Fighting obesity with pork may not sound like the path to physical fitness – until you realize it isn’t “the other white meat,” but government spending.
The “NBC Nightly News” on Oct. 2 praised Republican Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett for using taxpayer money to encourage constituents to lose weight. Cornett claims to “have put the entire city on a diet.”
“Diet, anyone? Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett caused a racket last New Year’s Eve by challenging his town, one of
Rather than expecting people to make their own health decisions and assume responsibility for actions, Cornett said it’s up to him to change people’s behavior.
“We’ve got to get people out of their cars, out of those drive-thru windows, get them walking, get them in parks and get them more active,” Cornett said to “Nightly News.”
How did Cornett plan on getting there? By utilizing taxpayer dollars to further his fight against obesity.
“To help, the city’s adding 300 miles of sidewalks to promote walking and building new gyms at its elementary schools to get kids moving,” Mott added.
Using the government, rather than personal responsibility, to fight obesity has been a pet project of the broadcast media, as the Business & Media Institute report, “Supersized Bias,” showed. The media often criticize the fast-food industry – rather than the people who choose to eat there.
Mott’s story didn’t include any critics of the Cornett’s plan or use of taxpayer funds.
