austin Fitts' phrase for unseen power-mongers.

             It's nebulous, unnamed.  What industry?  It's kind of like invoking something as subjective and nebulous as "science" to give credibility to any foolish notion.  Who would be against "the industry?"  Who would be against "science?"

             The language in bills is purposely obfuscating I think to keep reasonable people who talk sensibly from reading them.  But again, I'm glad some people do and am grateful VICFA brought this latest to my attention.  And yes, I'll call my politicians to voice my displeasure at this bill.

             This tiny bill, inserted with hundreds of thousands of words, can place farmers' markets and roadside stands into a precarious position of control.  Industry often loves government control because industry can tailor bureaucrats to its liking.  But peasants can't.

             For my part, I've learned that generally when you look at who asked for the bill, you really don't need to read the bill.  If those folks look like a duck and walk like a duck, you can be pretty sure the bill is a duck.  In many cases, that's a far more efficient way to determine a bill's meaning than actually reading the bill.  The folks who put it in are the litmus test on the bill's intentions, regardless of what the bill says.

             Have you ever been in favor of a bill initially, only to find out later that it didn't do or say what you thought it did or said?