EPA's 'Alarming' Pesticide: Just Another Day at the Chemical Factory
Newsweek warns about the EPA proposing a 'new pesticide on crops,' raising 'alarm' among environmental groups. While the concern for public health is certainly, shall we say, *understandable*, the framing often misses the forest for the trees. This isn't just a random new chemical; it's part of a perennial dance where industry-backed lobbyists push for approvals, and the EPA, often staffed by
former industry members or future industry prospects, 'regulates' with a revolving door policy. One might wonder if the 'alarm' would be quite so muted if the public understood the significant campaign contributions from agrochemical giants to politicians overseeing the EPA, or the lobbying spend that shapes these very regulations. (Check OpenSecrets for the latest figures, they’re hardly a
secret.) It's not just about a 'new pesticide'; it’s about a deeply entrenched system where corporate profits often seem to outweigh public health and environmental safety. How many times must we 'raise alarm' before we question the system that keeps installing the alarms?