The government is doing what we figured it would do. The new health care industry and the FDA are excersing their tyrannical abilities to regulate.
"The government is telling half of the U.S. population to drastically cut their daily salt intake."
"But it's unclear if the industry will be able to cut enough to satisfy the new guidelines. The Food and Drug Administration has said it will pressure companies to take voluntary action before it moves to regulate salt intake."
I think its funny that the FDA says that companies need to take voluntary action or it might have to regulate. Striking fear in private business is just what our government needs to do in a recession.
Another form of soft tyranny. This is the "caring for you" tyranny that C.S. Lewis talked about. This is nothing new to us RTPers.
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ReplyDeleteYep, we're all in agreement here. The government shouldn't be forcing that guy to lose weight or get his blood pressure under control. And I often wonder if, from a societal perspective, it makes sense for the government to try to keep people alive for as long as possible. People who die (relatively) young are probably far less of a burden on society than centenarians (like I expect to be) who will continue to suck up entitlements long after my useful time has passed. I'm not saying that government should be in the business of Soylent Greening old people, but just butt the hell out altogether damnit!
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the government telling people how much salt to consume on the principle of the matter, but the government has recently taken over the health care industry, 1/6, and will be the only entity of force within a decade in the health care industry that matters. When this happens, the government will be the one footing the bill for our health care. As Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, "'I think it's important for us to do this in a way that doesn't create an immediate backlash," he said. "If we fail to get our arms around the obesity epidemic, especially in our children, we're going to see a significant increase in health care costs over time.'" This gives them a perfect right to tell us what to eat, how to live our lives, and to force us to exercise. I personally can't wait for this to happen and to see all of the fat slobs out there crying and complaining. (It is fucken ridculous that every damn chair in my workplace breakroom is broken from all of the fat asses sitting in them. When I sit it in I sink down.) People should have realized that when they gave up their responsibility for providing for their health care, they also gave up a lot of corresponding freedoms. It is true that the government has to some extent forced people into this situation, but the blame is still at the feet of the average person for allowing it to happen. "Hope and Change" has consequences. It is time to suck it up and grow up.
ReplyDeleteAnd on the entitlement issue, the government will be forced to tell people when to die and Social Security is officially bankrupt and won't be their when I retire. The Social Security Adminstration sent me a letter around a 2 years ago telling me that it is going broke and without reforms, it won't be their. As it stood about 2 years ago, I will get at the most 70 cents on the dollar for every dollar I contribute. With recent developments-- SS was not supposed to go into deficit and then come out of it within 5 years, I think--and without major and painful reforms, SS will be bankrupt. So all of the dump old saps that did not save for retirement and even if you do save for it, you will be screwed and will be at the mercy of the government and their "solutions".