Hey all you mayors, city planners, food manufacturers, supermarkets, and "everyone" else: First Lady Michelle Obama wants you to "step up." But don't worry, she assures us "this isn’t about government telling people what to do."
Mrs. Obama was on Good Morning America to promote her new book American Grown. When Robin Roberts (who was also the chosen softball interviewer for President Obama's historic gay-marriage flip-flop announcement) brought up criticisms of her Let's Move program, Michelle asserted that the program is not about big government or telling people what to eat. About a minute later, though, she says we need "everyone stepping up," "mayors stepping up," and "cities being restructured."
The private sector also needs to step up. "We need our food manufacturers stepping up and really thinking about how to reformulate food products so that they are a little more healthy [and] affordable. We need big supermarkets to locate grocery stores in under-served communities," she said.
If I didn't know better, I'd say her vision of mobilizing local governments, businesses, and the general citizenry for her cause leans slightly in the general direction of Big Government. In a small- or non-government solution, it would mainly be the parents and kids who would be asked to "step up" and change their behaviors.
Without using the term "food deserts," Michelle said part of the problem is that some people "don't have accessible, affordable food in (their) community." She was not asked any questions about food deserts, the existence of which has been recently found to be quite dubious. Oh well, this is just a soft-news morning show.
The First Lady's flat assertion that her program's goals aren't Big Government is like her husband saying that making the wealthy pay their "fair share" isn't socialism and the Buffett Rule isn't class warfare. We should take her denial with a grain of salt ... or whatever seasoning Michelle would approve of. Maybe some herbs from her garden.
(Hat tip: The Blaze)
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