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Barack Obama's gov't-mandated diet plan (Ruh roh)
Politico.com ^ | 6/10/2009 | CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN

Posted on 06/10/2009 5:19:23 AM PDT by SonOfDarkSkies

Any health care reform plan that Obama signs is almost certain to call for nutrition counseling, obesity screenings and wellness programs at workplaces and community centers. He wants more time in the school day for physical fitness, more nutritious school lunches and more bike paths, walking paths and grocery stores in underserved areas.

The president is filling top posts at Health and Human Services with officials who, in their previous jobs, outlawed trans fats, banned public smoking or required restaurants to provide a calorie count with that slice of banana cream pie.

Even Congress is getting into the act, giving serious consideration to taxing sugary drinks and alcohol to help pay for the overhaul.

To some, it smacks of a “nanny state on steroids” — but for others who fret that America is turning into one big Overeaters Anonymous meeting, Obama’s prescription is like a low-fat dream come true.

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: lping; mandate; nannystate; obama; socialism
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To: SonOfDarkSkies
He wants more time in the school day for physical fitness,

Could definitely see this. We had gym several times a week - now it's only once with about 10 minutes of recess and when the weather is cold, which is half the time in the winter in most states, students stay in the classroom during recess time.

What ever happened to the President's Physical Fitness Test instituted by JFK? We had that darn thing every year and it was a great motivator.

As far as walking and biking paths, people don't use the ones we already have, why make more?

41 posted on 06/10/2009 6:43:35 AM PDT by randita
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To: Damifino

Because in many under-served areas, the stores left due to crime. Getting robbed kills the profit margin, if not the staff.


42 posted on 06/10/2009 6:49:26 AM PDT by tbw2 (Freeper sci-fi - "Humanity's Edge" - on amazon.com)
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To: Stentor

I’m inclined to agree with you here...


43 posted on 06/10/2009 6:52:00 AM PDT by Atom Smasher
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To: MrB
Back in the mid 60’s, a guy I knew owned 5 grocery stores in a town of about 50k.

One was in the ghetto area, or close to it.

He lost so much every year in shoplifted cigarettes in that one store that it was cheaper to hire a guard that did nothing but stand in front of the cigarette display!

That doesn't even count how much they steal from the meat isle.

Ever stop and think about the reason all the stores and strip malls are built in the burbs?

44 posted on 06/10/2009 6:52:14 AM PDT by Beagle8U (Free Republic -- One stop shopping ....... It's the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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To: randita; erkyl
Agreed. Food stamps should be like WIC - limited to staples and not junk food.

ABSOLUTELY!!!!

45 posted on 06/10/2009 6:54:37 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: Beagle8U

Around here, I’ve seen a progression happen with malls, over and over again.

A nice new mall opens. Nice stores, nice environment, even events happening on weekends.

Then, the “yoots” start hanging out in the mall. They’re loud, obnoxious, and make the whole experience undesirable. Plus, I’m sure that the theft rate goes way up.

Stores start to close, and eventually, the mall is empty.
I know of at least 3 during my time of residence here that have followed this progression.

The only one that has headed it off has instituted some rules about teens without adults during certain hours, and has really good security ($$). Of course, the rules spawned cries of “racism”, etc. But the mall is still open.


46 posted on 06/10/2009 6:56:58 AM PDT by MrB (Go Galt now, save Bowman for later)
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To: Beagle8U

I guess someone will be forced build grocery stores where the new govt. tells them to.


47 posted on 06/10/2009 7:00:13 AM PDT by Damifino (The true measure of a man is found in what he would do if he knew no one would ever find out.)
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To: MrB
If I were going to build a store or mall, I would make sure that it didn't have city bus service and was beyond walking distance from the inner city!

I would also refuse food stamps and wic cards.

48 posted on 06/10/2009 7:02:45 AM PDT by Beagle8U (Free Republic -- One stop shopping ....... It's the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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To: Beagle8U

That’s one of the reasons that our side of the city refuses to participate in the “public transportation” projects.

They specifically stated that they were not going to participate in importing crime from the inner city.


49 posted on 06/10/2009 7:05:01 AM PDT by MrB (Go Galt now, save Bowman for later)
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To: Damifino
The nanny statist demonrats are already trying to mandate stores be built within walking distance of residential areas.

Zero will mandate it and taxpayers will be forced to subsidize the ( likely acorn type minority) owners for the millions they lose in theft every year.

50 posted on 06/10/2009 7:08:25 AM PDT by Beagle8U (Free Republic -- One stop shopping ....... It's the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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To: MrB
“They specifically stated that they were not going to participate in importing crime from the inner city.”

That is exactly what city buses do, import/transport crime!

51 posted on 06/10/2009 7:11:41 AM PDT by Beagle8U (Free Republic -- One stop shopping ....... It's the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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To: CholeraJoe

“but when it starts to cost me money in the form of higher insurance premiums or taxes, it then becomes MY business.

I’m all in favor of these initiatives.”

