Should the government nationalize food and issue us with GOVERNMENT MEALS? (4 Viewers)

[jennyfromdabloc]

Most people recognise the need for government intervention in important areas like healthcare and education. This is a good start, but what could be more important than food?

I propose that the government nationalize all food production. It can then guarantee nutritious, good quality food to every Australian.

This would save us billions on our health care bill. The government could simply issue us with vouchers for healthy meals formulated by our best scientists. We could also ban imported food, which would of course help create Aussie jobs. We could even ban the production and sale of unhealthy foods. Remember, when people eat unhealthy food, they are not just hurting themselves, they are hurting everyone because of the strain they put on the public health system.

Most importantly, access to decent food is a basic right. Sorry to all you whack job libertarians who insist that the so called "free market" is perfect, but it is too dangerous to leave something as important as food to the evil forces of greed and lust for profits that dominate your precious "free market."

 

[banco55]

You're an idiot. Leaving aside the economic/political arguments against rationing if people ate healthy food (and consequently lived longer) health care costs would go up not down. The 40 year old fat bastard who has a heart attack and dies isn't very expensive in terms of health care dollars.

 

[0bs3n3]

They don't even do that for smoking, why would they do it for food?

That would be more dangerous than banning citizens from bearings arms, to be honest.

 

[jennyfromdabloc]

You're an idiot. Leaving aside the economic/political arguments against rationing if people ate healthy food (and consequently lived longer) health care costs would go up not down. The 40 year old fat bastard who has a heart attack and dies isn't very expensive in terms of health care dollars.

Haha yeah I guess if he dies. Pretty self serving example though.

What about all the people who make themselves extremely sick through unhealthy eating and require treatment in the public health system?

Also what about all the children who's parents feed them unhealthy foods? These parents simply lack the education and intelligence to feed their children properly. I'm all for freedom and all that, but when children are being hurt like this I think maybe it's time the government step in and doing something!

 

[Phoenix Fury]

What an extreme and ridiculous view...

EDIT: Unhealthy foods are not going to hurt anyone if taken in moderation and balanced with a healthy lifestlye as well.

 

[ilikebeeef]

Most people recognise the need for government intervention in important areas like healthcare and education. This is a good start, but what could be more important than food?

I propose that the government nationalize all food production. It can then guarantee nutritious, good quality food to every Australian.

This idea, if implemented, will be as economically unfeasible and trashy as the free laptops given to the year 9 kids this year, if not more.

This would save us billions on our health care bill. The government could simply issue us with vouchers for healthy meals formulated by our best scientists. We could also ban imported food, which would of course help create Aussie jobs. We could even ban the production and sale of unhealthy foods. Remember, when people eat unhealthy food, they are not just hurting themselves, they are hurting everyone because of the strain they put on the public health system.

I love foreign and unhealthy food!

Most importantly, access to decent food is a basic right. Sorry to all you whack job libertarians who insist that the so called "free market" is perfect, but it is too dangerous to leave something as important as food to the evil forces of greed and lust for profits that dominate your precious "free market."

You think the govt wouldn't get the public to pay for this? In the form of taxes??

EDIT: Plus we're not in a war, we don't need food rations. And some people like cooking their own food.

 

[philphie]

i'm pretty sure even the OP enjoys unhelthy food. we all have our indulgences. after all the greatest tasting food in the world is unhealthy

 

[Will Shakespear]

if you're opposed to this you're frankly immoral

you needn't look very far to find plenty of kids who are obese because their parents shove fast food in front of them

or malnourished because their parents pour all their money down the pokies

if everyone just surrenders a portion of their income, then everyone in the nation can be provided with adequate, nutritious food.

healthy food access shouldn't depend on wealth, class, status or intelligence.

