Tuesday, June 19, 2012

[PDI] Fwd: 2.8 billion Twinkies

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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Brian Imus, Illinois PIRG State Director" <action@illinoispirg.org>
Date: Jun 19, 2012 1:01 PM
Subject: 2.8 billion Twinkies
To: <aquarianm@gmail.com>

[image: Click here to take
action]<http://www.webaction.org/site/R?i=DYJy6WA2LBdd75ElgkJfzw>Hi
Daniel,

Some of the money that you and I pay in taxes ends up in Twinkies.

More than $1 billion in tax subsidies help pay for junk food ingredients
like high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils that are main
ingredients in Twinkies, soda and thousands of other junk food products. [1]

That's the equivalent of 2.8 billion Twinkies every year — which, if you
laid on the road, could *pave a highway 63 feet wide from Chicago to
Springfield and back!*

*Can you add your name to our petition to Congress to end junk food
subsidies? <http://www.webaction.org/site/R?i=vRANx6fPeeNWceLCSx3rMA>*

Congress is debating these subsidies right now, and Big Ag is lobbying hard
to keep them before they expire in August. That's why we're ramping up our
efforts this summer — and it all starts with your signature.

Working with our partner groups across the country, we're hoping to get
100,000 signatures — that means we need 10,000 from Illinoisans. We need
your help to hit these ambitious goals.

*Childhood obesity has quadrupled over the last 40 years*. Surely the time
has come to stop handing over billions of dollars to giant agribusinesses
to help subsidize junk food. [2]

Here's the petition:

*Please put an end to junk food subsidies. Since 1995, $17 billion in
subsidies to big agribusiness companies have gone to high-fructose corn
syrup and other junk food ingredients. *

*Especially in light of the epidemic of childhood obesity in this country,
these subsidies are unacceptable. Please cut them from the federal budget
and the reauthorization of the Farm Bill.*

It might seem like a no-brainer to get rid of these ridiculous subsidies,
but it's been an uphill battle — because of giant agribusinesses like
Cargill and Monsanto and their lobbying machine. Big Ag spent $200 million
on lobbying and campaign contributions in 2008. [3]

But despite the fact that they've got deep pockets, we know that no one in
Congress wants to be seen standing up for taxpayer giveaways to junk food.
With public concern about obesity and federal spending at all time highs,
public support can help us finally beat Big Ag and end subsidies for junk
food.

Already we've made progress. We've talked to more than 800,000 people
across the country and earned bipartisan support.

*Can you add your name to our
petition?<http://www.webaction.org/site/R?i=4GZ-n3RuE2Mf0sxjtTtavw>
*

Thanks for all your support,

Brian Imus
Illinois PIRG State Director

P.S. Thanks for your support. Please feel free to share this message with
your friends and family.

1. Illinois PIRG Education Fund, Apples to
Twinkies<http://www.webaction.org/site/R?i=p0EYyYZfclamfeqgC6UGEg>,
September 21, 2011.
2. Centers for Disease
Control.<http://www.webaction.org/site/R?i=wq12uvQ0Am2ffGr14IhkVg>
3. Open Secrets: Lobbying expenditures
here<http://www.webaction.org/site/R?i=q7G-4_go4WJqR83rApv5dg>and
campaign
contributions here<http://www.webaction.org/site/R?i=NudR55C3pfTHR9hLqNMlyg>.

------------------------------

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