US Government & FDA To Dictate What You Can Eat!

[Peikko 1,575]

One radical group is an overwhelming consensus? Really?

Don't eat at those chain restaurants.. It's pretty simple.

quality is fine...

Doctors have been saying for years that high levels of salt intake negatively impact blood pressure and heart health and it's not restricted to those with 'the wrong sort of genes'. Salt needs to be regulated and levels need to be clearly available in order for people to make informed choices. I don't know why you want to pin this on some 'left wing social nanny government' radical group. It's not, it's a sensible measure that is required because manufacturers and restaurant chains have been acting deceptively and outside the best interests of consumers.

[Peikko 1,575]

Ah, and there's the rub, you actively want people to be able to kill themselves slowly because they are not making sensible nutritional choices as some kind of puritanical 'just deserts' whereas most normal people actually prefer that people don't die simply because they are ignorant.

[Fandango 1,440]

I see everyone's point on this one, actually....and I am a bit torn as to my opinion because I see merit in what everyone has to say. I do think lower salt will be a good thing, and if you want more salt, add it. Also, the FDA already DOES control (partly) what you eat, so this is nothing really new.

However, at the same time, I do see the worrying bit that this may be done 'in the name of healthcare'. And what bothers me is the mentality in this post:

Are you volunteering to pay higher premiums/healthcare costs to protect your right to high sodium consumption?

because at the end of the day, this COULD be the start of a slippery slope of big brother, and neighbor feeling like they have a say in what someone does 'in the name of healthcare'. I see this mentality as a precursor to fatty food/alcohol/tobacco taxes, and that is not really cool at all.

[Ali G. 37]

One radical group is an overwhelming consensus? Really?

Dude are you for real? Next you are going to argue whether trans fat is really bad for you.

Don't eat at those chain restaurants.. It's pretty simple.

Ah because there are just so many healthy choices. Not to mention, how do you distinguish what is healthy and what is not when that information is not available from chain restaurants.

quality is fine...

Quality of what is fine? Milk, meat, produce. The only places that sell high quality foods are Wholefoods and so on. Coincidentally enough, a lot of their stock comes from abroad.

It's actually VERY nanny-state in this case. The whole point and push is because the people don't know what's good for them because the group believes education on salt from them has failed....

Such education campaigns simply do not work in this country. You are a prime example of people who refuse to listen to anything.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Ali G.

[Ali G. 37]

Ah, and there's the rub, you actively want people to be able to kill themselves slowly because they are not making sensible nutritional choices as some kind of puritanical 'just deserts' whereas most normal people actually prefer that people don't die simply because they are ignorant.

Interestingly enough, Texas is the 12th unhealthiest state in the union and also the state with the largest number of uninsured.

What's mind-boggling to me is the attitude from Paul and so many other libertarians. I have never been around people who absolutely refuse to acknowledge nor care to learn from those that are leading in a particular area.

[PhiLandShiR 18]

The question that needs to be asked in this scenario is "why" is it like that. In every other instance of an economy, price should go down the more people who buy/use a product/service. Health Care is the complete opposite though.

Because health care is 'for profit'. I am not saying that the 'not for profit' people would be any better...

The cost will always increase to the maximum cost a person is willing to pay. I would guess that most everyone, with some exceptions of course, will pay massive amounts to stop pain...

Same thing can be said about cell phones. The technology has been here for many years but the cost continues to increase... Why?? I maintain its simply because the cell provider wants to make more money...

[PhiLandShiR 18]

Interestingly enough, Texas is the 12th unhealthiest state in the union and also the state with the largest number of uninsured.

What's mind-boggling to me is the attitude from Paul and so many other libertarians. I have never been around people who absolutely refuse to acknowledge nor care to learn from those that are leading in a particular area.

I do not think its fair to blame Paul or libertarians. There is no one group or ideology that can be singled out on this matter. Its all across the board here.

[Ali G. 37]

I do not think its fair to blame Paul or libertarians. There is no one group or ideology that can be singled out on this matter. Its all across the board here.

Yes and No. We are all guilty of it every now and then but libertarians seem to have this stance on every single issue and belief. No amount of evidence or reasoning can budge them.

[PhiLandShiR 18]

Yes and No. We are all guilty of it every now and then but libertarians seem to have this stance on every single issue and belief. No amount of evidence or reasoning can budge them.

I spose so... but I have seen where your basic conservative or Republican can be equally stubborn on matters....

A fundamental resistance to learning would seem to be a common denominator across the species...

Look at many young people today where learning is seen as uncool....

[K and L 27]

Quality of what is fine? Milk, meat, produce. The only places that sell high quality foods are Wholefoods and so on. Coincidentally enough, a lot of their stock comes from abroad.

That's patently not true. People need to stop being lazy or "inconvenienced" by having to spend 20-30 minutes to cook a good, healthy meal (and there are PLENTY of 20-30 minute meals that are healthy - and I'm not talking the ####### that RR dishes up). They also need to stop being lazy and relying so heavily on processed foods. And even then, you don't have to go to Whole Wallet to get quality food - support the local producers, the CSAs and farmers markets and direct-to-consumer farms.

While it's true you can't get some things locally (miso, curry paste, fish sauce, soy sauce), the majority of the foods you eat can come locally, and it's usually high quality and at least here, it's cheaper than the equivalent amount at the grocery store (which in turn was cheaper than Whole Wallet). I have a CSA share for my vegetables, eggs, and dairy, and I spend $25/mo less than when I shopped at the grocery store (we have no Whole Wallet anywhere close to here, but when I did live near one and shop there, it was SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive, like $75-100/mo more), even though I'm feeding more people (from just me to me and my sister, and soon to be my fiancé as well).

[Ali G. 37]

That's patently not true. People need to stop being lazy or "inconvenienced" by having to spend 20-30 minutes to cook a good, healthy meal (and there are PLENTY of 20-30 minute meals that are healthy - and I'm not talking the ####### that RR dishes up). They also need to stop being lazy and relying so heavily on processed foods. And even then, you don't have to go to Whole Wallet to get quality food - support the local producers, the CSAs and farmers markets and direct-to-consumer farms.

While it's true you can't get some things locally (miso, curry paste, fish sauce, soy sauce), the majority of the foods you eat can come locally, and it's usually high quality and at least here, it's cheaper than the equivalent amount at the grocery store (which in turn was cheaper than Whole Wallet). I have a CSA share for my vegetables, eggs, and dairy, and I spend $25/mo less than when I shopped at the grocery store (we have no Whole Wallet anywhere close to here, but when I did live near one and shop there, it was SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive, like $75-100/mo more), even though I'm feeding more people (from just me to me and my sister, and soon to be my fiancé as well).

I commend you for buying local produce and healthy food.

I am talking about the actual quality of produce and food in general here, like: eggs, vegetables, fruit, meats, nuts etc. Out of the nine or so people that I know of that have traveled to AUS, the first thing they notice is the quality and freshness of food. Remember, countries like Aus don't freeze over during the winter so fresh food is available all year round. As one guy I know put it, zero fat milk there is creamer and richer (less watered down) than full cream here. Every time we go to AUS, we usually come back with a spare suitcase filled with goodies; which everyone we know looks out for. Let me not even start with the variety of produce available; which is due to Australia's diverse European and Asian cultures.

The only thing I think is fresher here, is Dodoni FETA cheese at Costco, as it comes straight from Greece.

Edited April 22, 2010 by Ali G.