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June 10, 2009

The Nanny state cometh

Topics: Political News and commentaries

Barack Obama is telling us to shape up now, and critics say the Obamas are pushing a Nanny state on steroids::

President Barack Obama eats his vegetables and exercises every day -- and he really wants you to do the same.

From the White House garden to his picks for top health jobs, Obama is telling America's McDonald's-loving, couch-dwelling, doctor-phobic populace that things are about to change.

Don't be fooled by the presidential burger runs. Obama and Congress are moving across several fronts to give government a central role in making America healthier -- raising expectations among public health experts of a new era of activism unlike any before.

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.

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Posted by Richard at June 10, 2009 10:47 AM

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