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I’m very happy with my vote choices this 2008 election with the exception of one of the propositions. I voted Yes on Proposition 2, not because of my love for animals but for my health concerns. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Then I had a conversation with a friend who is always reading between the line. He pointed out something very concerning. Something that I wish I had thought about at the time.

Even though my single vote would not have made a difference in the election, I would have at least been voting for what I truly believe in. What I believe is a far greater threat to the public than food safety is greater government control and bureaucracy that will actually hinder California’s farm and ranch communities. Underneath the good nature of Proposition 2 is ultimately government control. A government agency with greater regulatory powers that do little for food safety. In fact, it is far more likely that the government is going to accept penalty payments from ranches that do not comply to the new regulations than they will actually require those ranches to make good on the requirements of Prop 2.

The down side for ranches that already provide their cattle, sheep, chickens, etc. with free range resources is that they are now going to have to be regulated by the state for something that they are already doing. Now, one might say, “They are already doing it, so what’s the big deal?” Well, the big deal comes from the fact that they now have to file all the state paperwork, pander to government regulators, spend time dealing with state regulations. This is all time, resources, meetings they didn’t have to do before.

The cows weren’t requiring California ranchers to fill out paperwork to show they are being treated well. Neither were the chickens.

We Californians took the easy way out. What do I mean? Well, I’m sure that 63%bureaucracy  of Californians are NOT eating free range meats. Yet, that is the Yes vote count for Proposition 2. What we should have voted with was our pocket books. I don’t buy anything but free range meats. My favorite places to shop have been Costco and Trader Joe’s, but there are several other places where you can get free range meats. Ask your butcher.

Rather than creating this bloated government bureaucracy, we should have stopped buying that bad meat. Proposition 2 was the biggest mistake and perhaps the greatest scapegoat we’ve come up in recent years. Sure, blame all the “evil” ranchers who confine their animals in ridiculous conditions. Make them the problem when it was us Californians purchasing all the meat that kept them in business.

Now we are stuck with an even greater issue than poorly raised food animals: A big Fat government.