Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Let Them Eat Cheese
In January, I blogged about the recent 300% duty on Roquefort cheese. After the original uproar over this ridiculous and petty nah-nah-na-boo-boo moment from the outgoing administration, the issue sort of fell off my radar. Until, that is, a Parisian Spring reader alerted me to the valiant efforts of one Minnesota Congressman to petition President Obama in the hopes of having him overturn the ruling. Representative Jim Oberstar, beloved 17-term Congressman from Minnesota's 8th district and noted Francophile, wrote a letter to the President on February 2, 2009. The letter - written in French and English! - urges negation of the tax, thereby allowing the small, French village that produces Roquefort to sell its wares on the important American market, and Americans to enjoy the delight that is a fine slice of smelly cheese. With everything he has on his plate, I'm guessing the plight of Roquefort isn't high on Obama's to-do list, but it would still be nice to see him take up the issue. It would do wonders for cheeseboards and Franco-American relations alike.
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3 comments:
Thank you! Merci! C'est mon fromage preferee!
A letter to the president, over cheese? In China I think the duty on Cheese is about 300%. No one cares except the expats.
@Stevo, a lot of people care in the U.S., including the cheeseshop owners, restaurateurs and consumers who enjoy Roquefort, not to mention those of us who think that playing games with duties is damaging to the critical Franco-American relationship.
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