Politics, open government, and safe streets. And the constant incursion of cycling.

Change We Can Believe In (and Eat)

Back in January, I noted that the Bush Administration was imposing a hefty import duty on Roquefort cheese, in retaliation for the EU daring to have some food safety standards.  But just last week, common sense and civility broke out:

Food lovers breathed a sigh of relief today when news broke that the U.S. was dropping threatened tariffs on luxury food imports from Europe.

“Cheese war ends, everybody wins,” Foreign Policy declared in its Passport blog, encouraging its readers to enjoy a celebratory cheeseburger.

These taxes–which would have pushed the markup on French Roquefort cheese from 100 percent to a whopping 300 percent–never actually went into effect. But the food world had been making provisions just in case.

Obama saved your cheese.  Rejoice.

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7 Comments

  1. I think you wrote that whole thing just for the last two sentences.

  2. MB

    Eat it, Mike!

  3. tx2vadem

    Always looking out for the small guy; Obama is swell. ;)

    Let’s eliminate Virginia’s socialist and illegal restriction on the liquor trade. Beer Barns for everyone! When is Obama going to get to that? I mean in an economic downturn doesn’t it make sense to eliminate alcohol execise taxes and anti-competitive restrictions on trade? I think so. =)

  4. tx2vadem

    ooh! excise I mean.

  5. MB

    The ABC BS is ridiculous. When I moved here from GA, I rejoiced in being able to buy beer on Sundays (because one can’t always plan ahead, see), but that was quickly tempered by the realization that VA ABC stores carried four brands of vodka (this was 1997, remember) and that was it. They carry more now, but it doesn’t even begin to approach the selection available across the river. Good for me, but what about the rest of the state? That Virginia would put the gov’t in charge of controlling such a central part of life is telling in so many ways.

  6. tx2vadem

    I knew I liked you! From Texas this entire system is BS. I feel like I live in the Theocratic State of Utah.

    Well, Texas still does have a hybrid system of counties of wet, semi-wet, and dry. Some counties require a stupid card so you can order wine at a restaurant. Luckily, the major cities don’t employ such nonsense.

    Though, on the wine situation, I do notice that champagne and wine are generally cheaper in VA than DC and MD.

  7. tx2vadem, while I totally agree that the Virginia ABC system is complete bull-feathers; I don’t see how it’s the national government’s problem to solve… am I missing something?

    We need to fix this problem here in Virginia; eliminate the corrupt monopoly of the ABC system and their liquor distributor lobbyists.

    It means we have to stand up and vote in state elections; and pay attention to who will fight for what and who takes money from the liquor distribution lobby.

    We had some success a few years back with the “Free the Grapes” campaign; largely because we had an ally in the fledgling Virginia Wine lobby.

    We’ll need an ally to combat the money given by the few liquor distributors enjoying high profit margins; expect them to fight to keep their gravy train.

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