Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: $Revision: 1.6.2.16 $; site inmet.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!yale!inmet!nrh From: nrh@inmet.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: Re: Extent of hunger in America Message-ID: <7800562@inmet.UUCP> Date: Wed, 16-Oct-85 11:03:00 EDT Article-I.D.: inmet.7800562 Posted: Wed Oct 16 11:03:00 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 20-Oct-85 08:09:00 EDT References: <215@gargoyle.UUCP> Lines: 99 Nf-ID: #R:gargoyle:-21500:inmet:7800562:000:4878 Nf-From: inmet!nrh Oct 16 11:03:00 1985 >/* Written 7:53 pm Oct 13, 1985 by carnes@gargoyle in inmet:net.politics */ >/* ---------- "Re: Extent of hunger in America" ---------- */ > >The report of the Physician Task Force on Hunger in America, >sponsored by the Harvard School of Public Health, has recently been >published as a book, *Hunger in America*. It contains eight pages on >hunger in Mississippi. A sample, chosen almost at random: > >[Mealy-mouthed but heartrending quote about hunger in Mississippi ending > as follows:] > Given the kind of hunger we > had previously observed in the New England states, it is > difficult to say that hunger is all we observed in > Mississippi. We really saw people as close to the brink of > survival as one is likely to find in this nation. > >This study was undertaken by members of the medical establishment, >not raving leftists. That's interesting. I wasn't aware that being one disqualified you from being the other. As near as I can tell, they want government to step in and further socialize food distribution, at least for the needy. YOU say they aren't leftists, but if it quacks like a duck.... I don't, for example, hear them calling for an end to farm-price supports, or minimum wages, or in fact, mentioning even the NOTION that government programs could be part of the problem. >If JoSH is still skeptical, he should contact >the Jackson pediatrician Dr. Aaron Shirley, president of the board of >the Mississippi Medical and Surgical Association, who probably knows >as much about the hunger situation in his state as anyone. Let's get this straight. *DOCTORS* are experts in (in this case) determining whether a person is getting sufficient nutrition, and telling you what sort of nutrition he is or is not getting. Doctors are *NOT* (merely by virtue of being doctors) experts on the "hunger situation", because they are (given no other credentials) not political scientists or economists. The Doctors involved no doubt are greatly concerned and pretty well informed, but the thing that galls me about this sort of study (and especially their suggestions) is that because doctors are expert in a PART of the problem, people tend to assume that they are expert in ALL of the problem. Simply not true. For example, we hear no word from the doctors on how to grow or sell food more cheaply, or how to inform people about what to eat. Why? Because they are NOT farmers, or salesmen, or PR men. They are *DOCTORS*, and what they have to say about hunger in America should be thought of with that in mind. > >The Physician Task Force report documents in great detail the >evidence that since 1977, hunger has again become a serious problem: >"There have been 15 national studies on hunger in the past three >years; at least that many more state and local studies on hunger have >been carried out during the same period of time. What is clear is >the *uniformity* of their conclusions: Hunger has returned to this >nation, and all evidence indicates that it is continuing to grow as a >problem." If you want some answers about this, you might try "Losing Ground", by Charles Murray. >--We call upon Republicans and Democrats in the US Congress to take >immediate action to feed the hungry. The House and Senate leadership >should prepare an emergency legislative package to respond to the >hunger crisis. The components of the plan should include: > > ---Strengthening the food stamp program. > ---Strengthening school and other meals programs for children. > ---Utilizing the WIC and Medicaid programs more fully to > protect high-risk children. > ---Expanding elderly meals programs to be certain that all > low-income elderly have access to congregate meals or the > Meals-on-Wheels program. > ---Protecting families by strengthening income support > programs. > >--Congress should pass legislation to create a permanent and >independent body to monitor the nutritional status of the population. > >--We ask that appropriate Congressional committees direct responsible >administrative agencies to report on a quarterly basis progress made >in eliminating hunger, until such time as it has been ended in >America. > >--We ask the US Congress to establish a Bipartisan Study Commission >to recommend legislative changes to protect all our citizens from the >ravages of poverty and its attendant ills in the future. >-- Odd. I didn't know the US congress raised food in its backyard. So how to feed the hungry? Oh -- by taking money from everyone else? Gee, Doctors, I have *another* wonderful idea -- let's pay for medicine that way! What? You say that would be evil? That it would result in poor service, undersupply of medicine, in not enough research? That government bureaucrats are not doctors and thus shouldn't determine how medicine is administered? Tsk! Shame on you! Sauce for the goose.....