Why is Washington responsible for school lunches?

Today, Michelle Obama took the reigns of the "Let's Move" campaign, described by the New York Times as "a sweeping initiative . . . aimed at revamping the way American children eat and play - reshaping school lunches, playgrounds and even medical checkups - with the goal of eliminating childhood obesity within a generation."  (Link to story here.)  

First Ladies have always had their causes from Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" campaign to Hillary Clinton's failed attempt at socializing medicine in America to Laura Bush's promotion of literacy.  I have no particular problem with Mrs. Obama taking on childhood obesity.  And, frankly, I have no problem with nutritious lunches at school or exercise-promoting playgrounds.  I don't even have a problem with the First Lady using her status to encourage change in habits.

I do have a problem with this campaign coming from Washington, D.C.  It grates on me.  It grates on me because the role of the federal government has expanded so far into the daily lives of Americans that it is taking on the task of determining what to feed our children at school, bypassing state governments entirely and usurping the role of local school boards.

In an ideal world, or even in a country operating as this country's founders envisioned, most power would remain with the people; some would be given to local government entities - like cities, counties, or school boards; a smaller share would go to the states; and very little would be given to the federal government.  Why?  Because the closer the government is to the people, the more responsive the government is to the wants and needs of the people.  If I have a problem with my children's school lunches, or their playgrounds, etc., I should be able to take it up with a neighbor, a school board member who lives nearby and is elected to serve the school district.  Does anyone think that somebody in Washington would be more responsive to me than my neighbor?

Ours is no ideal world.  Everything has been (or is being) federalized.  Washington has its sticky fingers everywhere.  America has lost its way.  The distribution of power is upside-down and "Let's Move" is symptomatic.  

Nothing personal Mrs. Obama.  I hope that your campaign meets its goal.  I just wish the power to do something about the problem was closer to my home than yours.

Obama Propaganda in the Schools

Seriously folks.  This isn't just a pro-Obama video.  It is a propaganda film.  Celebrities pledging allegiance to the Supreme Leader, Barack Obama.  This is scary stuff.  

And it is being used at elementary school assemblies (link to story here) to indoctrinate the youth of America.

I'm a big proponent of public schools.  But if this dung was shown in my children's school, I would seriously consider pulling them.  Parents and communities cannot abandon their responsibility for the education of their children to the government or N.E.A.  If they do, this stuff will be the end result.

Federalism flipping . . . here comes the nanny state

One of the great things about America, historically, has been a concept of federalism.  State and local governments had autonomy over state and local issues.  The federal government is designed to keep its nose out of those things because, guess what, central planning doesn't work.  What is good in New York may not be in Idaho.  What is necessary in California may be wasteful in Missouri.  And what is wanted in the public school system in Washington, D.C., may not be wanted in Rockwood or Parkway or Webster Groves.

But with Democrats in control of everything federal, your federal government is on a path to destruction of state and local autonomy.  Here's the latest example . . . Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), chairman of the Agriculture Committee, wants to give the U.S. Department of Agriculture power to regulate ALL food sold in schools nationwide.  That's the cafeterias; that's the vending machines; and probably the fundraisers and snack bars at football games . . . all under the control of the federal government.

Harkin and the Democrats believe that they, from their ivory towers in Washington, know best - about everything.  Why do we have school boards at all?  Why have states?  Local governments?  Let's just let the feds tell us what to do in every situation.

We've got to get some sanity back to Washington.  2010 or bust.

Finally, Schwarzenegger does something right.

I've been bashing California over the past week for expanding the powers of the food police and chipping away at people's freedom.  Even Governor Arnold Schwarzen-egger got into the act signing a trans-fat ban into law taking away the rights of Californians to eat what they want to eat.  But the govinator deserves kudos for vetoing a bill that would have mandated school's science textbooks to include "climate change" as a subject.  (Link to story.)

Arnold, unfortunately, is not a convert from the religion of global warming and believes that it should be taught in schools.  Nonetheless, he believes "the state should refrain from being overly prescriptive in specific school curriculum, beyond establishing rigorous academic standards."

Governor Schwarzenegger, I couldn't agree with that statement more.  Three cheers to you for finally getting one right.