THE SAFETY OF YOUR MEDICINES AND YOUR DINNER DEPENDS ON A WOEFULLY UNDERSTAFFED FDA ... AND COMPUTERS THAT STILL RUN DOS

At least it sure looks DOS at about 1:07 of this video.

Here's a screenshot (click to enlarge):



Yeah, that sure makes me feel the government is doing everything it can to keep E. coli out of my salad.

Story here:

...Gail Cassel, co-author of a 56-page report titled "FDA Science and Mission at Risk," said, "The wheels are coming off. In fact, I would say they're off. They're already off."

The report uncovered failures at every turn. The most glaring is that the FDA lost 600 inspectors in the past four years, making the agency unable to protect the country's food supply. And the FDA's responsibilities have grown, rendering the agency ineffecitve.

Bill Hubbard, a former FDA associate commissioner, said, "When I came to the FDA in the early 1970s, we were doing 35,000 food inspections a year. This year, the agency will be doing 6,000."

...The report found the agency's computer system, which tracks hazardous foods and drugs, is so antiquated, it's constantly breaking down.

...Many front-line employees don't even have a computer. Inspectors must write urgent reports by hand, which often end up lost in huge warehouses.....

But haven't Ron Paul and Rudy Giuliani told us that government already too big and too wasteful?

Here, you tell me:

"Currently each American pays about a penny and a half a day for the FDA," the report says. "An increase to three cents daily would not, in our view, be a great price to pay for the assurance that our food and drug suppply is, indeed, the best and safest in the world."

Hey, I'd gladly spring for twice that.