People like you always say it is not the government’s job to tell you what to eat. However when you have a heart attack and your insurance will not cover the cost you expect the government (the rest of us) to pick up the tab. You want to eat whatever you want then you should have to sign a waiver stating that when things go wrong, and they will, you are on your own. With rights go responsibilities.

That is the problem..if the government is paying for your healthcare, they will do things like this..Not that it is a bad idea to push people to eat healthier..but they should charge companies that do not find ways to make the foods we like, healthier..that is where things would really change for the good.

OK, then explain to me if, according to you, it's not the government's job to tell us what to eat (or what NOT to eat), what about when it comes down to the government having to pay for health care (ie, hospitalization, medications etc) when the MORONS in this country eat CRAP day in and day out, ending up with hearth disease, hypertention, diabetes, high cholesterol, and are either on Medicare of Medicaid? Since the dim wits cannot, or chose not to, eat properly, LET the government make money on them! After all, it's YOUR money that they government is paying with.

The government shouldn't have to tell you what to eat, but with obesity rates at 20-30 percent of Americans it's obvious people aren't smart enough to do it themselves.

She got to pay for the trips somehow.

Tax increase is too little. Treat the bad foods like cigarettes and tripple the price. Then spend 15% of the take on fat food programs and the rest on what ever you want. Works for smokes.

just another excuse to tax more. look at cigs as an example... nothing is supposed to be worse right? if that is true, then why are they allowed to be sold? its all about more taxes folks.

Alex, I'm waiting for this to happen any day here in the U.S. It is not the government's place to say what we eat. That is a personal choice.

To the one that complained about people being on medicare or medicad.
Almost everyone over 65 is on medicare, that is what you pay your taxes for all those years. You still have to pay a monthly premium to keep medicare.
Medicad is the one given to the people that are younger and don't have insurance.

The government is NOT telling us what to or what NOT to eat. You purchase an unhealthy food known to cause health concerns then you pay more for it. No where does this artical say anything regarding the governments attempt to say what we can or CAN'T eat/ buy.

Michelle could stand to lose some pounds of her own and quit making it her place to enforce this healthy eating on others. If one wants to be fat, it is their business, but it also must be their business to have their own health care and not expect the government to pay for it and their health issues. Though, I do eat healthy on the most part, I definitely NEED all that junk food to maintain my weight. Being that I am under 100lbs I can afford (weight, not meaning financially) to eat what I want. If I happen not to have that malt (with protein), chocolate, or whatever kind of desserts for a couple days, I will drop several pounds, and that, I do not want. I certainly wouldn't want to pay a tax on these things that keep me at my weight. And to those that tell me that I need to eat more healthy food to gain....well, it just doesn't work for me.

yeah, and secretly eatting the things she preaches to us NOT TO EAT!!

THIS HAS TO DO WITH OBAMAS WIFE, DID SEE FORGET OBAMA SMOKESSSSS SO LETS TKE HIS INSURANCE AWAY,
AND HOW MUCH FAT TAX DO YOU THINK SHE WILL PUT ON OPRA

It should only be that we tax based on content on ALL unhealthy foods
FAT
SODIUM
SUGAR
COLESTROL

we could raise MILLIONS and use the $$$ to subsize farmers , prices can drop on HEALTHY fresh foods and more people can afford to buy HEALTHY choices that ( at this point) may just be too expensive

Well, are you aware how much its costing you and me to pay for all the illness caused by obesity? its braking the medicare...my family is 50% obsene fats, which i refuse to speak to unless they made an effort to get off their fat asses like i did to become healthy and fit, not talking about muscle bound, talking fit...and as per Michelle Obama she is tackling a real issue which is a real problem and the fatsos in congress and senate refuse to do anything about it,,,,

The government already tells us what we should and should not feed our families - this is nothing new.

In the US, the government highly subsidizes corn and soybeans, causing products made from those items to be significantly cheaper than others (chips, soda, prepackaged goods, etc). That's why it is cheaper, calorie for calorie, for people to buy chips rather than broccoli, or soda rather than milk. What do you expect people to do when they're living pay check to pay check and trying to feed their families? They're going to buy the cheapest foods they can to fill their bellies - no matter how unhealthy. It's hypocritical to then turn around and tax those items deemed "unhealthy" when those are the items subsidized in the first place! The government would do better to subsidize growers of broccoli, carrots, and kale (and other healthy veggies) as well as fresh fruits to keep the cost of those products down, than to slap a tax on anything with "too much sugar, fat, or salt".

Personally I prefer "sin taxes" on things we wish to discourage (say smoking) rather than than things we might want to encourage (say for instance WORKING). One can always elect not to participate by not using the taxed item. Marriage on the other hand is hard to avoid and heavily penalized by AMT. Why don't you complain about that??