How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
I was riding up the chairlift today with a Swedish fellow who is a Bay Area engineer. He and I were discussing Obamacare and how our government will deal with the obesity epidemic among the great unwashed. And deal with it they will, in some fashion far beyond organic angryganic Michelle and Big Bird. The man mentioned nutritional school lunches and someone on the end of the lift chimed in about "dumbass" Republican voters getting slapped down and how Obama would fix everything. So I went a little screwy.
Why not provide breakfast, lunch, dinner, year round in association with mandatory PE classes for all kids with Body Mass Indexes greater than the low end of obesity, I asked. He liked it. Strike one for me. Then I suggested mandatory doctor visits with mandatory BMI testing reportable to government agencies, and obesity re-education camps plus mandatory surgery. But he liked that too. Then I said that all EBT cards could be used for health food only with a food officer in a brown shirt with a club at all food stores. He wanted that too. Strike three (I ignored the umpire and got another at bat).
I discussed putting chips in kids that would monitor calories and removing them from their parents homes if they eat bad foods. Since we are now treating humans like imbecilic pets, we need government-dependent folks on Iams weight loss formula. He finally realized I was ribbing him. I thought forced bariatric surgery would have clued him in to how far down the non-rabbit food hole I was going, but he went far indeed. Know thy enemy, people.
How far will our government go in this brave new world? We are a nation of bigguns and this will cost society.
How far humans go is always a topic on my mind when I drive past the very top of Slide Mountain road of Mount Rose. In the 90s, multimillionaire Peter Bergna decided that, rather than giving his wife half the stuff in a divorce, he was better suited driving their car off a cliff. He killed his wife while he jumped from the car, but is now in jail for life. Some folks go too darn far by a mile. With that in mind, I expect Big Brother to be force feeding the brussel sprouts to kids wired up like Matrix zombies.
I know Fred Cole's answer already, but not the syntax of why there should be no sin tax. So chime in Libertarians (and others). This epidemic is now on our financial doorstep.
- Comment (67)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (33)
Comments:
Mar '12
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
I wish the federal government would spend as much effort reducing its own obesity as it does on the obeity of the individual.
Dec '10
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
Once the responsibility for ones own dietary behavior is removed the liberty for that behavior cannot long remain. The worst part is that it won't even be for their own good; rather, it will be in the name of our collective pocket book that culinary freedom shall die.
May '10
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
Just one thing: Admit that they were off their rocker for a generation when they advocated carbs as the foundation of a healthy diet and put the fear of God in us over fats. That rubbish did more to bring on the obesity era than anything.
I have a farmer friend who explained to me that farmers understood the wrongheadedness of that high-carb stuff all along. It's been true since the beginning of time, he said, that if you want to fatten a hog, feed him corn; to slim him down, feed him greasy slop. Yep.
Jul '11
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
Yes Scott, the whole carb instead of fat issue was/is moronic. The medical establishment is sometimes quite behind, and they may indeed be checking your BMI each visit soon enough or face a 2% pay cut. Be warned!
Apr '11
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
According to Yuri Bezmenov, once the Marxists have seized power completely, they won't care about obesity or what we're eating anymore...it's something to look forward to.
Edited on December 10, 2012 at 3:05amJul '10
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
Because the cure will be worse than the disease.
I've always been skeptical about the presumed financial burdens imposed by the obese (or smokers for that matter). I'm sure that if all else is equal, they cost more. But how often is that the case?
Obesity takes what, 3 to 10 years off life expectancy on average? Those are 3-10 of the most expensive and most socialized years of health care maintenance in a person's life.
But even if I'm wrong I'd still rather pay for the obese than for bureaucrats in charge of bothering them. Besides, where does the government get the chutzpah to complain about bloat?
May '10
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
Docjay, when that time comes I'll be paying you cash to give my fannie the rubber glove treatment while alowing me to keep my BMI to myself. You're welcome to my butt, Doc, but not my love handles. That's just too personal.
May '10
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
Palaeologus
I've always been skeptical about the presumed financial burdens imposed by the obese (or smokers for that matter). I'm sure that if all else is equal, they cost more. But how often is that the case?
