The War on Obesity (a.k.a. U.S. Government Schizophrenia, Pt. II)

The President's wife, First Lady Michelle Obama, has declared a 'War on Obesity' and a 'War on Childhood Obesity'. The First Lady is putting some of her time and energy into this conflict, while every American taxpayer has been drafted into providing the Obesity Wars' their financial support. As you'll see, this War on Obesity is a strange affair:

Antagonist #1: The 'War on Obesity' - President Barack Obama, his First Lady and a small-but-powerful group of congressmen have signed on to a $1.4 BILLION dollar campaign - for the next ten years - to educate all Americans to modify their diets to reduce the amount of sugar, syrups, fats and honey that they eat, plus encourage all Americans to eat more vegetables and to exercise more. Of course, almost every intelligent American mother since the 1800s has told her children the very same advice, on a daily or weekly basis. But, somehow, the constant health hectoring by Uncle Sam will reduce the consumption of sugars, syrups, salt and fats, where parents have obviously failed. Mom, step aside and let the federal government accomplish what you could not! This annual $1.4 billion nutrition-and-exercise education and publicity campaign is scheduled to kick in by 2011, according to CNSNEWS.com (this link has elapsed). Of course, the Obesity War is strongly supported by the federal Departments of Agriculture (more on the Ag boys later), Education and, of course, Health and Human Services. These three departments are joined in this health re-education effort by the Department of the Interior, which will presumably use park rangers to lecture park visitors (and bears?) on the dangers of obesity, as well as the importance of eating more vegetables and minimizing sweets and honey. There are also plans to make public school cafeterias more healthy and to ban soda pop dispensing machines from the schools. (Unfortunately, there seem to be no plans to improve airline or hospital food.) Finally, the bureaucrats in the Departments of Agriculture, Education, Health and Human Services and Interior will all be involved in controlling, disbursing and supervising their areas of the 'War on Obesity'. In conclusion, the federal government will expend $1.4 BILLION DOLLARS to support the 'Forces against Obesity'.

Antagonist #2: Subsidies for Obesity Products - Lest you think that the 'War on Obesity' side is going to have an easy victory, just check out the well-funded, government-funded 'Forces for Obesity' army that is arrayed against it. These are the 'Forces for Obesity', all happily subsidized by the U.S. congress, with the direct blessing of a dozen past U.S. presidents, plus the current president, President Barack Obama. Does First Lady Michelle Obama know that her husband has approved subsidies for every one of these 'Forces for Obesity'? To read her speeches on the subject, she apparently does not. Look at this list of Obesity Enablers, all subsidized by the federal government! (I have included the 'Conservation Reserve Program' as it actually pays farmers and rural land owners to do no work on portions of their land - and that can NOT be good for the farmers' and landowners' physical health!) This information was obtained from the Environmental Working Group and Wikipedia:

United States Crop Subsidies for Fiscal Year 2009

Canola (Rapeseed) Oil makes up 100% of canola harvested = $21,807,319 for subsidized %,

Conservation Reserve Program (aka 'C.R.P.) at 100% = $1,866,558,139 for subsidized %,

Corn Syrup makes up about 3.5% of corn harvested = $139,146,220 for subsidized %,

Corn Oil makes up about 5.0% of corn harvested = $198,780,315 for subsidized %,

Dairy Fats and Sugars (for example, found in ice cream, butter, heavy cream) makes up about 63% of all cow's milk produced = $1,148,283,594 for subsidized %,

Peanut Oil makes up about 15.0% of peanuts harvested = $15,271,330 for subsidized %,

Soybean Oil makes up about 19% of soybeans harvested = $328,252,179 for subsidized %,

Sunflower Oil makes up about 80% of sunflower seeds harvested = $43,525,568 for subsidized %;

GRAND TOTAL for most (not all) human-consumed fats, oils and sugars = $3,336,759,635 for subsidized %,

OR, that's a Grand Total of $3.3 billion dollars, for those of us who are math challenged. So, to view it a different way, that's $3.3 BILLION DOLLARS to support the 'Forces for Obesity'!

Of course, the bureaucrats in the Department of Agriculture are quite happy to control, distribute and supervise these agriculture-related subsidies. In fact, the boys from the Agriculture Department win the 'War on Obesity', no matter which side wins or loses in the end. The Department of Agriculture are equal opportunity supporters, kind of like running a gambling casino: The House always wins!

The Biggest Loser - Well, there are two losers here, but the biggest one is the American taxpayer. Starting in 2011, the taxpayers will be paying $1.4 BILLION DOLLARS to fight against the "Forces for Obesity'. But, the American taxpayer will also be paying $3.3 BILLION DOLLARS to fight against the 'Forces against Obesity'. Put another way, the American taxpayer will be paying $4.7 BILLION (I always capitalize 'BILLION DOLLARS' and 'TRILLION DOLLARS') DOLLARS - that's also written, $4,700,000,000 - to fight on BOTH sides of the "War on Obesity".

*** How do we win a war against ourselves? ***

Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that the second biggest loser in this expensive-but-aimless "War on Obesity" is the First Lady herself, Michelle Obama! Once she reads this essay, she will realize the stunning truth of the matter: Mrs. Obama's husband is the biggest Obesity Enabler in America. HE has the veto power to defund these enormous fat, oil and sugar subsidies - that are making all of America's children fat and sick - but he will not lift a finger to help Michelle Obama to defeat these 'Forces for Obesity'! How can she sleep with the President, ever again?

If you missed Part I of 'U.S. Government Schizophrenia', just click here.