Alabama assessing obese state workers surcharge??????

Question

The state of Alabama reasoned that charging a surcharge to obese employees is necessary because statistically, obese people are three times as likely to experience heart disease and other obesity-related problems.

Do you think that charging employees a surcharge for being obese is discrimination????

If you feel that this is permissible, please answer the following question:

According to the CDC, Blacks make up 13% of the US population, however account for 49% of all new HIV cases.

Would it then be permissible to charge blacks a surcharge because statistically, as a group, they have a higher perdisposition to HIV???? WHY or WHY NOT???????

Answer 1

As taxpayers we shouldn't be responsible. I personally think that Obese people just like people infected with HIV, should be allowed to die like they are supposed to. For every action there is a reaction. If you over eat you get fat. If you get too fat, you die. If you sleep around, or use drugs, you get HIV, and you also die. Why anyone else should have to pay for that I don't know.

To better answer your question, No, I don't think it is permissible. What is next? will we do like china and only allow a certain amount of children per family??? Hey wait, that's not a bad idea....

Answer 2

A very slippery slope indeed. Wouldnt it be more productive to offer incentives to lose weight instead of punishment.

Answer 3

   Just another good example of the nanny state big brother government that has slowly over decades seeped into our daily lives.  Its a watered down form of communism where it was dictated from birth where you went to school what you ate where you lived and where you worked. Its a disease an infestation that has permeated our society at many levels and it must be put to a stop or we are all going down the tubes with it.

Answer 4

It would be permissable because statistics don't lie.

Answer 5

Smokers have been paying this "surcharge" for quite some time.

Obesity is a VERY unhealthy lifestyle.  Why should non-obese people share the burden of paying for the medical costs of "Mr. All You Can Eat"?

EDIT:  It's the nature of the current beast.  Drugs are bad for your health:  Make them illegal and incarcerate those who use them.  Cigarettes?  Set minimum age for use, and arrest people who allow them to fall into the hands of minors.

I'm just sooooooo excited that this ADORATION for all things Nanny-State is hitting a significant portion of the population to become uncomfortable.

When they came for the tokers, I didn't say anything because I wasn't a toker.  When they came for the drinkers, I didn't say anything because I wasn't a drinker.  When they came for the smokers, I didn't say anything because I wasn't a smoker.  When they came for the non-helmet-wearing motorcycle riders, I didn't say anything because I didn't ride a motorcycle.

Well, now they are coming for the fatties.  I'm not a fatty, so I'm just sitting back and enjoying the show.

I think it is ALL bullsh!t, but too many people have FAWNED over the Nanny-State, as long as it hasn't affected THEM.

I can SEE all of the lard when I'm out in town.

Here's your beloved Nanny-State, folks.  Enjoy it!