The Axiom Of Responsibility
Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Taking Responsibility
For Themselves And Their Children

Why do millions of Americans believe that government is the answer to all of life's problems? Time and time again, in other countries and our own, it has been proven that the vast majority of government programs do not achieve short-term (let alone long-term) success, yet the idea that government involvement is the only solution still persists. Take, for example, the current "crisis" of childhood obesity. Do we, as individuals and a society, hold parents responsible for their children's health? No. We rely on First Lady Michelle Obama to launch a "nationwide campaign" and President Obama to create a "national taskforce." (LetsMove.gov)

Mrs. Obama's plan, Let's Move! has four components: Healthy Choices, Healthier Schools, Physical Activity, and Accessible & Affordable Healthy Food. While we wholeheartedly agree that each of these areas is crucial in maintaining children's health, it is not our government's responsibility to be involved in this aspect of our lives. It is not taxpayers' responsibility to finance extremely expensive special programs so that parents can rely on schools to do for their children what they should be doing themselves.

Healthy Choices relates to making wise decisions regarding the foods we choose to eat and provide for our children. Labeling laws are an extremely important aspect of making these choices, and requiring accurate, comprehensive food labels is essential; however, it is redundant and expensive to require retailers and manufacturers to redesign their packages to include "consumer friendly front-of-package labeling." The cost of these new labeling requirements will undoubtedly be passed on to the consumer, and this type of regulation perpetuates the misguided notion that food manufacturers are responsible for what we eat, not us. Really, how much effort does it take to turn a food product over to see the label on the back?

Healthier Schools launches yet another government program, the US Schools Challenge Program, which "establishes rigorous standards for schools' food quality, participation in meal programs, physical activity, and nutrition education." In conjunction, the Obama Administration revealed plans to "[update] the Child Nutrition Act and announced a proposed increase in the federal budget of $1 billion per year for the next ten years to improve the quality of school meals, increase the number of kids participating, and make sure schools have the resources they need to make changes." Our local schools should not answer to the federal government; they should answer to parents. If schools are not providing nutritionally balanced meals for their students, parents must take action. Parents are responsible for providing healthy food for their children, and if schools are not meeting these needs, parents must pack their children nutritious meals from home. It is a pretty sorry state of affairs when the President has to take action in order for our nation's children to have an adequate breakfast and lunch. Parents, we are not doing our jobs.

Physical Activity is the component of Mrs. Obama's plan that is the government's answer to parents using video games and television to babysit their children. Here again, parents are being negligent, this time in not providing an opportunity for their children to just play. Getting enough physical activity does not require a government program, expensive equipment, or "safe routes to walk and ride to school, parks, playgrounds and community centers where they can play and be active after school, and sports, dance or fitness programs that are exciting and challenging to keep them engaged." This is nonsense. In reality, all children need in order to move and stay engaged is a pair of sneakers and their imagination. For Heaven's sake, must everything we do be structured and organized? (The correct answer is: "No!") And besides, who is going to pay for these "parks, playgrounds and community centers"? (The only answer is: "Taxpayers!")

Interestingly, Mrs. Obama saved the best for last: Accessible & Affordable Healthy Food. This sounds quite reasonable until you realize that "as part of the President's proposed FY 2011 budget, the Administration announced a new program - the Healthy Food Financing Initiative -- a partnership between the U.S. Departments of Treasury, Agriculture and Health and Human Services which will invest $400 million a year to provide innovative financing to bring grocery stores to underserved areas and help places such as convenience stores and bodegas carry healthier food options." What are they thinking?! Do we expect the government to provide food for us? Have we reached the point where we find it acceptable for the federal government to fund (run) grocery stores? At the rate we're going, there soon won't be any private enterprise left!

Mrs. Obama's plan is invasive and leads us down a dangerous path. We are the only ones responsible for ourselves and our children, and if we endorse this intrusive, government campaign (that sounds noble at face value, but in reality won't solve anything), we are willingly sacrificing our freedom.

Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society