Originally posted by gribbler
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Why doesn't the gov't legislate what people buy with food stamps?
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It would probably be much easier to set up poor people camps and be done with it."I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." - Clarence Darrow
"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain
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Originally posted by Albert Speer View PostThis is something that would need to be further explored. Let's not take this as an established fact yet. Traditionally, as far as I've read and seen, it is viewed that health issues result in higher costs across the board.
a) there are significant health care cost externalities to obesity rather than a simple change of the timing and makeup of costs
b) the distortion caused by the presence of these externalities will be reduced by more than the distortion caused by the measures introduced
c) concentrating the distortion among a fairly small part of the population is better than spreading it out among the whole population
It took you most of a page to get to the point where you even CLAIMED the first point, and you haven't yet made any statement as to the second or third.
Instead, you spent ages blabbering about rights and other nonsense which is irrelevant to the actual discussion.12-17-10 Mohamed Bouazizi NEVER FORGET
Stadtluft Macht Frei
Killing it is the new killing it
Ultima Ratio Regum
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Originally posted by gribbler View PostSince it would further limit the usefulness of food stamps, I think AS's proposal would actually lower the going rate on the black market.12-17-10 Mohamed Bouazizi NEVER FORGET
Stadtluft Macht Frei
Killing it is the new killing it
Ultima Ratio Regum
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Originally posted by KrazyHorse View Postbased on the fact that food stamp recipients are a relatively small proportion of the general population
The number of Americans receiving food stamps reached 39.68 million in February 2010, the highest number since the program began in 1962.... As of late November 2009, one in eight Americans and one in four children are using food stamps and the program rate is growing at 20,000 people a day
Currently, WIC serves 45% of all infants born in the US"Flutie was better than Kelly, Elway, Esiason and Cunningham." - Ben Kenobi
"I have nothing against Wilson, but he's nowhere near the same calibre of QB as Flutie. Flutie threw for 5k+ yards in the CFL." -Ben Kenobi
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Originally posted by Albert Speer View Post1) What's the utility function of a toddler?
2) Who gives a **** about utility?!
There are more important things in this world than economic utility. Like not dying from heart disease. Like human betterment.
b) Not dying of heart disease has some value which needs to be measured relative to the values of other things. There is a tradeoff for many people between eating things they like to eat and not risking a heart attack. Some people like junk food more than others, and some people place more value on living a long time than others.
WTF is the matter with you?12-17-10 Mohamed Bouazizi NEVER FORGET
Stadtluft Macht Frei
Killing it is the new killing it
Ultima Ratio Regum
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Originally posted by Wezil View PostIt would probably be much easier to set up poor people camps and be done with it.
And since the government already tells poor people what to do, this is obviously a good idea.12-17-10 Mohamed Bouazizi NEVER FORGET
Stadtluft Macht Frei
Killing it is the new killing it
Ultima Ratio Regum
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Originally posted by KrazyHorse View PostIn order to make any sense of this argument you need to demonstrate that:
a) there are significant health care cost externalities to obesity rather than a simple change of the timing and makeup of costs
b) the distortion caused by the presence of these externalities will be reduced by more than the distortion caused by the measures introduced
c) concentrating the distortion among a fairly small part of the population is better than spreading it out among the whole population
It took you most of a page to get to the point where you even CLAIMED the first point, and you haven't yet made any statement as to the second or third.
Instead, you spent ages blabbering about rights and other nonsense which is irrelevant to the actual discussion.
I appreciate your critique of my discussion skills but I'm no social scientist and do not have the data to support my case except anecdotally."Flutie was better than Kelly, Elway, Esiason and Cunningham." - Ben Kenobi
"I have nothing against Wilson, but he's nowhere near the same calibre of QB as Flutie. Flutie threw for 5k+ yards in the CFL." -Ben Kenobi
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Originally posted by Albert Speer View PostAs for WIC:
Relatively small my ass.12-17-10 Mohamed Bouazizi NEVER FORGET
Stadtluft Macht Frei
Killing it is the new killing it
Ultima Ratio Regum
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The quality of your argumentation is extraordinarily low.
12-17-10 Mohamed Bouazizi NEVER FORGET
Stadtluft Macht Frei
Killing it is the new killing it
Ultima Ratio Regum
Comment
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Originally posted by KrazyHorse View Posta) Utility IS human betterment. How the **** else do you define utility?
b) Not dying of heart disease has some value which needs to be measured relative to the values of other things. There is a tradeoff for many people between eating things they like to eat and not risking a heart attack. Some people like junk food more than others, and some people place more value on living a long time than others.
WTF is the matter with you?
Am I maximizing my utility buying a car for $20K at a local dealership when, unbeknownst to me, I could purchase the same car a few blocks away for $19K? Information is important for making decisions concerning my utility."Flutie was better than Kelly, Elway, Esiason and Cunningham." - Ben Kenobi
"I have nothing against Wilson, but he's nowhere near the same calibre of QB as Flutie. Flutie threw for 5k+ yards in the CFL." -Ben Kenobi
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1 in 4 children are served by FOOD STAMPS, not WIC. that was just a side point."Flutie was better than Kelly, Elway, Esiason and Cunningham." - Ben Kenobi
"I have nothing against Wilson, but he's nowhere near the same calibre of QB as Flutie. Flutie threw for 5k+ yards in the CFL." -Ben Kenobi
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Originally posted by Albert Speer View PostI appreciate your critique of my discussion skills but I'm no social scientist and do not have the data to support my case except anecdotally.
You don't need actual numbers to provide a reasonable case. You need to be able to plot out what points lead you to your conclusion and provide SOME kind of rationale behind your belief in those points.
Holy ****, dude.12-17-10 Mohamed Bouazizi NEVER FORGET
Stadtluft Macht Frei
Killing it is the new killing it
Ultima Ratio Regum
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