Thursday, May 9, 2013

Compare/Contrast - Diet Edition

By Jeff Simpson

You can not make this stuff up!

We know earlier in the week, the republicans(with the help of 13 democrats) decided to tell people on FoodShare what they can and can not buy at the grocery store!

Let's let speaker Robin Vos tell us why he passed the bill(emphasis mine):
The goal of the state’s supplemental food program is stated plainly on its website: “FoodShare Wisconsin was created to help stop hunger and to improve nutrition and health.” Unfortunately, what’s missing in the program is the promotion of good health. Instead, the FoodShare’s QUEST card is a cash card for junk food. The simple reality is that people buy cakes, candy, chips and sugary drinks with their benefit cards. Of course, these items lack nutritional value and are hardly a recipe for good health.

A recent study from Yale University showed that billions of tax dollars each year are spent on sugary drinks through the food stamp program. The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University estimates $2 billion in benefits are spent on high-calorie drinks bought in grocery stores. Those figures don’t include purchases from every store. At a time when our country is battling an obesity problem, it’s not right that our tax dollars are being spent on items that doctors say clearly contribute to a national epidemic.
Now sit down while we tell you what the Wisconsin republicans, led by Speaker Vos, did less than 48 hours later(emphasis also mine):
The Legislature's Joint Finance Committee inserted a provision into the state budget Thursday that would ban counties and municipalities from restricting the sale of food and beverages based on calories, portion size or nutritional quality. The change would not interfere with local governments to put limits on alcoholic beverages.

Rep. Pat Strachota (R-West Bend), the backer of the measure, called it an "anti-Bloomberg bill," referring to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg who championed limiting serving sizes for soda. Strachota said she was backing it because she'd heard officials in Madison and Stevens Point were discussing similar limits.
She said people should be able to buy any size soda and popcorn at movie theaters.

"I want to make sure I can continue having that experience and don't have government telling me I can't have that experience," Strachota said.

Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine) called the proposal ironic because it came two days after the Assembly passed a bill requiring that food satamp recipients spend two-thirds of their benefits on health food.
"It makes it seem you were really going after the way poor people behave and not everyone else," Mason said.
The measure passed 12-4, with all Republicans for it and all Democrats against it.
 Welcome to Fitzwalkerstan!


4 comments:

  1. Wisconsin is as weird as Texas... just not as loud about being crazy.. I am one of the sane people in Texas... and I know there are in Wisconsin also. Just for emphasis, Today the Texas Legislature changed the requirements for receiving a permit to carry a concealed gun, from 10 hours of education and training to 6 hours.. This same day a 2 yr old in Corsicana (30 miles from me) killed himself with a shot to the head with a handgun that he picked up in a bedroom. His father was standing nearby in the walk-in closet.

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  2. I remember the good old days (3 years ago) when we weren't an ass backwards state. Nearly last in job creation and now dead last on wage growth. Yeah, we are doing really good under this governor.

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    1. Today, they saved the Big gUlp...what more do you want?

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  3. So you're saying that had there been 10 hours of training for this two year old he would not have shot himself?

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