The grain connection

I find MM to be invaluable and truly disillusioning, though sometimes I fear the near omnipotence of multinationals given even more power since Reagan's election.

While you have occasionally covered grain sales by multinational agribusiness firms, and giveaways to these firms (e.g. "Critics Hit Grain Bill Giveaway to Corporations, " MM, April 1983), 1 suggest you may connect some of those agribusiness firms with PL480, the law on which CARE, Catholic Relief Services and other (presumably) charitable organizations depend for their overseas aid programs.

Reflect: Reagan's proposed FY84 budget aids large farmers-consistent with his economic policies-cuts Extension Service by 13 percent and the Agricultural Conservation Program by 75 percent, the PL480 program will increase.

While the proposed increase is a modest one, if Reagan proposed it, you can gamble that some big business, probably a mutinational, is making a bundle off of it and, again, the taxpayers.

- Tim Scanlon
Keene, NH

More corporate profiles

Sorry I've put this [renewal] off - be sure I get the June issue. I totally enjoy being enraged by what I read in the Monitor every month and I think that both its format and content have improved over the past year. The longer features are especially good; I'd like to see more of everything your readers want. For my part, I'd like a few general or background articles on some of the larger corporations that affect all of us, everywhere in the world, every day.

- James Olding
Portland, OR

No good news on MNCs?

Since I subscribe by microfiche, you probably do not have my name among your subscribers. However, I am very grateful for your magazine for it provides me with concrete information - dates, places, names of who does what, etc. - that I have not been able to locate anywhere. Since I am doing some research in the Christian ethics of investment I simply find it invaluable. Keep it up.

I must admit however, that your insistent one-sided bias does sometimes gives the impression that you are looking only for the bad news. Is there really no good news anywhere in any situation? Not even just a little bit? I wonder!

Below follows the addresses of a few scholars who are much concerned with MNCs. Would you please send them a complimentary copy?

- Rev. Dr. John H. Boer
Institute of Church and Society
Jos, Nigeria

We're always happy to send a sample of Multinational Monitor to individuals or groups who are concerned about multinationals in today's world. If you know someone who may be interested in subscribing, just send us their name and address and we'll send them a free issue.

- Editors