As you know, I'm running for Congress in 2008.  I've previously written about gay marriage, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, hedge fund regulation and the environment.  Today's topic: U.S. trade policy.

After a four-day weekend of turkey gorging, we should turn our attention to the other white meat: beef — Kobe beef to be precise, which is sometimes called "white steak" because of its high ratio of marbled fat to meat.  As detailed here at "Ask the Meatman," Kobe beef is the most exclusive beef in the world.  The real stuff, which comes from the ancient province of Tajima (now called Hyogo Prefecture) in Japan, can cost $300 or more per pound.  The U.S.-raised "Kobe" beef, while still pretty good at around $100 a pound, doesn't compare.

Each of Japan and the U.S. have, until recently, completely barred beef imports from the other due to mad cow-related concerns.  While there are still restrictions in place, Japan and the U.S. are now at least allowing imports of each other's beef products, including Kobe beef.  If elected, I'd work to ensure that our disease-related food import-export rules and those of our trading partners are based on sound science instead of fear mongering of the sort that has lead to American dinner tables being bereft of true Kobe beef for so long.