Michelle Obama is perhaps history’s most activist first lady. Following in the footsteps of Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush, who both had nearly 20 staffers during their time in the oval office, Mrs. Obama has at least 24 staff at her discretion. Although we wonder what they all do, many undoubtedly assist the first lady in her obsession with American obesity.
Like New York City Mayor Bloomberg and other progressives, Mrs. Obama believes she can manage the eating habits of American children to save them from girth. To prove this, she has planted a vegetable garden at the White House, danced with kids at "Move your Body" events and even pressured restaurants to include more "healthy" options for kids. She’s also written a health book entitled, "American Grown."
But she hasn’t limited her efforts to "saving" American children. In February, the first lady visited an Air Force base in Little Rock, Ark., and announced that healthy food options would soon become standardized across the armed services.
Seems the troops are too hefty.
In 2010, Mrs. Obama rang the alarm over "food deserts," areas reportedly without supermarkets. She claimed that 23.5 million Americans, including 6.5 million kids live in such areas and are ultimately forced to fill their grocery needs through trips to gas stations and convenience stores which don’t offer healthy choices. Her solution: spend $400 million in federal funds to eliminate these areas and fight obesity. Interestingly, a 2008 government study determined that only one-tenth of one percent of low-income Americans were truly affected by this problem.
During a recent interview on ABC, the first lady was asked about increased criticism of government intrusion into peoples’ health choices. She stated that government’s role is to provide "tools and information people need to make choices that are right for them," then emphasized the need for mayors and food manufacturers to "step up" to confront obesity. Really?
Recently, a government inspector in North Carolina even determined that a student’s homemade lunch of a turkey/cheese sandwich, banana, potato chips and apple juice was not healthy enough, so chicken nuggets were substituted. Is this what it’s come to?
Increasingly we see such examples of a well-intentioned government that seemingly knows what is best for us. This creeping progressivism is about eliminating individual choice and turning control of our lives over to the those who really "care." (Can you say Obamacare?) As for obesity, nobody really wants to be overweight, but in a free America people have the right to make their own choices.
Make sure to alert Michelle to this. You never know when she might call and ask, "Hey, what’s for dinner?"
