I have been telling people for a number of years that allowing government to legislate based upon health concerns is the slippery slope to hell. Years ago,. I told my parents, committed Dems, that in the future, government would prohibit smoking in private businesses and cars. They laughed. I predicted government will ban smoking in your home. That day will soon be here. Now fat people are the target. Folks, the day is coming when government will enter your home to check your fridge. They will force mandatory weigh ins and will have mandatory diet plans for your kids. If government does a full on takeover of healthcare this is a certainty. If you are considered obese by the government, they will deny you healthcare. The day is coming when each of us are on a mandatory diet program.

Under what authority? Health. The government has and will convince enough lib sheep that since tax dollars are paying for health care, government is entitled to do what it wishes in the realm of health.

This whole health care reform scam is not about reform, but control.

WAKE UP AMERICA. YOUR country as founded and your freedoms are being slowly taken away.

I've been saying the same thing on this forum a lot -- and been sneered at a lot by people who want socialized medicine. When you accept government funding, you accept government control.

So IOW you want to keep the current system -- in which the majority of Americans are one or two health crises away from being financially ruined for life?

(And yes, I include the insured in that. Get an expensive sickness or injury and just see how that "just 10%" adds up alongside the treatments they'll find away not to cover.)

if it is either or, then yes, let's keep our imperfect system. i'd rather die a pauper than have to answer to the govt about what i eat.

Agreed. Our liberties are eroding quickly enough that we will soon realize that the America of even 10 years ago is dead. And how can we undo this damage? I seriously doubt it is possible. Too many experts and politicians who "know best" for the rest of us children who pay their salaries. Our government has been over-involved in our lives for so long that we can do nothing about it anymore.

Oh poop. If you like smoking and eating to excess that much just step outside to the patio, pay the frickin' extra premiums and taxes and enjoy your life to the fullest. Quitcher bitchin' and pay up.

A few extra bucks a year ain't gonna kill you (we know what will kill you) and if you have a shorter life span you need less money than longer-lived people need anyway.

I've always found the term "private business" a little unusual. In the case that you're doing something you don't want to tell others, saying it's your "private business" makes sense. It affects only you and it's none of their concern. But to say that a businesses that has employees, or serves the public is private in any meaningful sense of the word is nonsensical.

Your rational is that because it's a "private business" the owner, employees and customers should be allowed to subject other employees, and customers to a proven carcinogen. On that basis why shouldn't you be allowed to deliberately expose your employees and customers to radon or asbestos? It's your business, if they don't like it they can work and consume elseware.

Rethink your Subject line and then rethink your entire life.

I'm guessing you are one of the very smart folks who did not do well in school because everyone was against you because you were very smart. And the girls thought you were icky because you were bitter. And people did not recognize your true genius. And so forth and so on.

I almost hate to tell you that the big bad government is not out to get your tubby ass. In fact, nobidy is out to get you. Nobody much gives a damn about you or your crack-brained theories about the evil government schemes.

Normal people just don't you to blow smoke in their faces. And all your dire predictions are the rantings of a paranoiac.

If someone is paying your med bills for YOU than they have a right to charge YOU more in premiums.

Don't like it pay for your own medical bills out of your own pocket. THAT is freedom buddy.

Is that what you want? Is that what you are doing today? NO, thus your entire rant is BS.

I don't support a goverment health care system but private insurers should have the right to base premiums on risk factors. THAT is freedom and letting the market place decide. Now you have to agree with this since THAT is a clear cut American value.

Just like with auto insurance shouldn't the private health insuer have the right to base premiums based on health factors. Why not THEY are paying YOUR bills.

If you want to be 100% free than pay your own medical bills.

The government need not be "out to get my tubby ass" to seriously affect my liberty. It need not have an "evil scheme" to have such an affect, either.

It only has to have some "experts" who agree that something is good for society -- and hence also good for the individual, some semi-valid numbers to agree and some heavily lobbyist influenced polticians to vote.

I'm a non-smoker, but I know for a fact we're going too far against smokers when a home-owner's association is already voting that people can't smoke in their own, free-standing homes (this happened in Minnesota earlier this year). We're making mis-steps if we charge people who may be blameless some sort of "too heavy" surcharge on their insurance (not everyone who's overweight can do anything about it). We will be going WAY too far if we start restricting the sale of certain substances (salty, fatty foods, soft drinks, etc.) in the name of the "public good."

You'll undoubtedly argue that no one is calling for a ban or restriction on the sale of these things, but they ARE calling for taxation of them -- and taxation set at a high enough rate is effectively a ban. This isn't paranoia, it's what's happening -- it's described in another article in Slate today.

Sorry, Bub, but there is not evil gubbment out to get you or to keep you from enjoying the joys of a non-filtered Lucky Strike.

If you believe in democracy and the constitution, you need to organize other like-minded folks and elect representatives who will vote your way.

Otherwise, you are SOL.

bsharporflat:

Oh poop. If you like smoking and eating to excess that much just step outside to the patio, pay the frickin' extra premiums and taxes and enjoy your life to the fullest. Quitcher bitchin' and pay up.

A few extra bucks a year ain't gonna kill you (we know what will kill you) and if you have a shorter life span you need less money than longer-lived people need anyway.

I agree, we should also expand this to other behavior. There should be hiking, skateboarding, rock climbing, scuba diving, football, soccer, fees and fines. People get injured doing these things all the time so they should pay up their fair share.

Sorry Trap: Then no SS entitlements and Medicare for you when you're 65, because that is socialized medicine in its purest form. Oh wait, you say you're entitled to that no matter the cost. Maybe we can get KBR to run it. Yeah, that's the ticket. No government interference. They just shoot anybody that interferes. And while you're at it, you don't get to drive your car on the freeway or use any transportation infrastructure, have clean water, get a flu shot, or have the National Guard around in cause of a natural disaster. And when you get laid off, you don't get any unemployment benefits either. We sure as hell don't want any government interference here. Maybe you just better head up to Northern Idaho asap.

Gunsmoke: Well said!