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To: Ken H
"Fedgov has no business concerning itself with childhood obesity. Period."

I disagree. The preamble to the constitution says that one of the duties of the federal government is to promote the general welfare. It is definitely in the government's interest that we are a nation of healthy people. Now, as Jeffererson said, that does not mean that the federal government should allocate money and authority to ensure people are within weight standards:

"[O]ur tenet ever was, and, indeed, it is almost the only landmark which now divides the federalists from the republicans, that Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but were to those specifically enumerated; and that, as it was never meant they should raise money for purposes which the enumeration did not place under their action; "

I would have no problem with Moochelle if she was out promoting that our kids need to be healthier and that schools should get back to better physical exercise in gymn. My problem is that when she tries to use the power of the federal government to monitor what our kids eat in school, at home or takes away food choices in the name of "healthy". Similarly, if all these people are doing is raising the alarm and trying to alert the public of this serious problem and informing the public of ways to get healthier, I have no problem with it. There should not be any coercion in it by the federal government, thats all. The coercion needs to happen from parents!!
27 posted on 12/02/2011 5:01:06 AM PST by Old Teufel Hunden
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To: Old Teufel Hunden; Ken H
The preamble to the constitution says that one of the duties of the federal government is to promote the general welfare.

That phrase has been used, probably more than any other, to justify all sorts of federal government action directly counter to the Constitution.

But the first thing you have to understand, and what those who use this phrase to promote whatever utopian or venal program they want do not want to understand, is that the sole means by which the federal government is to promote the general welfare is limited to the enumerated powers granted to it by the Constitution. Period. Everything else is left up to the states and to the people.

Again: the promotion of the public welfare by the federal government is to be accomplished through the Constitution, everything else is left to the states and the people respectively.
28 posted on 12/02/2011 5:12:06 AM PST by aruanan
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