How bankrupt are we?

From The Kansas City Star and Associated Press yesterday, Sat. April 4--"Perchlorate is found in baby formula" with a subtitle: "Scientists think that significant amounts of the rocket fuel chemical can be harmful"

Perchlorate?

In baby formula?

In the United States?

What the hell?

This brings up so many questions I can barely contain myself.

How the hell did perchlorate get in baby formula?

Why?

Who put it there?

What did they think they'd gain?

And a heck of a lot more.

Get this:

A study was done by scientists at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who were looking for the chemical.

Again, you're kidding me. Why were they looking for it? Did someone tip them off? Did a government or corporate snitch tell them to look for it? Why would you arbitrarily start looking for a "rocket fuel chemical" in baby formula, for God's sake? And in the United States. I can see maybe in China but not here.

Or so you would have thought.

But wait, there's more:

"The chemical has turned up in several cities' drinking water supplies."

Holy cow.

Again, why?

And then, who's putting it there?

What corporation?

What person?

And what are they to gain by doing so?

Are they merely using this as a convenient, low-cost way of disposing this?

And while the article says "No tests have ever shown the chemical causes health problems," does anyone think a rocket fuel chemical in our food or water supply could possibly be a good idea? Really, how could it NOT cause some kind of health problem or problems?

It goes on to say that "the largest amounts of the chemical were found in formulas derived from cow's milk."

Another reason to not drink milk.

"The researchers would not disclose the brands of formula they studied." Oh, hey, thanks, government, for doing what you're supposed to do and that is, keep the American public safe. Thanks, too, for protecting those corporations who are poisoning us. Thanks, loads.

Get this, for reassurance, the spokesman for the International Formula Council (read: lobbying group for corporations) said "Health authorities continue to empasize that infant formula is safe."

Yeah. Right.

There's a rocket fuel chemical in some infant formula but it's safe. Don't worry. Keep buying our crap--infant formula and point of view, both.

I want to go the local grocery store now and put up a sign saying "Rocket Fuel Chemical added to infant formula."

Thanks for protecting the American People, CDC and EPA.

We're no better than China, for God's sake.

You could see this, maybe happening there, after their run-in with melamine but here? The United-freakin'-States?

What sick organization came up with this idea? what sick group went through with this? Again, why? And what sick puke is following their company's directives to follow through with this?

This brings me back to my original question: As a people, how bankrupt are we, morally and financially that we--anyone-- would allow this?