The Indianapolis Star tries to have it both ways over the news that the American College of Sports Medicine has judged its city's residents among the most unhealthy in the nation:
Although individuals are, of course, responsible for their own decisions on what to eat, whether to smoke and how often to exercise, Indianapolis falls short as a community on collective health choices such as how much land to set aside for parks and how much money to devote to recreational activities. The College of Sports Medicine, which is based in Indianapolis, rated the 50 largest metro areas in the nation on 30 health factors. Indianapolis ranked 44th, barely ahead of Detroit; Birmingham, Ala.; and Memphis, Tenn.
Of course individuals are responsbile for their own decisions, but it is the duty of government to make it easy for people to make the right choices. Sorry, ain't buyin' it.
I know it seems dead-horse-beating cranky to keep insisting in the modern era that the proper role of government should be limited and tightly defined, but, dang it, the proper role of government should be limited and tightly defined. Protect me from enemies and criminals foreign and domestic, build a few roads and some schools, give me accurate information to help me make rational decisions, but otherwise leave me the hell alone. If you want some of my money to build a park, fine, I like parks. Make your case for it, and I'll let you know, but, honestly, "collective health choices" isn't going to cut it. What a telling phrase that is.
Comments
Leo:
I could be wrong, but the "duty" of the goverment is to allow ME to be able to make MY OWN choices...
(the whole life, liberty and the PURSUIT of happiness gig).
You make choices - you suffer the fate, good OR bad.
That's how 'ya learn.
Supreme Court Justice Brandeis even said one of our rights was "the right to BE LEFT ALONE".
(works for me)
Yeah, and let Woolworth refuse to serve blacks at its lunch counters. Your fellow Libertarian Rand Paul has let the cat out of the bag.
Libertarianism is a selfish, bankrupt philosophy that results in clearly evil consequences.
Sorry LJ, looks like no bites for unrelated obtuse arguments today.
No bait in the water, Tim...lol
;)
Well, it looks like I got *one*. Thanks.
Leo, there's just one tiny flaw in your argument. The American College of Sports Medicine is not a government agency.
For you to look at their recommendations and immediately (and quite specifically) start jumping on the government is logical gibberish.
This is a case of you being plain, flat wrong. I wonder if you have the decency to admit your mistake.
You sure are obsessed with trying to get other people to "have the decency to admit their mistakes." A little projection going on there? My screed was about the Star's use of the survey to call for collective (i.e. "government") health choices such as the building of parks, NOT about the survey or who did it. Get a griop.
OK. Where can I find a griop?
Projecting? I've never been shy about admitting my mistakes, which are manifold.
I can be accurately accused of a lot of things, but that's just silly. I've found through sometimes uncomfortable experience, that simply saying "I was wrong" is a very liberating thing. There's should be no shame in making a mistake. I've made such admissions in this blog.
I don't recall seeing you doing it.
I will agree that one of us is projecting.