 

[ilikebeeef]

if you're opposed to this you're frankly immoral

I don't see anything immoral about freedom.

you needn't look very far to find plenty of kids who are obese because their parents shove fast food in front of them

Kids are obese because they don't exercise?

or malnourished because their parents pour all their money down the pokies

Then it would make more sense to ban pokies. Damn the State Govt for allowing them in the first place.

if everyone just surrenders a portion of their income, then everyone in the nation can be provided with adequate, nutritious food.

healthy food access shouldn't depend on wealth, class, status or intelligence.

So you think the proposed scheme would be cheaper than buying your own groceries? I think not. There is obesity in "richer classes" and "poorer classes" alike, so it's a matter of personal choice (unless you are physically disabled or something).

 

[Phoenix Fury]

+1 to i likebeef and philphie

Healthy food isnt dearer than unhealthy. There are cheap healthy foods as there are expensive ones, also there are both cheap and expensive unhealthy foods.

Fast food isnt a problem if it is had infrequently, if parents are shoving it in front of their kids that is a problem and an alternative solution should be imposed. Dont ask me what, go have a think yourself cos I really dont care about it tbh.

Parents who pour their money down the pokies really shouldnt be parents at all, but as I said there are cheap healthy options around.

Reinstating for the final time "Healthy food can be obtained inexpensively".

As long as I look after myself and eat the right amount of right and wrong foods, I couldnt give a fuck about what others eat, that is their own personal choice.

 

[John McCain]

It's indisputable costs in the health care industry are rising due to obesity driven by the availability of unhealthy food. Both taxes to fund the public system and insurance for those in the private system are rising in line with the incidence of obesity. Most obese people don't just drop dead straight away, they struggle on and burden the taxpayer with expenses for their diabetes and heart medication.

EDIT: Unhealthy foods are not going to hurt anyone if taken in moderation and balanced with a healthy lifestyle as well.

Obviously individuals have proven themselves to be incapable of managing their health responsibly, and healthy, hard working taxpayers who make responsible choices are expected to pay for the gluttony of others.

This is especially a problem with children, who are not capable of making rational choice, and can perceive no reason to resist the temptation of sweet, fattening food, which in many cases is foisted upon them by persuasive adults.

Corrupt food multinationals lobby the government to prevent restrictions on the advertising, marketing and distribution of their worst products to the most vulnerable members of society, children.

 

[skyline]

alright yo get this shit, i went to macdonalds the other day alright, and i asked them for a cheeseburger..but without pickles...listen to me now! but they went ahead and put pickles on it anyway....can you believe that shit?

man ask me if i give a shit, cheeseburgers are a healthy alternative, i love my cheeseburgers

and one time i went to macdonalds to play a healthy alternative, i asked them for a coke mixed with diet coke so i can watch my calory intake...to lose the weight, but they went ahead and put normal coke anyway...can you believe this shit???

And i asked them for a 6 pack of mc chicken nuggets and throw two of them away, and the lady there said to me, but why, and i told her, im on a strict diet, and she said to me, what do i do with them, and i told her, i dont care what you do nigga, and she looked confused and i told her to shove them up her ass, but she put the extra 2 nuggets in there anyway...can you believe that shit?

ye its pretty fucked up, im never goin maccas again, subway footlong subs here i come!!!

 

[Name_Taken]

+ 1 to Ilikebeef.

In addition to all the points raised above, and despite how ridiculous it sounds, people have the right to choose an unhealthy lifestyle for whatever reason (out of convenience, laziness or just because its cheaper etc). The government should have no say in how people life or what they eat.

 

[0bs3n3]

It's indisputable costs in the health care industry are rising due to obesity driven by the availability of unhealthy food. Both taxes to fund the public system and insurance for those in the private system are rising in line with the incidence of obesity. Most obese people don't just drop dead straight away, they struggle on and burden the taxpayer with expenses for their diabetes and heart medication.


Obviously individuals have proven themselves to be incapable of managing their health responsibly, and healthy, hard working taxpayers who make responsible choices are expected to pay for the gluttony of others.

