Spawnout:

I don't think our government is stupid. I do think it is for sale to the highest bidder. Last year there was legislation to stop the sale of "downer: cows for human consumption. It was defeated. Did our fine elected representatives believe it was in our best interest to let them feed us diseased cattle? Maybe, but the thirty-five congressmen who received money from the dairyman's association were far more likely to vote for continuing to let us eat diseased cattle.

Like you, I can’t imagine any one wanting to eat a cow that was too sick to stand up at slaughter time. Then, to add insult to possible injury they butcher the old sick dairy cow and ship the meat off to the suckers, er consumers BEFORE they get the results of the tests back. MMMM, Makes me want another quarter pounder!

Now our government tells us not to worry about the one sick cow, but when Canada had one sick cow we immediately slapped an embargo on Canadian beef. What changed our minds? Could it possibly be campaign contributions and lobbyists?

PLEASE lets not turn this into a republican/democrat thing. Truth is they both are for sale to the highest bidder.