General Discussion

marmar

(77,084 posts) Sat Nov 15, 2014, 09:48 AM Nov 2014

Monsanto and Dow sue Maui over voter-approved GMO moratorium

Alongside other plaintiffs, two of the world's most powerful agrochemical companies, Monsanto and Dow Chemical, filed suit against Maui County in Hawaii on Thursday, less than two weeks after voters there approved a moratorium on the planting and cultivation of genetically-modified crops within the boundaries of their communities.

"This local referendum interferes with and conflicts with long established state and federal laws that support both the safety and lawful cultivation of GMO plants. For this reason, we believe it is invalid and should never become law," said John P. Purcell, Monsanto of Hawaii's vice president of business and technology.

The legal effort to blog the approved initiative came one day after supporters of the GMO planting ban filed a motion of their own with local courts seeking "transparency and proper implementation" of the moratorium approved by the November 4th referendum victory. ................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/11/14/monsanto-dow-chemical-file-lawsuit-destroy-maui-countys-gmo-ban

21 replies

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Monsanto and Dow sue Maui over voter-approved GMO moratorium (Original Post) marmar Nov 2014 OP

TPP preview, y'all. No one will be able to vote against anything a corporation wants to do. djean111 Nov 2014 #1

Yes that was my first thought nt newfie11 Nov 2014 #4

Mine too. n/t 2naSalit Nov 2014 #7

The general public doesn't know what the TPP is, that Hillary backs it, & how its NAFTA on steroids RiverLover Nov 2014 #10

I'm pretty sure anyone can sue over laws they claim are unconstitutional, even corporations Recursion Nov 2014 #12

Yes, but with the new Investor State agreements, they will be suing in djean111 Nov 2014 #14

How is that different from the bilateral agreements we have with all the TPP members? Recursion Nov 2014 #16

Precisely. n/t 99Forever Nov 2014 #15

^^^^^^^^This is the correct answer^^^^^^^^^^ woo me with science Nov 2014 #17

Well we'll just take this over to our friends in the court underpants Nov 2014 #2

What would one expect the "thug bullies" to do? And, what is likely to be the outcome of ladjf Nov 2014 #3

you'd think that corporations dont trump the constitution or the democratic process belzabubba333 Nov 2014 #5

du rec. xchrom Nov 2014 #6

k&r... spanone Nov 2014 #8

Once again VOTERS are being sued by Big Busine$$ RiverLover Nov 2014 #9

It will be cemented, carved into stone, legal when the TPP and other "agreements" are passed. djean111 Nov 2014 #11

Remember when we sued to get rid of Proposition 8 in CA? Recursion Nov 2014 #18

Prop 8 shouldn't have been on the ballot to begin with. And thanks for comparing citizens to RiverLover Nov 2014 #21

Of course those rw a$$holes are suing Maui. They sued us in Kaua'i too and won.. but, it's Cha Nov 2014 #13

Now I love Maui even more. Vinca Nov 2014 #19

I wonder if they are gonna sue McD's also since McD's will not use littlewolf Nov 2014 #20

djean111

(14,255 posts)

1. TPP preview, y'all. No one will be able to vote against anything a corporation wants to do.

Reply to marmar (Original post)

Sat Nov 15, 2014, 09:51 AM

Nov 2014

I am surprised Monsanto doesn't just wait until the TPP and other "trade" agreements are passed, and then just take it up in the Investor State courts.

newfie11

(8,159 posts)

4. Yes that was my first thought nt

Reply to djean111 (Reply #1)

Sat Nov 15, 2014, 10:11 AM

Nov 2014

2naSalit

(86,650 posts)

7. Mine too. n/t

Reply to newfie11 (Reply #4)

Sat Nov 15, 2014, 12:54 PM

Nov 2014

RiverLover

(7,830 posts)

10. The general public doesn't know what the TPP is, that Hillary backs it, & how its NAFTA on steroids

Reply to djean111 (Reply #1)

Sun Nov 16, 2014, 09:00 AM

Nov 2014

And all Democrats should know Hillary is backing this, and has promoted it.

The U.S.-Japan relationship is a "very secure one," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, adding the Trans-Pacific Partnership would enhance the ties.

...She said she certainly believes "the Trans-Pacific Partnership holds great benefits for Japan's economy," adding the economies of the two countries have expanded on a broader scale as consumers in many emerging democracies or emerging economies are now demanding more goods and services.

