Get Mad At Your Greedy Neighbors

Keli Goff says paying for others' personal choices stinks, so down with AIG and obesity

AUTHOR: Keli Goff

FORUM: The Huffington Post

LENGTH: 730 words

THESIS: There are a wide variety of things you should be mad about

THOSE STEALING YOUR MONEY: AIG, Citigroup, fat people, smokers, the AFL-CIO, greedy insurers, politicians

WHAT REALLY GETS GOFF: "$100 million of your tax dollars ... were delegated--without your consent--for employee bonuses"

WHAT GOFF SEEMS NOT TO UNDERSTAND: that your elected representatives have your implicit consent to make choices about your tax dollars

DECENT POINT AT THE BOTTOM OF ALL THIS: If we're talking about government subsidized health care, "why should the government, specifically taxpayers, subsidize health care costs for conditions that are not only preventable but essentially chosen by the patient? ... Americans [should be held] financially accountable for their personal health choices, so that the system can afford to treat those who do not choose to be sick."

PROBLEMATIC PREMISE: Being fat is a personal choice

THE LAST WORD:

Greed is certainly one culprit to blame for this broken system, but personal responsibility is another. Yet elected officials--including the President--seem just as afraid of losing voters by telling this tough truth, as they are afraid of losing the contributions of the insurance and fast food lobby.

So the next time you are reminded of how angry you are at AIG or any other institution that was "bailed out" with your money, just remember that AIG may have mugged you once, but McDonald's and your neighbor keeping them in business (and whoever invented the doughnut, bacon cheeseburger), will be sucking your wallet dry for decades to come.