America’s Top Killer: Us

Should the government run our lives?

My answer to that question is another question: Does the government run anything well?

More then 99% do not know how to make the right decion and tat includes all dr's the most educated etc. including the writer of this symingly corect approach for example, quoting that Jack lalane as proof, there are many thousands like him, and they are no longer with us, and if Lalalne would be dead he would quote jane fonda etc. After discovery the right solution whichb I call MIRF and introducing to a handfull , a year later they call me doctor or he's my dr. too. and it is all natural no time consuming ,drugs, diet ,prayers or any exercises to be pain, disease free. and am ready to be intreviued by any eng. or scientific panel. Sorry for poor english. This breakthru will put the USA on top.

The assumption that this article and others like it make, is that dying early is a "bad thing" for society. Dying early may certainly be bad on a personal level. I would love to have had more years on this earth with my father who died suddenly at age 65 of heart disease and complications of diabetes,. Both diseases were probably the result of poor personal choices, and were certainly exaserbated by his lifestyle choices. However in the cold, hard bigger picture, his dying earlier rather than later saved society at large, and his estate and medicare in particular, a very large medical bill.

I keep reading that the statasticians are predicting a future where there will be many more elderly people in the society of the future than we have today. I contend that it is probably better for society as a whole if those elderly (of whom I will be one), are as healthy as is possible, can enjoy life and contribute to society in meaningful ways. Perhaps the early deaths of those who have made poor life choices that lead to chronic illness and early death is not necessarily as bad a thing as we assume it to be.

I've read that nearly one-half of all Americans get a heart related disease. Much of this can be attributed to our voracious meat saturated appetite which is loaded with pesticides, growth hormones, and even feces. America alone is responsible for about one-quarter of all CO2 greenhouse gas emissions. Despite what is commonly heard on mainstream television, the most effective way to reduce the emissions we are personally responsible for is not to drive less, change light bulbs or even lower your power bill. The most effective way we can both reduce GHG emissions while improving health and environment is to eat less meat or better yet, consume no more meat. The meat industries alone emit more CO2 emissions than all vehicles, boats, and trains on the planet.

Better health also means cheaper health care costs. The more saturated fats we pack into our arteries, the higher the demand will be for treatment. Higher demand leads to higher costs and we all pay more as a result.

Choices. Personal Accountability. Yes, we need to teach these concepts because they seem to have been lost. There are consequences for every choice we make. Even smart, educated people make less than stellar decisions and they have that right. People have the right to make bad decisions and learn from them - this is how we grow and gain wisdom. Putting someone else at blame for our bad decisions and choosing to let the government decide what constitutes a bad lifestyle decision is not the way to combat this. Deciding what is best for everyone is a slippery slope. People grow through their struggles - denying this right is denying the person the right to own their present and future. Personal accountability - yes, more government involvement in personal lives - NO!

Choices. Personal Accountability. Yes, we need to teach these concepts because they seem to have been lost. There are consequences for every choice we make. Even smart, educated people make less than stellar decisions and they have that right. People have the right to make bad decisions and learn from them - this is how we grow and gain wisdom. Putting someone else at blame for our bad decisions and choosing to let the government decide what constitutes a bad lifestyle decision is not the way to combat this. Deciding what is best for everyone is a slippery slope. People grow through their struggles - denying this right is denying the person the right to own their present and future. Personal accountability - yes, more government involvement in personal lives - NO!

Be extremely careful how you approach this subject. It touches upon the most fundamental concepts of Liberty. While it may seem not only advisable but necessary for governments, federal, state and municipal, to enact legislation to protect their citizens from their own bad behavior, it is a very dangerous road. If a citizen does not have the right to make poor choices, even to their own detriment, then that citizen has no Liberty. When a people have freedom of choice only when they make the correct choice, they have no freedom. I know these are human lives we are discussing, and I know the cost. Liberty is not free; our ancestors repeatedly paid in blood for it. By all means help educate our citizens and give them the information they need to make good choices, but never allow this nation to become one which enforces those choices. This has been tried before. Such a path leads to the Orwellian future as surely as fascism does, and in a more insidious way. Let us have the information we need to decide. Punish those who intentionally lie to us for profit, private or public. We do not need laws to protect ourselves from ourselves. We must not have laws to enforce morality, especially that of any religion. Liberty is the most precious gift of all; I am willing to take some risks to have it. Are you?

Perhaps insight on this issue could be obtained by study of folks who have (or have had) cancer who make NO lifestyle changes despite the urging of the doctors and American Cancer Society. I was stunned to read the report of a recent study which said that more than 60% of such patients make NO lifestyle changes. It's one thing to make bad decisions...but another to ignore expert recommendations which might prevent the recurrence of cancer.

Governments would be well-advised to target behaviors and then run social norms marketing campaigns. Rather than use "scare tactics" social norms marketing aims to inform about what is normal...and influences future decision-making. This new communications technique has the power to tell the truth about what people are doing...and motivate people to make changes.

I can only speak from experience with smoking, it caused, I believe, the lung cancer I am now in treatment for.
As far as government getting involved in personal choices I would like to see more emphasis on NOT starting smoking in young people. Not a day of being a smoker was worth this, yes, it CAN happen to you! Please quit...I am not "old" and have so much more to give to humanity.

My decision to smoke, I believe, caused the lung cancer I am now in treatment for. Do I regret that decision?
Yes! But, too little, too late.
My only hope as far as smoking and government is that more emphasis will be placed on kids not STARTING smoking.
There is nothing smart, glamorous or cool about it, it's a dirty, expensive habit and look where it got me....

The government can create guidelines. The choice to follow should be left up to the individual.

America's Top Killer, Us-This article reminds me of the quesion I ask about health insurance and national health care. Define "I can't afford health care". Does it mean I smoke a few packs of cigarettes a day, so I can't afford health care? Does it mean people who take care of their health should give their financial support to people who don't by paying taxes to support national health care? Who decides what's fair?

You are going to die of something,for sure,sooner or later,so ,speaking for my self how do I go about claiming my 10 virgins. I have been screwed long enough by my elected officials.I've paid my dues.One more thing, Political Correctness should be shoved into that place where I heard the Sun doesn't shine you know the place I'm talking about,where some people have their heads.Now the word loved by a certain culture .DIVERSITY [PUKE] also add offended[PUKE] again.I got ah lotto mo.

Anybody ever heard of free will? So what if we die based on the decisions we make, isn't that our right? The problem is not that we make bad decisions, it's that we do not take responsibility for them. The minute something turns bad we look to point the finger at someone else, hopefully someone with deep pockets. I for one do not want the government to have any more input in my life than it already does. God (or whatever you choose to believe in) gave us a mind to think with, a heart to love with and a soul to connect to the universe with. Use them, people and stop having the government lead you by the nose through life!

Are you freakin' kidding me? I can't believe that we are even having this discussion in the United States of America. I am perfectly capable of making decisions on my own, thank you very much! I also deserve to deal with the consequences.

Gov't cannot hope to match the billions food companies spend on marketing and research. They know what they are doing.