evolution

Secretary of Health and Environment “touts” prevention:

Bremby’s message, discussed as part of a Lawrence Noon Rotary Club meeting Monday: Helping ease the pain of America’s health care situation doesn’t necessarily mean revamping health regulations, overhauling insurance procedures or reaching for drastic systematic changes that get various interest groups all riled up.

The best thing to do simply is to convince people to help themselves by changing behavior, he said:

• Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
• Take part in 30 minutes of physical activity at least three times a week.
• Avoid tobacco products.

“The solution is well within our reach,” Bremby told about 110 Rotarians and their guests during lunch at the Lawrence Holidome.

Today it’s “convince”. In five years, it will be “urge”. In ten, it will be “strongly urge”. In fifteen years (and sooner than that, if current electoral trends hold), it will be “legally compel”. If the government’s going to manage health care, they’re going to manage health care.

Totalitarianism might come “wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross”, as Sinclair Lewis (and recently Ron Paul) said, but it might also come wrapped in a white coat or a black suit. Or, say, an IZOD track suit. And carrying a bowl of Kashi.