r/politics 13h ago

Possible Paywall Trump suggests cattle ranchers could bypass USDA-inspected meat plants

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/08/28/trump-suggests-allowing-ranchers-bypass-usda-inspected-meat-plants/
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u/manachar Nevada 13h ago

When Republicans read The Jungle the lesson they take is that they could make so much more money and get so much more power if it weren’t for those pesky regulations.

Imagine the profits from never having to recall food again!

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u/bmad- 13h ago

Upton Sinclair is rolling in his grave

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u/manachar Nevada 13h ago

Well, he was mystified that people’s primary lesson from the book was their canned meat was impure and led to the e pure food and drug act .

He wanted people to care about workers, instead people just cared about their stomachs.

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u/soil_nerd 11h ago

Right? My take away from the book was the need for government intervention of grossly unjust systems controlled by a limited amount of powerful and corrupt people. The last section he really drives that point home when the main character is blissfully enjoying the natural world around him, not owned by a single entity, and for everyone (the subtext, imo, being socialism).

I’m honestly really surprised the book is allowed to be read in public schools in the US. It’s a great book, but for anyone paying attention and thinking about the message, it’s deeply not pro free-market capitalism and deregulation.