Socialism always leads to fascism. You bemoan the collectivist system and are praising lifestyle dictatorship. Congratulations, you are fully assimilated.


52 posted on 06/10/2009 7:18:17 AM PDT by CSM (Business is too big too fail... Government is too big to succeed... I am too small to matter...)
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To: SonOfDarkSkies
"The president is filling top posts at Health and Human Services with officials who, in their previous jobs, outlawed trans fats, banned public smoking or required restaurants to provide a calorie count with that slice of banana cream pie."

Republicans better damned well be taking names, because if and/or when they EVER do regain control these people MUST be the very first out the door within one hour of the oath being administered.

Same goes for ANYONE even remotely associated with zerO et al ad nauseum, too.

53 posted on 06/10/2009 7:30:32 AM PDT by Landru (Arghh, Liberals are trapped in my colon like spackle or paste.)
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To: metmom; randita; erkyl
Agreed. Food stamps should be like WIC - limited to staples and not junk food.

ABSOLUTELY!!!!

While I understand where you are all coming from and agree in principle, there an issue of what is considered a "staple" and what is considered "junk food."

I'm sure we all agree that things like chips and soda are definitely in the category of junk food that shouldn't be permitted. But what about fresh produce, meats, fish, poultry? Where do you draw the line there as to what can and can not be purchased?

Far too often I've seen people pitching a fit because someone is buying steaks instead of ground beef with food stamps. Did it ever cross anyone's mind that maybe the person is actually buying a healthier choice of meat that happens to be less expensive?

More often than not, at least where I do my grocery shopping, a London Broil cut of chuck is far cheaper per pound than lean ground beef. So is a person wrong feeding her kids a steak instead of meatloaf or burgers when the steak is cheaper, and possibly healthier?

I've got a list as long as my arm of things that shouldn't be permitted to be purchased with food stamps, but it boils down to just WHO makes the decision of what is and what is not a "staple."

I don't have a solution, and for that reason I really don't like the idea of causing more problems in guise of finding one.

54 posted on 06/10/2009 7:52:20 AM PDT by Gabz
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To: Gabz; metmom; randita

It’s not going to make much of a difference what they can buy with WIC, because they will just buy their staples with it and use their own money to buy their junk. These are often the same people I see getting into Escalades with custom wheels after using WIC to pay for their potato chips. Not to worry—they’ll be fine with or without someone dictating to them what they can buy. They’ve figured out how to cheat the system already, so it won’t much matter what Obama or anyone else does to make things ‘right’...they’ll find a way around it.


55 posted on 06/10/2009 8:14:56 AM PDT by erkyl (We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office --Aesop (~550 BC))
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To: Gabz; randita; erkyl
While I understand where you are all coming from and agree in principle, there an issue of what is considered a "staple" and what is considered "junk food."

They made their decision when they went to the government for hand outs. If they don't like being told what to eat, they should get off their lazy butts and work for their own money.

Nobody is complaining about chuck or round steak vs hamburger. It's the soda, candy, snacks, etc.

Food stamps should be in the form of coupons for the basics for healthy eating, meat, vegetables, fruit, bread, dairy.

Government interference in our private lives is one thing, but when you ask for the handouts at other taxpayers expense, then I have no problem with them being told how to use it. They ASKED for the government interference. Too bad if they don't like the strings attached.

56 posted on 06/10/2009 8:21:51 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: metmom; randita; erkyl

When it comes down to it, I’m really not disagreeing with any of you. As I said, I’ve got a list as long as my arm of things that should be forbidden to be purchased with government assistance monies. But the government itself is already so screwed up in what is allows and forbids that all I can see is even more chaos.

My favorite example is that a whole rotisserie cooked chicken from the deli department of the store is a prohibited item with a food stamp purchase, but a frozen fried chicken TV dinner is permitted. That makes absolutely no sense to me, especially if the entire idea is to provide nutritious meals for children. Forbid both.

Personally, I think anyone receiving food assistance from the government, WIC or food stamps or whatever the other one is should be required to take a certain number of classes/hours of basic home economics (budgeting, meal planning, cooking) in order to continue to receive the assistance.


57 posted on 06/10/2009 8:35:17 AM PDT by Gabz
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To: Gabz
Personally, I think anyone receiving food assistance from the government, WIC or food stamps or whatever the other one is should be required to take a certain number of classes/hours of basic home economics (budgeting, meal planning, cooking) in order to continue to receive the assistance.

Yeah, I can live with that.

Welfare is too easy. The more inconvenience there is connected to it, the more motivation there is to get off it.

58 posted on 06/10/2009 8:50:04 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: MrB
Whenever you eat, you have to swipe your card deducting your calories for the month. Once you’re out, you can’t eat any more, unless you “purchase” more calories by exercising.

Crap and trade? :)

59 posted on 06/10/2009 8:56:38 AM PDT by IamConservative (I'll keep my money. You keep the change.)
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To: IamConservative

Crap and trade? :)

That’s good right there...


60 posted on 06/10/2009 8:58:30 AM PDT by MrB (Go Galt now, save Bowman for later)
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