In March of 2010, the Congress passed a set of health care reforms, spearheaded by President Obama, that had failed to be written into law by previous administrations. Yet as soon as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed by the president, calls for its repeal immediately sounded from Republicans. A compromise for some, a huge victory for some and a setback for others, the health care bill remains the center of a fierce debate. The government’s role in health care is about more than helping citizens stay healthy, it is closely tied to the underlying ideals about how the country should run.
Both sides of the aisle agree that further reforms are needed to reduce the cost of government-funded health care, but it is the extent and form of these changes that is widely debated. Health care is poised to be a major point of contention in the upcoming presidential debates, particularly among the candidates vying for the Republican nomination.
You would think that if there was anything Republicans, Democrats and Independents could agree on it would be that making school lunches healthier is a good thing. But apparently in today’s extreme political divide, healthy food is a part of the new Communist Manifesto.
I think too much. For example, when Sarah Palin brazenly jabs at Michelle Obama’s initiative to improve the health of our children, I say to myself: “Is she for real, or is this just some sort of professional wrestling-style persona she’s taking on?” You know, she’s The Iron Sheik to Michelle Obama’s Hulk Hogan (sorry, my pro wrestling knowledge doesn’t go beyond 1989).
The gist of her oversimplified argument is that government shouldn’t decide what our kids eat; parents should be the ones responsible. The foolishness of this argument is pretty easy to dismantle, but first, it’s important to note that Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative and the Child Nutrition Act (a.k.a. Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act), is not forcing kids to eat what is in schools. They can still brown-bag their lunches. Read Full Post >
We couldn’t make up this kind of food science experiment if we wanted to. Hear from McDonald’s exactly how this 500-calorie pop culture sandwich is made.
Your body weight propels you through walking, swimming, yoga and so much more. Put that weight to work to really get the most out of your strength training workouts – no free weights needed!
Chef Devin Alexander, the book’s author, calls it the first all-natural dessert cookbook. Its pages are filled in guiltless indulgences inspired by the Biggest Loser diet. Read Full Post >
In a recent speech at Plumstead Christian School in Plumstead Township, PA Sarah Palin criticized the Pennsylvania’s board of education’s work to fight childhood obesity. She bashed the board’s plans to limit the number of sugary foods given to children in school at snack time, calling the proposed guidelines “a nanny state run amok.” Some are calling the incident Palin’s “cookiegate.”
“I look at Pennsylvania and I think of sweets – I think of Hershey. Then I think, how dare they ban sweets from school here,” said Palin. “I wanted these kids to bring home the idea to their parents for discussion,” she continued. “Who should be making the decisions what you eat, school choice and everything else? Should it be government or should it be the parents? It should be the parents.”
Joe Biden is the most recent candidate whose medical records have been made public. The Obama/Biden campaign released his records this week, indicating that Joe Biden is in good health. The 65-year old Senator is currently on an aspirin regimen to manage an irregular heart rhythm, found just more than two years ago. He does not have heart disease. He also takes Flomax to manage an enlarged prostate (no signs of cancer), allergy medicine and Zocor to lower his cholesterol. The report states that he has not had another brain aneurysm since the two in the late-80s.
Barack Obama did not provide a full medical report, but did publish a doctor’s note, which indicated he is in “excellent health and ready to serve as president.” Read Full Post >
In March of 2010, the Congress passed a set of health care reforms, spearheaded by President Obama, that had failed to be written into law by previous administrations. Yet as soon as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed by the president, calls for its repeal immediately sounded from Republicans. A compromise for some, a huge victory for some and a setback for others, the health care bill remains the center of a fierce debate. The government’s role in health care is about more than helping citizens stay healthy, it is closely tied to the underlying ideals about how the country should run.
