Government "solutions" create more problems, which require more solutions, which create more problems...Economist Walter E. Williams explains the Law of Unintended Consequences, using the Federal Government as an example. His article, Making Americans Sick, is a must read for free-market conservatives.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius promised, "The U.S. government plans to increase funding to battle obesity and views healthcare reform as an opportunity to encourage better eating habits."
Dr Williams goes on to show how US government sugar subsidies combined with tariffs on foreign sugar has distorted the market and driven up the price of that commodity. This caused manufacturers to replace sugar with the cheaper high fructose corn syrup in domestically produced food.
This, in turn, has caused more obesity and diabetes among Americans. It has also driven candy manufacturing out of the country to destinations where sugar is cheaper.
A Self-Licking Ice Cream Cone
In summary, congress caused obesity and increased diabetes by taking political bribes from domestic sugar companies in exchange for protecting them from competition. Now, the government will blow more money on initiatives to solve the problems their previous laws caused.
I can't wait for the fallout from the obesity initiative...
6 comments:
Williams is too intelligent by far.
I pay for the natural, raw sugar, ye it is expensive, but I will not use granulated sugar unless I am baking a lot.
I am also very careful about looking at ingredients when purchasing cereals, or anything that may contain the dreaded high fructose corn syrup. It's poison to our bodies. If you see the commercials trying to sell this garbage read the warning at the bottom...used in moderation. What is their definition of moderation?
You sound like my wife. She is the food police in the house (she makes all natural buckwheat pancakes for the kids)
High fructose corn syrup is really bad stuff. Why doesn't mama government ban it? Because the industry pays big political contributions!
Proving once again that we are big enough to take care of ourselves.
First of all, I LOVE buckwheat pancakes. Please e-mail me a batch (as an attachment) the next time she makes them.
Secondly, hadn't you heard? The government is going to fix everything for us, no matter how badly they mess it up.
Joe: Mrs Silverfiddle is whipping up a batch as we speak. Can't you smell 'em?
And no syrup with the high fructose stuff... Fresh fruit and homemade jam!
The last place I go to for information on health and nutrition is the federal government. It's the most obese, least healthy entity around.
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