Vilsack Best Possible Secretary of Agriculture

I am not just saying this because Tom and I are serving as fellow Fellows are Harvard's Institute of Politics and have been teaching together all fall. I am saying this because I have made an incredibly good friend in Tom and his wife Christy, and he is everything a public servant should be.

At a time when Obama's Senate seat seems to have been for sale by an overly-blown-dry Senate seat salesman, the Governor of Illinois, there could be no greater contrast than former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. Governor Vilsack has integrity through and through. He is impeccable with his word, and is open about his thoughts. He also has an incredibly unusual quality for a politician (if he even is one): he listens. He has listened to my ideas all semester, conversed with me about life and the election, often joined by his savvy and intelligent wife, and he respects other people. I am younger and more female than Tom- - he doesn't notice. I know this sounds funny, but usually middle aged white guys notice things like that.

Tom relates to young people: his classes were filled. Tom taught a study group on "Risk and Responsibility," helping to educate students about the responsibilities of an excellent public servant and citizen.

Tom and I talked a lot about what is needed in the Secretary of Agriculture in the Obama administration. It's not a job about bad fish from China, although that is part of it. It's not just a job about mad cow beef, although that's included. One of the greatest terrorist threats the U.S. faces from overseas or internally is in tainted killer food. I learned from Governor Vilsack that our food intake is not protected to the degree it should be, and that people need to use scrutiny in this regard.

Tom understands the obesity issues that cause the top (and most preventable) diseases.

Tom ran briefly for President, and I saw him in that capacity in New Hampshire before I knew him. He was impressive, but not the celebrity of Senator Clinton (whom he endorsed) nor Senator Obama (whom he later endorsed quickly when the race narrowed and he deemed it appropriate based on his long standing relationship with the Clintons). Tom was one of a handful of fully supportive, active surrogates for both candidates, traveling every weekend to stump for Obama this fall. Still a bit shy, Tom could shine for them in a way his modesty didn't allow him to do for himself.

That's my take on Tom. Plus, how many governors don't even flinch when you call them by their first name the first time you ever meet them?

A blogger just called this a puff piece. I beg to differ. It is insight into a public servant's character. If the democratic party weren't so polarized right now, progressives and centrists could agree that character matters, particularly in light of current extreme ethical breaches in government and finance.

One more note to the people who think I am naive about what part of the political spectrum Secretary-of-Agriculture-appointee Tom Vilsack represents. Let's just remember how the far right influenced and moved President Bush to their causes through intimidation by people way outside the mainstream center on a variety of issues. Some would say it led us to war. Others would say it's why we can't figure out if we're in a recession or a depression. My only caution is that politics goes both ways. There are people in the middle who would rather worry about the Obama Cabinet's trustworthiness and ability to represent the whole country rather than just serve as ideologues.

Comments

[TRYKER]

Iowa -- ethanol -- corn -- fertilizer -- poisoned land and waters --hmmm, Vilsack best choice?
Perhaps, at the confirmation hearings, we'll get some blow-back and Obama will then "get to appoint" someone more acceptable? Lets pay attention and speak out.

[freshnotbitter]

Governor H. Fructose Corn Syrup appointed Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.

Obama is too cynical. He believes that surrounding yourself with the big economic interests is what gets you political power and re-election.

What gets you re-election is a pathetic Republican party so he may just be accidentally "right" in his political calculation. But don't count on it.

[littlepitcher]

Wrong candidate, he's the choice for Food and Drug Admin.

[GaDove]

This makes me sick to my stomach that the new DOA appointed by Obama is just another pro-agribusiness politician. I voted for CHANGE. As an HSUS member and from a rural farmer's family in Texas, this does not bode well for small farmers. Let's hope Obama dictates some of the new policies he wants Vilsack to promote.

I hope he at least ends the exportation of horses for slaughter to Mexico and Canada right away.

[lenoraboyle]

As an avid Iowan supporter of Obama, I must say I'm disappointed in his choice of Tom Vilsack for Secretary of Agriculture. Governor Vilsack has never shown support for organic non-GMO foods, and Iowa is filled with inhumane confined animal lots. The quality of our food is crucial to our future. GMO foods are banned in Europe. Maybe they know something we don't know?

[mcostello]

The governor is a nice guy, but he is owned by big agriculture, and is not an agent for change.

[WestWingFanatic]

Interesting take on it. I suspect that some of what people find objectionable may have been Iowa politics--let's hope so. As Obama keeps saying, he's where the buck stops. This post is useful in that it gives us a snapshot of the man.

The Humane Society of the United States picked Vilsack as one of two they named as good choices, so that's encouraging. They talked about hunting and animal fighting, etc., and not factory farming, so it'll be interesting to see how he is on that issue...

BTW, PETA really isn't shrill, as far as I can tell. They're merry prankster funny. I think that anyone who finds them shrill may have a sense of humor deficit (e.g., In These Times thought they were serious in asking Ben & Jerry's to use human breast milk instead of cow's milk, and some have attacked the snowball game on their Web site now, etc.) These people need to chill out. :-)

[urthsong]

OrganicConsumer.org doesn't think much of former governor Vilsack because oof his alliance with Monsanto, genetically engineered crops and big agribusiness. Monsanto has spread its tenticles here and around the world attempting where ever it can to control food and water. Cotton farmers in India have committed sucide by the thousands over what Monsanto did to them. In North America, farmers have been driven into the ground by Monsanto. President-elect Obama should take a hard look at good science as it relates to genetically engineered foods and the corporate abuses of our lands. Prominent scientists around the world say that this kind of genetically engineering of produce has a dangerous down side that has a high probability of leading to disasterous consequences. Consider that the primary reason for creating GE foods isn't for healthier foods. It is to make money by monopoly.

