I found this on Slate.com today. There is actually a town in Italy which is offering to pay its citizens to lose weight.
The article isn't as flippant as the title sounds. There are some interesting points about the relationship between short term thinking and bad habits and addictions.
Even if you feel that this is an improper and patronizing intrusion of government power into private life (I agree), there is a lot to chew on here.
http://www.slate.com/id/2179078
Geoff
"Should the Government Pay People to Lose Weight?"
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DegradedBeast
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"Should the Government Pay People to Lose Weight?"
Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables.
- Spanish Proverb
- Spanish Proverb
I think you are walking a slippery slope here. While it does make sense to have a reward for taking care of one's health, I just can't imagine that being done in America without widespread fraud taking place and beauracratic inefficiencies bogging the whole thing down. Just look at the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and FEMA's handling of it for a good recent example.