This is especially a problem with children, who are not capable of making rational choice, and can perceive no reason to resist the temptation of sweet, fattening food, which in many cases is foisted upon them by persuasive adults.

Corrupt food multinationals lobby the government to prevent restrictions on the advertising, marketing and distribution of their worst products to the most vulnerable members of society, children.

The government does not know better than it's citizens you coot. The same individuals who are supposedly incompetent voted in the government so it stands to reason they (the government) will be just as incompetent as well.

 

[Will Shakespear]

+1 to i likebeef and philphie

Healthy food isnt dearer than unhealthy. There are cheap healthy foods as there are expensive ones, also there are both cheap and expensive unhealthy foods.

Fast food isnt a problem if it is had infrequently, if parents are shoving it in front of their kids that is a problem and an alternative solution should be imposed. Dont ask me what, go have a think yourself cos I really dont care about it tbh.

Parents who pour their money down the pokies really shouldnt be parents at all, but as I said there are cheap healthy options around.

Reinstating for the final time "Healthy food can be obtained inexpensively".

As long as I look after myself and eat the right amount of right and wrong foods, I couldnt give a fuck about what others eat, that is their own personal choice.

The price isn't really the point

It's discrimination on the basis of intelligence and social status

You're saying stupid or lower class people shouldn't be healthy just because they're not able to determine for themselves that maccas is a 'sometimes food'

and that part about the "shouldn't be parents at all" just sounds like eugenics revisited

So you think the proposed scheme would be cheaper than buying your own groceries? I think not. There is obesity in "richer classes" and "poorer classes" alike, so it's a matter of personal choice (unless you are physically disabled or something).

well, people with enough money left after tax could continue to buy unhealthy food to supplement their government rationing, just like the wealthy can choose to upgrade their childrens' education to a private school

 

[John McCain]

When did I suggest the government was making responsible decisions?

I completely agree with you, the present government is incompetent, so their current policy of free market food availability is equally incompetent as the electorate that voted for them.

A government that did know better than it's citizens would implement this policy.

Under the influence of food industry lobbyists the government refuses to take the responsible decision to protect individuals health.

 

[Name_Taken]

You're saying stupid or lower class people shouldn't be healthy just because they're not able to determine for themselves that maccas is a 'sometimes food'

Its well known that people from poorer socioeconomic "classes" are more likely to be unhealthy as a result of a poor diet. It is debatable however as to how much this is responsible to fast food specifically, instead of simply having a poorer diet overall. e.g. Eating less fish/meat products, eating more processed foods, skipping breakfast etc.

 

[philphie]

governemnt control of what we can eat= increased government control over our daily independent lives

 

[Will Shakespear]

Its well known that people from poorer socioeconomic "classes" are more likely to be unhealthy as a result of a poor diet. It is debatable however as to how much this is responsible to fast food specifically, instead of simply having a poorer diet overall. e.g. Eating less fish/meat products, eating more processed foods, skipping breakfast etc.

obviously this wouldn't just be about banning fast food

it's about pooling our collective wealth to provide the ideal nutritional content for all citizens

 

[Phoenix Fury]

The price isn't really the point

It's discrimination on the basis of intelligence and social status

You're saying stupid or lower class people shouldn't be healthy just because they're not able to determine for themselves that maccas is a 'sometimes food'

I think it is unreasonable to think people eating unhealthy food dont realise that it isnt good for them. I will say however, stupid people never cease to amaze me, and that it is possible.

Also schools do make it quite clear these days what foods are and are not healthy. It would be common sense to be able to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy food, it is merely a personal choice based on what the individual wants to consume.

and that part about the "shouldn't be parents at all" just sounds like eugenics revisited


well, people with enough money left after tax could continue to buy unhealthy food to supplement their government rationing, just like the wealthy can choose to upgrade their childrens' education to a private school

Not a horrible idea, but I maintain the belief that everyone should be entitled to eat whatever they please, authority can only dictate so much of our lives before it becomes unreasonable.