How to Rescue Medicare and Soc. Sec

Press Release Author = Janine M Lodato

Industry = Government

Press Release Summary = There seems to be an open, somewhat silent, conspiracy between the Federal Government and the Fast-Food industry to potentially solve the mid-century problem of Soc. Sec. running out of funds. It is a fact that if nothing is done then the generations following the baby-boom generation: kids and grand kids
of the baby-boomers, will not receive much benefit from Soc. Sec. or the Medicare funds. But do not fear, the Fast-Food industry is coming to the "rescue" by means of shortening the life span of our future generations, and, indeed our current generations.

Press Release Body =

The Silent Conspiracy (How to Rescue Medicare and Soc. Sec.)

By Janine M Lodato
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209-754-3822
LodatoClan@aol.com

There seems to be an open, somewhat silent, conspiracy between the Federal Government and the Fast-Food industry to potentially solve the mid-century problem of Soc. Sec. running out of funds. It is a fact that if nothing is done then the generations following the baby-boom generation: kids and grand kids of the baby-boomers, will not receive much benefit from Soc. Sec. or the Medicare funds. But do not fear, the Fast-Food industry is coming to the "rescue" by means of shortening the life span of our future generations, and, indeed our current generations. But more on this subject below. First let us review the players in this Machiavellian conspiracy.

We all know that the Fast-Food industry encourages high fat foods and high sugar drinks in a major advertising campaign aimed at the younger generations. This problem is well described by Bill Berkowitz www.dissidentvoice.org in which he has indicated that “Each year, U.S. kids watch an average 10,000 commercials for fast food, sugared cereal, candy, soft drinks and unhealthy snacks. Supersize Me points out that if parents ate each meal with their children and counseled them each time on the importance of healthy food that would add up to only about 1,000 times per year."

Foods containing high fats and drinks containing much sugar lead to diabetes, hypertension and many other life span shortening chronic diseases. Several sources say that around two-thirds of U.S. adults and around 15 percent of children and adolescents are overweight. A study from the University of California showed that one-third of California's African-American and Latino children are overweight. Less than 10 percent of us come close to following the five federal Food Guide Pyramid recommendations for the intake of grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and meats.

What a great way to save Soc. Sec.: just kill off at an earlier age the future retirement funds recipient population with chronic diseases like diabetes. Have them expire before retirement or soon after retirement so they will not drain the various retirement funds including Soc.Sec. and Medicare. What a great conspiracy, a Silent Conspiracy, between the Federal Government and the Fast-Food industry.

The Federal Government does nothing about the safety of our future generations. In fact the former secretary of health and human services, had actually stood before the Grocery Manufacturers Association -- the main lobby for the junk food industry -- and urged them to "go on the offensive against critics": the concerned people who think parents, and not corporations, should guide the eating habits of children."

So maybe the conspiracy is not so silent when the leader of HHS
www.hhs.gov can openly attack the concerned parents of the future generations who worry about the damage the highly profitable Fast-Food industry, and even the school lunch programs can bring about.

This is the first long-term investigation to show the link between fast food, weight gain and insulin resistance; it appears in the Jan. 1 issue of the The Lancet. Ludwig and his colleagues produced an alarming sequence of statistics to show the toll obesity is taking in the United States. About 30 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, compared to only 23 percent during the period 1988 to 1994. The prevalence of overweight rose by 50 percent in children and adolescents during the past decade, to about 15 percent of all people in that age segment. And obesity is responsible for 300,000 deaths and $100 billion in annual health-care costs, according to the researchers. The repercussions of obesity and diabetes continue far and wide. A new study by UCLA researchers found that advanced heart failure patients with diabetes who are treated with insulin have a death rate four times higher than similar patients treated with oral medications. Between 25 percent and 44 percent of heart failure patients also have diabetes, according to the study. Obesity constitutes a serious health hazard as the extra fat puts a strain on the heart, kidneys and liver as well as the large weight-bearing joints such as the hips, knees and ankles, which ultimately shortens life span. Overweight persons are susceptible to physical diseases like coronary thrombosis, diabetes, heart failure, high blood pressure, arthritis, gout and liver and gall-bladder disorders.

New statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control predict that of the babies born in 2000, 1 in 3 will develop diabetes. Using population trend data, it is calculated that diabetes will increase 165% between now and 2050. Hispanic babies have the highest risk–53% of girls and 45% of boys are expected to develop diabetes.
Among the Black population the percentage is slightly lower at 40%. The risk for Caucasians is 1 in 3 for females, and 1 in 4 for males. However, the present trend of Type 2 diabetes developing at an earlier age will result in the development of heart disease, kidney disease, eye disease, and nerve damage at a much younger age.
If these predictions hold true, this generation will have at least 15 years trimmed from their life span. The number of people with type 2 diabetes will rise from 194 million to 333 million by 2025. Metabolic syndrome, a newly recognized clinical entity, is both highly prevalent and readily treatable. In the US alone, almost 2 5% of the adult population is estimated to have it, including as many as 60% of obese individuals. Metabolic syndrome significantly increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (3-4 times) and greatly increases the risk of developing diabetes (up to 25 times).

But even in the near term future the diseases caused by the Fast-Food industry among the current generation lead to epidemic proportions of chronic illnesses. Thus the cost of the healthcare skyrocketing each and every year. Healthcare costs are increasing 10-15% per year, year after year. Increased spending for healthcare is gobbling up about one-quarter of the growth in the economy, and health-related items now amount to more than three times the defense budget and twice what the nation devotes to education.

As a disable woman in a wheelchair I resent this not so Silent Conspiracy between the Federal Government, the Fast-Food industry, and, indeed, even the Pharmaceutical industry as well as the Insurance industry. It forces me to pay more and more for
my healthcare both in terms of my insurance payments and co-payments as well as the cost of the medicine I need.

Today there are a 100 million people in the USA who are either disabled, chronically ill or frail elderly. There are 44 million unpaid informal caregivers for these people in need: some of their family members and friends. These informal caregivers spend a lot of their time with the needy and also spend a lot out of pocket. All un-reimbursed by the Government.

We need to do a class action lawsuit , representing these 44 million informal caregivers, aimed against the Fast-Food industry which in fact increases the size of the needy population putting higher and higher burdens on the informal caregiver segment. We could also do another class action lawsuit representing the 100 million
people in need.

Another avenue to salvation, a political avenue, would be to add a "fat-tax" and a"sweet-tax" to every product. Probably at each and every level of the distribution chain. All these funds could be then put into Medicare and Soc.Sec.

Of course we need an open minded politician with courage, but there are many of them, and I know a few. This proposal is sent to them.

Janine M Lodato

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Contact Details = Janine M. Lodato
P.O.Box 838
SAN ANDREAS, CA.
95249-838
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209-754-3822
Fax; 209-754-9622