CAT Tracks for March 9, 2010

CAT Tracks for March 9, 2010

...as stupid does!!!

The article below makes me almost mad enough to make a trip to Carbondale next Monday.

However, two rational thoughts will prevent that:

The knowledge that being the "shy, retiring type at public meetings", I would PROBABLY not say a word, would simply bottle up my rage, and run the definite risk of having a coronary.

The knowledge that if I DID speak up, I would make a fool of myself, not accomplish a damned thing, and run the risk of being arrested for disorderly conduct.

The freaking State of Illinois is broke!
The freaking State of Illinois is talking about massive cuts to basic services - like prisons, fire protection, police protection, education, the poor, the elderly, and anything else that you can possibly think of and name.
Yet, the State of Illinois, in its infinite wisdom, passes the "Obesity Prevention Initiative Act" in 2009. The State of Illinois is going to the expense of hosting freaking public forums "regarding possible solutions to the epidemic."
Sweet God in Heaven...give me strength.
Last time I looked, the State of Illinois was allowing stores to sell cigarettes...which contain the unequivocal message that the United States Freaking Surgeon General has determined that smoking (and being around smoking smokers) will cause a variety of health problems and that smokers (and those around smokers) will die a slow, painful, and expensive-to-the-taxpayers death!!!
So...
After the Illinois Department of Health collects all these wonderful ideas, what the hell are they going to do with them? Pass them on to the idiot legislators who passed the law authorizing the hearings?? Then, we can look forward to a new set of laws???

I've got an idea...
Let's do away with the Illinois income tax, Illinois property taxes, etc.
Oh, we'll put a big "sin tax" on sugary and fatty products, like they already do with booze and cigarettes. That will help with day-to-day "cash flow" problems.
THEN, on some designated date - first workday in January, April 15th, whatever - we all report for our annual "weighing in". Maybe the Secretary of State's office could take care of it...weigh scales in the state's Drivers License facilities. I mean, there's an analogy/precedent...they charge heavy-assed trucks more taxes for using the roadways than light-weight automobiles!
We could even impose a "scarlet letter" by color-coding drivers licenses...green for "maintains proper weight", yellow for "getting chunky", and red for "downright fat".
Maybe they could put TWO pictures on the driver's license...the usual "mug shot", with the addition of a "backside shot".
Hey, in for a penny, in for a POUND!

From the Southern Illinoisan...

Link to Original Story
Public hearing on obesity set in Carbondale
The Southern Staff
CARBONDALE - The Illinois Department of Public Health will host its third and final hearing on the impact of obesity Monday in Carbondale Civic Center.
State health officials have hosted two other hearings on the matter since the passage of the Obesity Prevention Initiative Act in 2009, which called for officials to host public forums regarding possible solutions to the epidemic. The effort has been led by the Illinois Public Health Institute, which has partnered with numerous organizations statewide to educate the population, including Southern Illinois Healthcare.

Monday's hearing will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Room 108 of the civic center, located at 200 S. Illinois Avenue. For more information on the hearings and providing testimony, contact IDPH at 217-557-0496.