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First lady: Anti-obesity effort not about government telling ‘people what to do’
The Hill ^ | March 12, 2012 | Alicia M. Cohn

Posted on 03/12/2012 1:59:35 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks

In a new interview made available Monday, first lady Michelle Obama defended her “Let’s Move!” anti-obesity program against critics who call it a government intrusion.

“‘Let’s Move!’ is not about having government tell people what to do, because government doesn't have all the answers,” Mrs. Obama said in an interview with Topanga Sena, age 11, a reporter for Scholastic News in Florida. “A problem that's this big and affects so many people requires everyone to step up. So we're asking everyone to step up.”

Obama has toured the country for the second anniversary of her anti-obesity initiative, leading school groups in jumping jacks, hula-hooping and a round of the dance known as the “Dougie,” as well as challenging talk show host Ellen DeGeneres to beat her in a push-up contest (Obama won) and ribbing late-night hosts Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon over nutrition.

She concluded the tour with a stop at the ESPN Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

Some of Obama’s “Let’s Move!” critics have warned the program could increase discrimination based on body weight, while others have linked the administration-backed initiative to increased government intrusion into public schools, for instance warning that schools should not have oversight over kids’ homemade lunches.

“I don't believe in absolute 'no's to anything, because that wouldn't make life fun,” Obama told Scholastic News. “What would life be without the bake sale, right?”

She added that she loves french fries. “I wish I could eat french fries every single day,” she said. Some conservative pundits have specifically singled out french fries as a food they say Obama’s nutrition campaign would ban.

One of the accomplishments Obama celebrated with her second anniversary tour was the USDA’s new school meal regulations, implemented in January 2012, which seek to ensure public schools serve more fruits, vegetables and whole grains and less sodium, saturated fat and trans fats. According to the White House, the new mandatory standards for federally subsidized school lunch programs are the first major changes in school meal regulations in over 15 years. Republicans in Congress recently pushed back against the new regulations by attempting to drop them from a 2012 spending bill.

The first lady explained that the “Let’s Move!” program is an attempt to make sure government does “its part" to support others' choices.

“Parents have to make some changes at home, you know, but they need the information to be able to make those choices, and they have to have access to affordable foods in their communities, fresh and healthy foods. We need government to do its part, but we need businesses to do their part as well,” she explained. “If we're going to solve this problem, we need everyone to step up. And there's no one solution. … People have to figure out what works best for their family, their budget, their lifestyle, their community.“

The first lady launched the anti-obesity initiative in February 2010. In the interview, she touted the support she’s seen from community centers such as the YMCA and YWCAs, Girl Scouts, childcare facilities, the video game industry and faith communities.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: children; flotusmichelle; foodpolice; health; letsmove; michelleobama; nannystate; nutrition; schoollunch; usda; voteyourrace
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To: twister881

And don’t forget the 97 bucks a pound Waygu beef the Mooch and her pals suck down on Black hut ‘Party Nights’....


61 posted on 03/12/2012 4:29:07 PM PDT by bobby.223 (Retired up in the snowy mountains of the American Redoubt and it doesn't get any better than that!)
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To: FrankR
In a new interview made available Monday, first lady Michelle Obama defended her “Let’s Move!” anti-obesity program against critics who call it a government intrusion.

Dear "Ivy League graduate", this is to inform you that if it looks like a duck, waddles like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then the odds are pretty likely that it is, indeed, a duck.

Any attempt to convince me that what I am looking at is not a duck, but is in fact an armadillo, will do little more than make me question your much vaunted "Ivy League education", your innate intelligence, or even your sanity, or any combination of the three.

Your move, chump!

the infowarrior

62 posted on 03/12/2012 4:34:11 PM PDT by infowarrior
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To: ronnie raygun
parents are all to quick to hand over thier responsibility and the government is all to quick to snatch it up, rework it to the extreme and then demand you follow.

I assume you are speaking of your history as a parent not FReeper parents in general.

63 posted on 03/12/2012 4:36:21 PM PDT by Eaker (Remember, the enemy tends to wise up at the least convenient moments.)
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To: Colonel_Flagg

I wonder if she was stuffing her face while speaking.

Just sayin’......


64 posted on 03/12/2012 6:04:44 PM PDT by luvie (This space reserved for heroes............my AF son....our troops....the vets from all wars...)
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To: trailhkr1

I have done research on this for a hospital I worked at. The Execs wanted to prove that fat employees were costing them money, but the facts didn’t support the hypothesis. #1 for medical expenses was a little boy born prematurely to the HR director. He had been in and out of the hospital all his life for operations that he finally succumbed to at the tender age of seven. Should we have just let him die in the NICU at birth? HIgh blood pressure, high cholesterol, bad triglycerides - ticking time bombs in fit-looking people who have bad genes. These are not exceptions, but point out the complex situation of which you and the other “health nuts” want to ignore.

This gets to the crux of the issue, however - I am 100% against employer or govt. provided medical insurance. Too much power in the hands of people who don’t have my best interest in mind. Give me the tax deduction and let’s see who wants my premiums. The old 80/20 rule also comes into play- 20% of the people account for 80% of the medical care expenses. Identify that group objectively, and you’ll see a different picture.


65 posted on 03/12/2012 6:18:27 PM PDT by Sioux-san
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To: Sioux-san

Just why doesn’t this affirmative-action, equal-opportunity gritted stfu? Truly...the worst lady.


66 posted on 03/12/2012 8:18:58 PM PDT by ogen hal (First amendment or reeducation camp?)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Thanks for the ping!


67 posted on 03/12/2012 8:25:00 PM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks; All

Look at this. Tells you all you need to know about this creature.

68 posted on 03/12/2012 8:47:00 PM PDT by patriot08 (TEXAS GAL- born and bred and proud of it!)
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