I came across an AP story on Reuters titled “Families suffer as food prices jump: lawmakers” by Christopher Doering dated May 1, 2008. This story talks about how the soaring food prices have forced American families to cut back on their food purchases to stay within their budgets. This story says:

“"Everywhere you go food prices are higher and higher and higher," Sen. Charles Schumer said at what has been billed as the first Congressional hearing with House and Senate lawmakers to discuss the impact of high food prices.”

Senator Schumer, the NY Democrat in charge of the Joint Economic Committee goes on to say “When gas prices are high, families may decide to drive a little less or carpool or take the subway. When food prices are higher, families can't just decide to not feed their children”, which is mighty generous of him to notice.

This story goes on about how Congress is going to work at providing more funding to agriculture programs such as Food Stamps, but completely ignores the fact that they have created the situation that has caused food prices to increase. The article can be viewed and printed in PDF format here and on the internet here.

This article ties into another article from Reuters written by Missy Ryan and Tabassum Sakaria titled “Bush proposes $770 million for world food crisis” that is also dated May 1, 2008. This article covers President Bush’s call for Congress to spend an additional $770 million in U.S. food aid donations to “…stave off a food crisis threatening to envelope the developing world.”

The article says:

“Surging prices for wheat, rice and other staples, along with record-high fuel prices, have eaten into aid budgets in the United States, the world's largest food aid donor.

"I think more needs to be done. …" Bush told reporters …

…That will help "improve the ability of the developing world to feed itself," said Stephen McMillin, a top budget official.

…the funds would become available on October 1, and would bring overall support for global food security to $2.66 billion for 2009.

The announcement comes several weeks after Bush approved the release of 250,000 metric tons of wheat from an emergency crop trust…”

Once Again there is no talk about the fact that our President and Congress have created this situation. This second article can be viewed and printed in PDF format here and on the internet here.

There are, however two things that really stand-out in my mind about these two stories. First, the lawmakers are STARTING TO TAKE NOTICE and second, Our CONGRESS and PRESIDENT have created a humanitarian problem that reaches around the world. The question remains; WHEN will they notice that THEY are the ones that created this problem, all in the name of energy.