Fred Thompson = Dinosaur.

Fred Thompson gets 3% again in the latest New Hampshire poll. It really is time for him to leave the race and keep some dignity.

Preventive education is NOT telling you what to eat or do. Should we not teach kids how to brush their teeth, not teach them gym class, not teach drivers' ed, etc.? He's confusing education with coercion. Typical Republican propaganda about the role of government.

IDIOT ALERT!!! IDIOT ALERT!!!

Finally some sanity.

"mouth-watering"?!

Are you kidding me?
This is what passes for journalism?

Fred's absolutely right on. You cannot mandate that anyone brush their teeth, wear a condom or do push aways from that "mouth-watering" fried chicken! It's not the Feds duty to tell you squat, you are a free moral agent. Start acting like it and get these missing link bureaucrats off our necks.

Coward, liberal, liberal, liberal, conservative. The comments so far.

Preventive education is NOT telling you what to eat or do. Should we not teach kids how to brush their teeth, not teach them gym class, not teach drivers' ed, etc.? He's confusing education with coercion. Typical Republican propaganda about the role of government.

But with liberals it becomes coercion so fast. In the New Year our exalted city council has banned smoking in bars. BARS! Chicago ain't CA. We will rebel. But with liberals it always starts out, "but what about the children." And ends up being their policies shoved down our throats.

Fred picks up the critical Gluttonous Slob vote and will experience a 0.00073% bump in the polls, bringing his support level up to 3.00073%. Well played!

I'd say kudos to Thompson if this country wasn't the fattest nation in the world. We have far too many obese people to let nutritional guidelines be ignored.

"— Fred Thompson wants the government to keep its hands off your dinner plate."

**** however Republicans, especially the Christian right, don't hesitate to mess around in your bedroom, and your body …

It's refreshing to see that CNN is indeed full of a bunch of no-brain leftists. You liberals really do make me wonder if you should be sterilized to prevent further damage to our country.

This is probably the smartest thing Fred's said during the campaign… too little, too late.

Fred is simply making the point that it is not the job on the government to tell you what you can or can't do in terms of your daily life and activities. What an idiotic comment made earlier asking if we should not teach kids how to brush their teeth or teach driver education. Are you telling me that it is the government's responsibility to tell us everything that we have to do in our lives, including how to brush our teeth? I know that the federal goverment didn't come in to teach me how to tie my shoes. Fred lives by a different doctrine than many of the folks who post on this or any blog site, and that is the government should do only what the public (the people) or private sector (businesses) can't, won't or shouldn't do.

TAKE THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE BACK AMERICA!!! THE GOV. SCARES ME. WAKE UP PEOPLE IT'S YOUR COUNTRY NOT THEIR'S!!!

TAKE AMERICA BACK PEOPLE, DO NOT LISTEN TO THE GARBAGE. IT'S OUR COUNTRY NOT THEIR'S!!

Hmmm, well unfortunately some families don't do a great job either. But of course, the government makes an utter mess out of it.

What about a K-street good ole' boy like you Mr. Thompson? Should we trust your infallible belief system. Only listen to the will of the highest bidder. I'm sure you have already set up some comfortable agreement should you be elected, with big bribe business railroading the real america into the ground.

Sometimes when I read what HRC wants the public to do, I just eat my feelings until I'm full.

I never did Fred. Go Ron Paul!

Amen! My parents taught me how to make choices for myself and that they all come with consequences good or bad. Keep the Government out of my decisions!

No, Fred. Nobody is demanding that the federal government tell you what to eat. What we are demanding is honesty and up-front, factual information about the chemically doctored crap that companies like Monsanto have forced into the food supply in this country. Given the fact that most people are, like you, too ignorant to know how and where to get healthy, non-genetically engineered food, isn't a good idea for the federal government to impose food information label regulations? That's one thing that I would love to see the government actually do, instead of cowering to gigantic corporations like Monsanto. The FDA has been a failure for years and that is the kind of preventative medicine that we need in this country. The saddest part is that consumers don't even know they have a choice. They just buy the crap food because it's cheap. Now, if these gigantic companies and restaurants were to fully disclose just what kind of things are in their food maybe the free-market economic philosophy that Republicans love to pay lip-service to would actually have a significant effect. If you want to talk about the major, possibly catastrophic threats that are waiting to emerge from our food production system, fine. But obviously you don't, so shut up and have another piece of fried, over-processed chicken!