She said Japan and the United States have comparative advantage in that the two are "high tech, we have highly educated workforces," and that the TPP "is one way that could really enhance our relationship."

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/01/29/Clinton-US-Japan-relations-secure/UPI-97681359514680/#ixzz3JEgJdQjh

She conveniently fails to mention the global serfdom it will create.

Recursion

(56,582 posts)

12. I'm pretty sure anyone can sue over laws they claim are unconstitutional, even corporations

Reply to djean111 (Reply #1)

Sun Nov 16, 2014, 09:26 AM

Nov 2014

And that that's always been true.

djean111

(14,255 posts)

14. Yes, but with the new Investor State agreements, they will be suing in

Reply to Recursion (Reply #12)

Sun Nov 16, 2014, 09:30 AM

Nov 2014

courts made up of corporate lawyers.
If the plan is to say that keeping a corporation from making a profit, no matter what the harm to the environment or people, is unconstitutional - then the Constitution is, essentially, worthless.

Recursion

(56,582 posts)

16. How is that different from the bilateral agreements we have with all the TPP members?

Reply to djean111 (Reply #14)

Sun Nov 16, 2014, 09:33 AM

Nov 2014

They all have investor arbitration agreements. That's kind of all trade agreements generally are.

I know DU is absolutely convinced that NAFTA was a disaster, despite it preceding a period of decreasing unemployment and the only period of rising median wages in the past 40 years, but I don't know how strong a sell that is nationally...

99Forever

(14,524 posts)

15. Precisely. n/t

Reply to djean111 (Reply #1)

Sun Nov 16, 2014, 09:32 AM

Nov 2014

woo me with science

(32,139 posts)

17. ^^^^^^^^This is the correct answer^^^^^^^^^^

Reply to djean111 (Reply #1)

Sun Nov 16, 2014, 09:34 AM

Nov 2014

Corporate state, not democracy.

Our democracy is gone, traded away by corrupt, corporate-purchased politicians.

underpants

(182,830 posts)

2. Well we'll just take this over to our friends in the court

Reply to marmar (Original post)

Sat Nov 15, 2014, 09:56 AM

Nov 2014

Hey judge how'd you do on the back nine? What's say we going into the clubhouse. I'm buying the gin and tonics. Oh and there's something else I wanted to talk to you about.....

ladjf

(17,320 posts)

3. What would one expect the "thug bullies" to do? And, what is likely to be the outcome of

Reply to marmar (Original post)

Sat Nov 15, 2014, 10:07 AM

Nov 2014

the suit?

belzabubba333

(1,237 posts)

5. you'd think that corporations dont trump the constitution or the democratic process

Reply to marmar (Original post)

Sat Nov 15, 2014, 10:23 AM

Nov 2014

on what grounds, this?
"This local referendum interferes with and conflicts with long established state and federal laws that support both the safety and lawful cultivation of GMO plants. For this reason, we believe it is invalid and should never become law,"
well they've changed it. we used to not have to wear seat belts- forcing us to wear them interfered with and conflicted with long established state and federal laws of not having to wear them and guess what laws change.

more frivolous lawsuits from the party of 'we hate frivolous lawsuits and trial lawyers'

xchrom

(108,903 posts)

6. du rec.

Reply to marmar (Original post)

Sat Nov 15, 2014, 11:43 AM

Nov 2014

spanone

(135,844 posts)

8. k&r...

Reply to marmar (Original post)

Sat Nov 15, 2014, 01:02 PM

Nov 2014

RiverLover

(7,830 posts)

9. Once again VOTERS are being sued by Big Busine$$

Reply to marmar (Original post)

Sun Nov 16, 2014, 08:51 AM

Nov 2014

How is that even legal?

Was my education lacking when I learned what "Democracy" meant?

Can we sue the justice department?

djean111

(14,255 posts)

11. It will be cemented, carved into stone, legal when the TPP and other "agreements" are passed.

Reply to RiverLover (Reply #9)

Sun Nov 16, 2014, 09:14 AM

Nov 2014

Democracy (and, I fear, the Democratic Party) doesn't mean what it used to mean, any more.
Thus - the ridiculousness of calling Hillary liberal. No matter how many charts and lengthy lists of stuff she said at one time or another are used to hijack threads. I almost long for the blue linkies, at least they were decorative and a lot shorter.