LET THE POOR EAT CAKE

Posted by: DAVOhorn on 11 June 2004

OR IN THE WORDS OF OUR HEALTH MINISTER LET THEM SMOKE AS IT IS THEIR ONLY PLEASURE.

But if they can afford to smoke 40 a day then they really cannot be poor.

40 a day is like £8.00 per day which is £50.00 per week which is £2600.00 per year.

Any body who can afford to set fire to that amount of money cannot be poor.

But really to say it is ok for the poor to smoke must be based on reducing the burden on the benefit system via early death of the poor through smoking related diseases.

So we have the health minister asking the poor to smoke themselves into an early grave.

WOW!!!!! what a message.

He could follow this up by saying that to eat junk food is good for them as well.

So they can have higher rates of coronary heart disease obesity and dietary deficiency duseases too.

All we need now is the transport minister to say it is alright for the poor to drive illegally in unroadworthy cars.

So education to the poor on a healthy lifestyle is to be denied.

What is the political motivation for this new philosophy.

Is it really to ensure the early demise of the poor?

regards David
Posted on: 11 June 2004 by Don Atkinson
Dave,

Looks like its New Labour's plan to eradicate poverty....

Cheers

Don
Posted on: 11 June 2004 by long-time-dead
And let Blunkett eat dog food - it's good enough for his eyes.

Smug, ugly bastard. Just like the rest of them.
Posted on: 11 June 2004 by Rasher
With all due respect, it is crazy that it needs the health minister to make a statement that smoking is unhealthy for people to register the fact, same as it needs a statement that a diet of McDonalds, fish'n'chips, pepsi, mars bars & crisps might lead to our kids getting fat.
Letting people take responsibility for their own actions is refreshing change I think.
Posted on: 11 June 2004 by Don Atkinson
Letting people take responsibility for their own actions is refreshing change I think.

Generally speaking I agree with this statement, but it could mean....

...people not wearing seat belts
...drink driving
...and not bothering to pay taxes

Where do we draw the line between

...letting people find out for themselves (usually the hard way)
...giving advice
...passing laws and enforcing them

Difficult

Cheers

Don
Posted on: 12 June 2004 by DAVOhorn
I hope my history is right.

Douglas Bader was a maverick and had a passion for taking risks and duly paid a high price.

But as he was a gifted pilot it made no difference to his skills in the air.

Anyway i believe he was warned about possible Court Marshall and was told by his superiors that :

rules were for the obedience of fools, and the guidance of wise men

So how should this pertain to us the General Public.

I work in health care and believe that the most important aspect of my job is HEALTH EDUCATION.

This enables people to act on the advice and thereby transform the quality of their lives.

I ceratinly do not give the advice for my benefit.

When the person questions me about the advice that i have given i then know that they have listened to what i have said.

When they dont ask questions i know that i am pissing into the wind.

I then say "You are in pain not me. i will go home tonight and not be in pain. You will still be in pain tomorrow and the next day etc etc"

Does not always win me friends.

People have to take responsibility for their own lives and the decisions that they make with regard to lifestyle.

After all most of us on here cant afford to smoke as we plough all our ill gotten gains into our hobby of HiFi and listening to music.

regards David