Balance of Food

Sugar lovers are one step closer to nirvana, or as close as we can get in these good ol' United States. The House of Representatives passed the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) by two votes. The margin was supplied by 15 Democrats, who joined 202 Republicans in voting to open up trade between the United States and the Central American countries. As I have mentioned in previous updates, CAFTA will allow cheap sugar into the U.S., breaking the impasse corn syrup has on allegedly increasing our obesity levels. Or at least to break the sugar industry's hold on high prices for U.S. sugar. Kudos to the 15 Democrats who stood up against a lot of pressure, and of course, the pressure they will receive after the vote as well. Earlier this month, the U.S. Senate approved CAFTA by a 54-45 vote. The Central American countries involved are El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.