GOP Senator: We Need ‘Child Labor’ To Fight Obesity Epidemic

[Galraedia]

At a recent town hall in Osage, Iowa, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R) responded to a question about the Labor Department’s stricter limits on child labor by claiming that they could exacerbate the child obesity epidemic by making kids less “active”:

Concern was raised about the proposed Department of Labor’s intent to greatly limit child labor on family farms.

“This farm bill will greatly affect our FFA and 4-H programs,” said Grassley. “Kids won’t be able to help on farms not owned by their parents.

“It’s interesting that this child labor bill goes against Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity initiative,” said Grassley. “How can kids be active if they are limited by this law?“

Grassley represents a farm state that both relies on child labor and contributes to the national obesity epidemic through its production of corn products like high-fructose corn syrup. Iowa farmers benefit from billions of dollars in corn subsidies that allow them to put a glut of cheap, unhealthy foods on the market.

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/01/17/405438/gop-senator-says-child-labor-needed-to-fight-obesity-how-can-kids-be-active-if-they-are-limited-by-the-law/

[Drale]

1. I agree

anyone who acts like a child, who is not a child, should be put to work doing hard labor.

[liberalmuse]

2. I don't know if I should even comment on this.

Because Newt, and a LOT of Republicans would be the perfect case study for this.

[la la]

5. yeah- i'm not sure if i should comment, either----

aw- what the hell----Chris Christie....

[Angry Dragon]

3. No one in this country should have to work harder than a congressperson

[liberalmuse]

4. Which means...

we all should be sitting at home on our asses watching, "Days of Our Lives".

[a simple pattern]

6. How much of Iowa's farm labor is provided by children in the foster care system?

How much of it is provided by kids who are incarcerated?

I think this might be worth looking into.

[alp227]

16. don't forget illegal aliens!

[truthisfreedom]

7. What a disingenuous fuckwad.

Dry up, Grassley. There's plenty of ways for kids to get exercise. You rethugs all want to enslave children and destroy childhood, the one safe place humans have from you fucks.

[burrowowl]

8. How about funding Phys Ed in schools

or just exercise at recess time, like it used to be.

[MichiganVote]

9. He needs to go. Old man with old, old ideas.

[unkachuck]

10. so, children....

....on farms are to be the new slaves of the twenty-first century?

"How can kids be active if they are limited by this law?"

....simple, as soon as you and your slimy corporate friends start paying your fair share of taxes, schools might have the resources to reinstate or create nutrition, gym and/or exercise classes on a daily basis for our children....

....grassy, there's no need to subject our children to your Republican third-world slave-labor standards....

[Rosa Luxemburg]

11. Mr. Grassley, children can take part in sports

they don't need to be your slaves.

[wordpix]

12. Sen. Grassass is way out there

Senator, your time is gone, time to go out to pasture

I can't take you seriously, ever.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

13. What about fat adults?

Truth be told I never had weight issues as a child. One's more likely to have them in adulthood when one's metabolism slows down.

More ignorance from a guy who pushed the Obamacare death panels bullshit.

[McCamy Taylor]

14. If the farm isn't owned by their parents, it isn't a "family farm."

[McCamy Taylor]

15. Migrant farm workers kids as young as 6 are working those "family farms."

Grassley is a great big corn fed sack of federal subsidy swilling shit.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38312193/ns/dateline_nbc/t/america-now-children-harvest/

[AlecBGreen]

17. Chuck is right

some laws DO need to be changed. I work on a farm. I have a friend (14) who wants to come help out to earn some extra cash. By law he cannot handle any machinery or power tools, despite the fact that he is a capable young man. He cant drive the truck while I pitch in hay. He cant use a weedwhacker. He cant use a cordless drill. I know his capabilities, he knows his capabilities, and his parents know and trust me. Why should the government have the ability to determine what he and I can and cannot do on the farm?

[The Second Stone]

18. What is it with these Republican a-holes and child labor?

They are a bunch of cruel sick bastards.

[sarcasmo]

19. They want kids doing the migrants work? Is that what this crazy talk is all about?