Michelle Obama has finally decided what role she would take in her husband's administration and it is to be the voice of obese children across the country. And what better way for Michelle Obama to do this than to use the power of the federal government to attempt to force proper diet in American households.
I cannot get past the idea that the Obama's have the gall to think that they are the only ones that know what is best for everyone. B-Rock decided that we needed $800 billion in no job creating stimulus, $80 billion and growing "investment" in the American automobile industry and finally the $1.0 Trillion health care reform.
Now Michelle wants to put the junk food marketers on an advertising diet. She wants the makers of "unhealthy" foods to not use popular media characters to promote their wares but to only promote "healthy" alternatives. The administration indicated that they would not use any new federal mandates to push these healthy alternatives but would use the "bully-pulpit" to advance changes even though I am skeptical. Personally I feel Sponge Bob Square Pants could probably move a lot of Toyota Camry's based upon Michelle's premise of the strong influence of these characters.
Once again the Obama's get to decide who wins and loses in American business. Marketing is how products are sold. Threatening to use the Federal Communications Commission to change the rules on commercials in children programming goes against the guideline of no new federal mandates previously mentioned. While children are highly influenced by many of these commercial images; from my estimation 99% of American households children don't work and definitely do not drive themselves to the grocery store or fast food restaurant to make the buying decisions. Although weak-kneed parents of today often succumb to their children's whining by indulging them and buying whatever the child wants.
My children always wanted things that I either did not want to buy or felt was not needed and I usually pursed my lips and pressed my tongue to the roof of my mouth and pushed out the best word ever uttered by a parent; NOOOOOOOOO! While I would have to endure some heart ache and as they got older some spirited debate on how little they ever got and how I did not love them. I always won because I am the Daddy!
Michelle is using the office of the President, like First-Lady's before her, to push a social agenda. I am glad she now has something to do because I was beginning to think that she was busy being a mom to her two beautiful children. Now I know better. But I do think that Michelle should change the focus of the agenda she wants to accomplish from telling food manufacturers not to market to children but to focus on Parenting and how to deal with self-indulgent spoiled brats to show them who runs the household.
The more important push to defeat obesity in children will be for those same weak-kneed parents to turn off the children's programming, hide the Xbox and PS3 controllers, shut down the Facebook and MySpace pages, pull the ear buds from the MP3 players and go outside and toss a football, baseball or kick the soccer ball for a few hours a day. Children can eat whatever their bodies will allow but if they do not burn those calories off then they will become fat. Get them involved in something other than computer screen watching. Playing Wii games is not enough activity for a 5-17 year old. They need hardcore muscle moving, deep breathing exercise.
I wish I could appreciate the effort of this First Lady but she is helping to perpetuate the Nanny State of the country. With all of the information available to Americans about the products that they buy parents can make better choices but choose not to. We do not need federal oversight nor FCC or FTC interference in the promotion of healthy choices. Some school systems have already taken "unhealthy" food out of the cafeteria and both Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola have decided to remove their high calorie drink machines and replace with diet drinks and other alternatives. Removing the choices and decision making from parents and children resulting in Nannyism!
Obesity in children as well as adults is a problem in this country. We have liberty and freedom to choose how we live and raise our children. We do not need the Federal government interfering anymore than they already do. Foods are already labeled with the necessary information to help make informed choices. At many restaurants you can request the calorie count on the menu items. We can choose. Let us choose. Don't take away a parents right to choose.
In the meantime Michelle; Leggo My Eggo!
These are my words! Please post yours!
