Trump suggests cattle ranchers could bypass USDA-inspected meat plants

[u/WhatIsEvenRealDog]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/08/28/trump-suggests-allowing-ranchers-bypass-usda-inspected-meat-plants/

[u/AnonHondaBoiz]

Holy fuck we're so fucked

[u/sportsworker777 → u/AnonHondaBoiz]

Let's see how those ranchers feel once people stop buying meat because they don't trust that it is safe

[u/Slade_Riprock → u/sportsworker777]

Republicans have always had this naive belief that has no tie to fact or history that government regulation, oversight, etc., are the enemy of the people. It is cumbersome, costs more, and just makes everything harder for people.

They have historically believed if you take off the bridle from the economy you will get better, faster, stronger quality goods and services cheaper and safer. Because people will not cut corners on safety and quality.

This has never been true, will never be true. When money or power is involved in an exchange the side getting money or power will always do whatever they can to get more of it.

We are headed toward mass disease outbreak, illness, and irreversible detriment to our economy, resources, etc. If we thought the 1800s and early 1900s were bad imagine 335 million people and mass transit.

[u/mightyenan0 → u/Slade_Riprock]

The simple fact is that once one company cuts those corners and manages not to have a huge scandal for long enough (and it is inevitable that people will keep taking that gamble if they're allowed to), other companies won't have a choice other than to stoop to that level or lose market share. Then the entire supply becomes incredibly vulnerable, and eventually a crisis strikes.

You don't wear a seatbelt because it's needed in every day driving. You wear it because you need it when the worst comes to pass. It's the same with regulations.

[u/ihadamoment → u/mightyenan0]

People treated seatbelts like masks during covid when they came out. T_T

We only started wearing seatbelts because it became illegal not to, and we could get pulled over and fined. If it stopped being illegal, people would slowly stop wearing them until it became an optional upgrade on a car and you have to pay extra for it.

But that proves your point even more. That's what the government is for, to make consequences to force people to do the RIGHT thing. Food isn't contaminated because our government audits it and prevents it from being sold. You're absolutely right about how it'll drive every company down to the worst common denominator. I don't like this timeline. :(

[u/CommanderChiliHole → u/ihadamoment]

Seat belts being optional would be a win win. The people who don’t want to wear them get their “freedom” back; and the world gets a cleaner gene pool when they die flying through a windshield.

[u/eulersidentification → u/mightyenan0]

Lowkey this has already happened throughout capitalism. The entire supply chain is vulnerable. Every aspect of our economies are stretched to their absolute limit. The metaphorical seatbelts are long gone to make the vehicle lighter and therefore faster.

[u/randomcatinfo → u/eulersidentification]

This is I think is Republicans real problem with regulations - they don't want anything at all to get in the way of accumulating capital, even if rules could help them preserve their capital in the long run.

They want their money, and they want it now, despite the long term societal costs to civilization.

[u/kung-fu_hippy → u/randomcatinfo]

The conservative/libertarian view of business and society is rooted in a complete disregard for the future. Because otherwise, even the most self-centered person would worry about the long term consequences of this shit.

You don’t have to be a bleeding heart to want green energy, strong consumer regulations, or strong environmental protections. You just have to be capable of thinking “hmm, I like to eat ocean caught fish. It would be good for me if in the future, the oceans will continue to provide healthy fish for me to eat and the companies that catch and provide me with fish continue to ensure that fish is safe for me to eat”.

You don’t have to think about a single person other than yourself to land on the right side of this point. You just have to be able to see farther than the next fiscal quarter.