Michelle Obama is on an anti-obesity campaign. Politicians like New York Mayor Bloomberg have taken action, using the long reach of an overbearing government to try to force obesity to perish as the great peril they see it as.
Liberals of all walks of life have taken up the cause, agreeing that government should protect people from their poor decisions that have led these people to become obese.
Liberals see it as a moral fight. Conservatives see it as yet another attempt by government to take away freedoms.
In a conversation today with a bleeding heart liberal, which is not hard to do in Southern California since leftists seem to be everywhere, the topic of obesity came up when a woman who looked like three people shoved into one very unfortunate skin walked by.
"That, right there," he said, "is one of the main reasons our health care system's so f---ed up."
(pardon the profanity - that just seems to be how liberals naturally talk)
"Yeah," I said. "It is unfortunate that there are people who let themselves get like that."
"Unfortunate?" he snapped back. "They are a f---ing drain on the G-D system."
"Not if they are paying for their own health care, or insurance," I replied.
"Doug, the health care costs are skyrocketing because of obesity. I was reading somewhere that obesity in this nation has caused health care costs to go up 50%. It hurts our economy, too. Fat people call in sick more than people that aren't obese. Then, you have the cases of diabetes, and the cost by taxpayers to take care of obese poor children who use government programs. And think about this! Once the federal health care law is in full force, that means these people will be taking even more money out of the pockets of taxpayers."
"I thought the problem with poor kids is they weren't eating enough? They're fat too?"
"Both things are a problem," he said quickly.
I said, "But isn't that their choice? We have the freedom to make poor choices just as much as good ones."
Then my friend went into full communitarianism mode. "Not if it hurts the common good. It's up to government to educate obese people about the dangers of their condition. It will help them, and help society as a whole."
"And if they refuse?" I offered.
"Then they must be persuaded."
"And what if they still refuse to be re-educated by the government experts?"
"Then the government," he said, "must take action to ensure they comply."
"How?"
"Through laws, of course."
"So," I said, "you want the government to force them to lose weight."
"I didn't say that."
"Yes, you did. You said through laws, which must be enforced by some kind of law enforcement agency, they must be persuaded to comply. That means forcing these people to eat, exercise, and engage in activities approved by the government, right? Can the government tell them they can't have that doughnut? Can the government require them to walk so many miles a day, or force them to do a certain amount of crunches? That's not freedom, that's doing what the government orders you to do. What if Obese people aren't suffering from obesity? What if these people are happy with their decision and they enjoy their obesity? Does government have the authority to take that happiness away from them?"
He didn't answer.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
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