What Should Governments Do About Fat People?

Oh my. We've got legislators in Mississippi trying to keep fat people from getting served in restaurants (info. thanks to Venomous Kate). And we've got a study saying that fat people are cheaper for their societies because they die off sooner (I think that's how you read this report). Though I've found contrary evidence and written about it here. So what's a government to do?

Tax TVs?
Tax excess poundage?
Refuse to serve people in restaurants?
Make nutrition info. mandatory (do you think the people at the all-you-can-eat place care?)?
Hand out free ice cream to lower health costs by killing off fat people?
Mind their own beeswax?

I'd like to know that that blooming onion has 3,000 calories because that's beyond my wildest dreams/nightmares. And I'm all for incentives to change behaviors. But first off, let's weigh the average government employee and I mean that in every way. Maybe we need a skinnier government, not a more meddlesome one.

Years ago Bill Buckley had a plan to do away with the Food Stamp program altogether and give out free food to all in the grocery stores. I think his plan had something like bulk rice, beans and two more items that were free to everyone. Walk in the store, help yourself. No one would starve and there were minimal administrative costs. Whatever happened to that idea?

Obesity is a problem. But if looking in a mirror doesn't provide enough incentive for individuals to change, I don't think the government can make one ounce of difference. All we'll get is fatter government and fatter people.

Comments

[I Gallop On]

Fatter government and fatter people ...

brilliant. ;-)

and very very true.

Kimberly

[motherofbun]

"But first off, let's weigh the average government employee and I mean that in every way. Maybe we need a skinnier government, not a more meddlesome one."

I LOVE that quote. :-)

[Transylvanianhorseman]

As Berthold Brecht wrote (probably I'm paraphrasing a bit): "if the government doesn't like the people, it should disolve them and elect another one!"