Comments on: Obesity Is Target of “Stimulus” Money

By: Mrs. Norris

Mrs. Norris — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:30:51 +0000

Marie, you are funny.

By: gloom and doomer

gloom and doomer — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:28:08 +0000

No. That would be the HOA where I live.

By: Funk

Funk — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:52:07 +0000

Nazi’s ?

By: Marie

Marie — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:36:00 +0000

Let them eat cake.

By: TW

TW — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:39:02 +0000

Wow. Attacks on nutrition, school kids and working folks. Thanks for the help, Bob.

Perhaps Borat’s mom did make that cheese…

By: HSR0601

HSR0601 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:07:08 +0000

In case the health care reform provides the general public with peace of mind, the rising mental stress or illness caused by financial instability may bend the curve surprisingly,
in combination with kicking out the ‘keep eating habit’ to forget the deep-seated instability and apprehension, I guess.
‘Work or Break’ health system with no brake or safety system might be one of the biggest hidden causes of mental stress, obesity or overweight threatening the overall economy, I cautiously suppose.

By: bustathug

bustathug — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:42:06 +0000

This obamaunistic program make me racist!

By: dgroy

dgroy — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:52:01 +0000

Thank you, Bob Barr, a great american, for telling it like it is. Our government is slowly but surely ruining this great country. Obama is an idiot…..wake up people and quit being like sheep.

By: JF McNamara

JF McNamara — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:01:16 +0000

Billy Bob,

Here’s what you wrote:

“Drug use, smoking, drunk driving and other behaviors will also be further encouraged by the pending national healthcare legislation that covers everyone equally.”

From context, you applied this to your main point on obesity.

I was pointing out that the opposite appears to be true given the data. If our merit based healthcare(for lack of a better word) is so much better, how come we’re not at lower obesity levels than the socialized countries? If it’s already cheaper to be healthy, but people aren’t. Why?

There’s either no correlation or socialized is somehow better in terms of how obesity is treated or viewed. The obesity rates are what the obesity rates are, and that’s what the data says. There’s plenty of noise in the data for sure, but we are double Canada.

What you originally said is completely opinion and not supported by any facts. You can’t hold me to a higher standard. If you want to prove your point, provide me with some facts in return. Otherwise, it’s pointless to go on because its unlikely that I’m going to change your opinion.

By: Billy Bob

Billy Bob — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:30:15 +0000

JF McNamara

I think correlations of such a qualitative nature are spurious and unreliable. To conclude that nationalized healthcare would mean a reduction in obesity levels ignores the cause obesity – ignorance and overeating, not a lack of healthcare coverage.

If you look at the American healthcare system currently you also see large segments already socialized. Anyone on Medicare, Medicaid or SCHIP is involved in socialized medicine. It would be interesting to see how these populations rank in terms of rates of obesity.

I do agree with your philosophy of personal freedom and believe that philosophy could be put into practice in the health insurance industry. Insurance companies should penalize (through higher premiums) those who are overweight, smoke, fail a drug test or have a DUI. Healthy individuals should be charged less.