With bridges falling down, it makes sense to spend federal funds on infrastructure projects, but what doesn’t make sense is suggesting the government spend highway money on the obesity “epidemic.”
With bridges falling down, it makes sense to spend federal funds on infrastructure projects, but what doesn’t make sense is suggesting the government spend highway money on the obesity “epidemic.”
But that’s what ABC “World News with Charles Gibson” did on August 27 by promoting a report from "health advocates" at Trust for
“The report calls for a national strategy to reverse this epidemic” including the use of federal highway money said ABC correspondent John McKenzie.
“Require that localities build bike paths and sidewalks so it’s possible for people in communities to exercise more,” said Trust for
The price tag for an [1]infrastructure overhaul has been estimated to cost up to $1.6 trillion. That would include crucial road, bridge, utility and air traffic control system updates. But the left-wing TFAH wants to spend taxpayers' money on obesity.
The group also proposed big government solutions on the state level.
McKenzie explained that TFAH wants the government to require 60 minutes of physical activity for kids, “impose higher school nutrition standards” and modify Medicaid and other health programs to include “critical obesity and nutrition counseling.”
“World News” failed to estimate the costs to taxpayers cost of these mandates and changes to federal and state programs—not to mention the cost of taking highway money away from bridges and roads. No opposition to the plan was mentioned in the segment.