When it comes to examining the influence of food lobbyists over Washington and how to correct it, how does an ideal government conflict with reality? I.E., can we realistically create public/private policy without their influence? Is it possible for an idealist version of government to become the real version? How can this be achieved?
I think it is possible if we find a way to take money out of the equation. Power corrupts, and since money is power, the more of it you have, the more influence you have (very "duh" statement I know). Perhaps the means of getting rid of the money would be to do away with the lobbyists themselves and making new laws that ban any high-level officials in the USDA from working for the food industry in any capacity prior to and after their tenure, thus taking away some of the incentive for them to support policies favorable to them. Furthermore, gift giving of any kind needs to be outlawed as to prevent any preferential treatment towards the food industry; it is only human nature to look at those who shower us with gifts to look at them more favorably. Lastly, and probably the hardest thing, would be to make the public care. Turning the food industry on its head would require a fair amount of action on the part of everyday citizens given the spending power of food industries to drown out smaller advocacy groups.
How do you feel Nestle’s writings about the food industry’s impact in academic circles affects your trust towards academic societies and their journals? Did this confirm your suspicions or come as a surprise? Do we often trust academic publications too much by placing them on a higher prestige than politicians?
It is disturbing to learn that the people we rely upon most for nutrition information, the "professionals," have been corrupted, knowingly and unknowingly, by the industry. I am aware of health professionals being corrupted by pharmaceutical industry through "seminars" in Miami or skiing resorts so I cannot say that it comes as a huge surprise to me. Academic journals and publications are meant to be the most reliable sources of information that citizens have given that true academic research ought to be free from bias. However, seeing as professors and researchers are receiving huge research grants from certain food companies is disheartening and certainly makes me question everything now.
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