This seems like an isolated demand for rigour. When Hormel employees and other associated people gave $500k to an end-of-life care charity—a donation which is part of Lewis’s data—I don’t think this was a secret scheme to increase beef consumption. (I’m not really sure why it’s captured in this data at all actually). People who work in agriculture aren’t some sort of evil caricature who only donate money to oppose animal protection; a lot of their donations are probably motivated by the same concerns that motivate everyone else.
Thanks for flagging that. I agree that most of the funds donated by animal ag employees were not to oppose animal protection, or likely any specific policies. I should have clarified that. I also generally don’t think of people working in agriculture as evil. I think they’re mostly just doing the rationale thing given the goal of profit maximization, and the lack of constraints we’ve imposed on how to pursue that.
When Hormel employees and other associated people gave $500k to an end-of-life care charity—a donation which is part of Lewis’s data—I don’t think this was a secret scheme to increase beef consumption.
Ya, I wouldn’t want to count that. I didn’t check what the data included.
People who work in agriculture aren’t some sort of evil caricature who only donate money to oppose animal protection; a lot of their donations are probably motivated by the same concerns that motivate everyone else.
I agree. I think if the money is coming through an interest/industry group or company, not just from an employee or farmer, then it’s probably usually lobbying for that interest/industry group or company or otherwise to promote the shared interests of that group. Contributions from individuals could be more motivated by political identity and other issues than just protecting or promoting whatever industry they work in.
Surely SBF count[s/ed] as a vegan and an animal rights guy? He alone donated over $5m to Biden.
I doubt that was to support animal protection, though.
This seems like an isolated demand for rigour. When Hormel employees and other associated people gave $500k to an end-of-life care charity—a donation which is part of Lewis’s data—I don’t think this was a secret scheme to increase beef consumption. (I’m not really sure why it’s captured in this data at all actually). People who work in agriculture aren’t some sort of evil caricature who only donate money to oppose animal protection; a lot of their donations are probably motivated by the same concerns that motivate everyone else.
Thanks for flagging that. I agree that most of the funds donated by animal ag employees were not to oppose animal protection, or likely any specific policies. I should have clarified that. I also generally don’t think of people working in agriculture as evil. I think they’re mostly just doing the rationale thing given the goal of profit maximization, and the lack of constraints we’ve imposed on how to pursue that.
Ya, I wouldn’t want to count that. I didn’t check what the data included.
I agree. I think if the money is coming through an interest/industry group or company, not just from an employee or farmer, then it’s probably usually lobbying for that interest/industry group or company or otherwise to promote the shared interests of that group. Contributions from individuals could be more motivated by political identity and other issues than just protecting or promoting whatever industry they work in.