New federal regulations issued this week stipulate that the electronic health records--that all Americans are supposed to have by 2014 under the terms of the stimulus law that President Barack Obama signed last year--must record not only the traditional measures of height and weight, but also the Body Mass Index: a measure of obesity.
Think about the consequences of this. With everyone's BMI index on file, ask the question, how will that be used? Can you say rationed healthcare?
"Oh, your BMI is 25%. You need a coronary bypass? Fuck you and die. Oh, your BMI is 29% and you just got type one diabetes? Fuck you and your insulin you'll never get". We already have companies that are firing people that continue to smoke (Wellmark BCBS), so what if fat is next. What if a prospective employer had access to these records and categorized you. Will fat become a protected class like being gay or disabled? I doubt it.
Another possible side effect of this is taxation. If you are overweight, you will be taxed more than someone of normal BMI. A real fat tax, not just on food, but the individual. Someone has to pay right? I mean Who's going to pay for Obamacare?
It's just another step down the slippery slope of government control and regulation of people's lives. Uncle Obama knows better than you do and you will pay the price if you don't do as he says.
The other thing is, who says what is obese and what isn't? According to government charts, Arnold Schwarzenegger would have been considered obese during his peak as Mr. Olympia. Even with myself, at 6'5, the charts say I should weigh under 210 lbs not to be considered overweight. I could weight 240-250 and still run 1 minute laps. Not bad for an obese guy? It all depends on what the composition of weight is, which is something the government charts never take in to consideration (on the other hand, Michelle Obama would definitely be consider obese).
As they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. We do have a problem with obesity in this country and it needs to be dealt with. Putting it in someone's permanent record that the government controls is not the way to go. The only way to fix it is through personal responsibility. "So a man thinketh in his heart, so is he". The government cannot fix that, only the individual can.
One more step towards socialism. Aren't you happy you elected Obama? Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm. Pass the fried chicken and cherry coke.
Thank you for reading this blog.