Obesity takes what, 3 to 10 years off life expectancy on average? Those are 3-10 of the most expensiveand most socializedyears of health care maintenance in a person's life.
But even if I'm wrong I'd still rather pay for the obese than for bureaucrats in charge of bothering them. Besides, where does the government get the chutzpahto complain about bloat? · 0 minutes ago
Yes, Palaeo. My grandpa died of lung cancer in his 50's, before recieving a dime of social security. His wife lived into her 80's and received a couple hundred grand in ss, I suppose, and still died of a long, costly illness.
The long-lived always cost the gov't more.
Jul '11
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
You guys are right. Those who die earlier cost less. I don't complain to smokers, alcoholics, or the obese. If they want to change I'll go every mile for them but personal choice, informed personal choice, is my belief as to what is correct. Scott, I have zero intention of reporting anything to anyone unless it becomes a crime not to do so, even then I may not comply and wait in my office until they come for me and contemplate how much a ruckus I should put up.
Dec '12
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
Technically, since I own me, Uncle Sam cannot force me to reduce my property for the public good without just compensation. It's in the 5th ammendment, right there at the end. Alert the ACLU. Pass the twinkies.
Jul '11
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
I read some stuff that shows obesity actually saves the government money. The obese tend to drop dead before they get to the retirement phase of their lives. There is also the advantage that if they kick off before retirement age they open up a position for younger workers to move up into. I am not sure about smokers but could see a similar model being in place.
Jun '10
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
I believe it was Philip Morris which did a study somewhere in Scandinavia showing that smokers died sooner and cost the health care system far less than the long lived.
There were cries of "scandalous", "disgusting", "morbid", "manipulative" and other self-righteous invectives. Never once did I hear "wrong."
Oddly, in the insurance world, companies might get away with differential charges for, especially, the morbidly obese. But under Obamacare, being fat is a protected Federal class. So how can there be any differential?
Oh, wait. That means everyone pays more...
I already get weighed every time I go to the doc. Pretty soon they'll just be flipping up that little height stick, too.
Edited on December 10, 2012 at 3:49amJun '10
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
I don't know...do you think this Modest Proposal is too extreme?
Apr '11
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
I think micromanaging peoples diets will fail gloriously. If it were easy to regulate ones diet, we would have many skinny healthy people about. I guess you could try to remove things from stores, but I think people would rebel at the thought of not being able to get sugar and other delicious empty carbs... all they will do is force us to buy many more tiny portions of it. We have all bough the fun size candy and we know we eat through it as fast or faster than if we had bought full bars.
Jul '11
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
Brian, that was before my time but a great example of why I love Ricochet. I am a touch hungry right now though, does it taste nice my precious?
Jun '10
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
Insert obligatory ancient pig joke.
Jun '10
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
Eeyore
Insert obligatory ancient pig joke. · 7 minutes ago
One of my favorites.
Jun '10
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
Tastes like chicken.
Feb '12
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
I don't really blame bad nutritional information for the obesity problems we have -- not because the advice wasn't wrong, but because I don't think I know a single person who uses it to choose what they're going to eat. The healthy living people don't use it -- they use whatever diet book they're into. The fat people just eat what they please.
Aug '10
Re: How Far Should The Government Go Regarding Obesity?
I'll give two answers, the theoretical/intellectual and the practical.
Intellectual: whatever a government takes responsibility for, it should tax enough to handle it.
(Libertarians say government should not take responsibility for personal health care, and the argument ends there.)
If a government assumes responsibility for health care, then it should tax enough to pay for some set level of universal health care. In a democracy, where the sovereign power is held by every person, the taxes to support their rule should fall on every person. (There is no consistent, logical argument for progressive taxation to support universal entitlements.)
Taxing food, smoking, unhealthy lifestyles, etc may be a novel way to scale tax revenue with entitlement costs. However, you asked about a "sin tax". The idea behind those is that taxes raise costs, thus lowering demand for certain things that harm society "in excess". They are not really designed to support a separate government program.
The level of taxation necessary to compensate for American obesity may reduce liberty, burden the poor, or fail to curb "dangerous" behavior; but these are empirical questions requiring experimentation.
In short: if we're socializing health care concerns, go ahead and socialize the costs.