[LittleLiberal]

When they announced Vilsak as Secretary of Ag, as an Iowan, I felt I knew the reason why. Obama got his big start here in the race for President, thanks to our 1st in the nation caucus. Obama could have appointed anyone for this position, but he knew it would be best to appoint someone who would have some ties to Iowa and be sympathetic to Iowa farmers. We are corn here in Iowa, and known for pushing Ethanol, and you can bet that's what Vilsak will be promoting. I'm not anti-Vilsak, as I voted for him for governor, but I saw through this appointment very quickly.

[herdloose]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Vilsack promote corn ethanol? Monsanto? factory farming? monoculture agricultural practices?

Sorry, but these dispositions do not accentuate his unblemished character.

[VirginiaJoe]

I concur. I think there were better choices, i.e. Tom Buis, president of the National Farmer's Union. He's more aligned with working farmers and main street than with agribusiness.

[milo h minderbinder]

Right on all those.

It's odd that this article endorses him but doesn't make a single mention of any of his specific actions involving agriculture. I have to wonder if the author is ignoring his shortcomings or unaware of them?

[IslVoter]

Vilsack is NOT an Ag. Secy who will make major transformations from growing five Commodity Crops (corn, wheat, soy, oats and cotton) that are subsidizing our fast food industry. The corn not only provides cheap feed for cattle at a cost of 10 calories in for every 1 calorie of food out, but for the high fructose corn sweeteners used in soft drinks, making them more affordable than any fruit juice or fruit. The soy is used to make oils to fry all of our foods.

Growing these single commodity crops depletes the soil, causing use of petroleum-based fertilizers, attracts major pests to munch on these single crops, causing petroleum-based pesticides. The nitrogen fertilizers causes algae overgrowth in both oceans and lakes and streams, and pollutes the ground waters everywhere. You know what pesticides have done. They are shipped huge distances.

It is no wonder we are obese. It will take major reformation of favoring Agri-business and millionaire farmers with subsidies to encourage local produce. As Michael Pollan suggested, if we provided just $1 per lunch for school children but specified that it be spent on produce grown within 100 miles, we would create an immediate market for produce, grown in community gardens, small farms, or "Victory gardens". Making food stamps redeemable at local farmers markets would also create an immediate market in inner cities and other areas where even purchasing produce is impossible because fast food joints have driven out the grocery stores. .

[ritgar]

Food stamps ARE redeemable at Farmers Markets. The farmer need only contact the market manager or their state agriculture department for information on how to participate.

[IslVoter]

Food stamps that are redeemable for local-grown produce only.

[TRYKER]

Thank you for your comments, they speak for me as well.
Feed the high fructose corn syrup to the damn pigs and eliminate it from our food supply.
The only hope we have is that Obama seeks to change Vilsack's preferences for all things Monsanto and big agri-business and starts heading for the CHANGE we need.
By putting these staunch men in the cabinet and changing their direction, we may see how visionary and successful Obama's ideas are. He has a lot on his plate.

[Thevail]

Dear Ms. Donahue..
Since you occassionally have his ear..I live near the Canadian border..close enough to go for lunch..and did you know that the fast food )McDonald's etc.) in Canada is EDIBLE. Furthermore they have nowhere near the obesity levels that we have in America.

Please mention that there is already a well tested, easily accessible food saftey guideline available for the asking from Canada. I'm sure they'd be delighted to share. And the kicker..it's free.

[ZedLoch]

mmm corn subsidies. cant wait for more votes- i mean bio-fuels!

[FreelanceMinion]

Forget food terrorism, forget the mad cow stuff. We pay people to grow plants that are "food" only in the loosest sense of the word, reward them for ecologically destructive overuse of fertilizer, punish them for an ecologically and economically beneficial rotating the types of crops they do and won't allow them to grow multiple types of crops.

Whether you are an organic hippie or conservative economist, our policies are crazy and only made to benefit the fertilizer manufactures and absolute largest agribusinesses. We need an Ag Sec who will stand up and remind us that current ag policy actually isn't helping consumers OR those family farmers everyone claims to be defending.

[riona]

I am a native Iowan, and part of me is very proud that Governor Vilsack has been chosen to head the USDA, no one can question this man's character.

However, I am very cautious, still, of his commitment, and knowledge, over some key issues surrounding the safety of our national food supply. I am, admitted, a devoted vegan, so I cringe every time I drive in rural parts of Iowa, which are filled with fields of corn headed straight for feedlots of tortured animals. I understand that Obama likely chose him to give Iowa payback for his own success, but I am not confident that Vilsack has the commitment to improving our national food supply, the way it needs to be improved. The USDA was created by President Lincoln, when around 90% of Americans were farmers. Now it's 2%, so this department largely serves Big AG-Monsanto, Con Agra, etc. This hasn't been good for America for decades. We need a seriously aggressive makeover of the USDA-is Vilsack committed to improving the quality of our food supply? Not sure.

[GWChimpzilla]

Vilsack is King Corn, protector of subsidies for millionaire farmers, the ambassador for Monsanto, lord and savior of corn syrup.