Well stated "Okie Doc." We should be thankful there are some candidates who still believe in personal responsibility in this country. God forbid it falls into the leadership of Nanny-State thinking liberals!

Woman Hater…American Freedom Hater

Most of the health problems are from ADULT parents not making their kids exercise and most adults not making themselves exercise either. Fred has it right, the feds should not be mandating if we keep fit or not. Or if we take care of ourselves or not. If your an adult and feel you have to be told to take care of your own health and you can't teach your children the same thing then seek help. For adults should not need their hands held by the federal government for them to seek a healthier lifestyle! Any adult that thinks we do need the government in our own life’s to mandate you to keep your own self fit and healthy that much, needs to grow up! And stop asking the government to hold your hands.. GO FRED!

Most of the health problems are from adult parents not making their kids exercise and most adults not making themselves exercise either. Fred has it right, the feds should not be mandating if we keep fit or not. Or if we take care of ourselves or not. If your an adult and feel you have to be told to take care of your own health and you can't teach your children the same thing then seek help. For adults should not need their hands held by the federal government for them to seek a healthier lifestyle! Any adult that thinks we do need the government in our own life’s to mandate you to keep your own self fit and healthy that much, needs to grow up! And stop asking the government to hold your hands.. GO FRED

As always Fred, absolutely right!

Preventative care and wellness is rightfully and exclusively part of parental rights and responsibilities taught in the home while young.

Which of our many nanny elected officials are again avoiding the many critical issues we put them in office to do by dictating what we eat??

Perhaps, if we hadn't allowed judicial and legislative activism to dismantle the family as a functioning foundation of our society this ridiculous question wouldn't be raised.

Give the adults a break here, elect a President who understands freedom and rightly expects self-accountability from noble American citizens…Fred08!

Honestly, it is responsiblity of people to know what they are eating, what is in the food they are eating and what are the best foods in what proportions to eat. That is what the government should be doing. It seems that if people are TOO STUPID to understand what the government is trying to do, then there should be some rules that teach people how to eat. Why you ask should this be done? Because it generally ends up the government picking up the cost of some of these people who have heart attacks and other problems as well as people complaining that the government isn't protecting our lives. That is why the government needs to step in; that is until everyone understands what is responsible eating or they understand that they should not complain to the government to do something.

Fred is right, of course. I take this as a direct hit to Huckabee who wants the government to grow ten times larger than it is and become everyone's personal nanny. Meanwhile, Huckabee's son looks like a tub of lard and slit the throat of a stray dog and then stoned it to death. Keep up the fight Fred. Huckabee, go back home.

If the govt is expected to provide universal healthcare(coming like it or not)..then it is in the govts interest to tell you what to eat.

You are only as healthy as what you eat. Smokers health insurance costs should be tripled.

I'll tell you what Fred Thompson is: A Patriot! He is one of only two candidates that I would call such a name. Why in the world do I want the gov't to tell me what, when, how, or why I should/shouldn't do something? I am a free person, a free thinker, an AMERICAN CITIZEN! We need to stand up and say to the gov't that we believe in the Constitution and we believe we have a right to privacy, a right to be free from unreasonable searches/seizures, a right to due process, a right to bear arms, among others, and if they don't stop arbitrarily taking these rights away little by little, there is going to be a revolution, a REVOLT!!!! Go Fred, tell them how it should be!

Maybe 3% in NH but 2nd in SC.
GO FRED GO!

Thompson is absolutely correct – the federal government has much more important things to spend tax revenue on that imparting advice that will most generally be ignored anyway. Anyone who doesn’t already know that lard, soda, cigarettes are part of a lifestyle will (eventually) kill you is either an idiot or a living in a cave.

I'm sorry but he's right..
The Federal Government cannot mandate Personal Responsibility!

It's not my fault I spilled my coffee, it's MCDonalds fault for making the coffee to hot!

Just because I eat fast food twice a day doesnt make it my fault I'm fat, it's the fast food company.

People need to accept control for their own lives

Funny how ppl quote only his NH poll numbers, not IA where he's running 3rd with 15%, or national numbers, where he's in a dead heat for 2nd along with 3 others. He must really scare some people.

Hey Zhang - We (read PARENTS) have the responsibility to teach kids about brushing teeth and other personal hygenics. The federal gov't has no responsibilty to teach gym class or drivers ed class. That is local. Fred is not the once confused, you are.

That's fine Fred. So get the FDA off the backs of the Nutritional Supplement industry, and tell the Department of Agriculture to stop harassing our raw milk dairy farmers. Quit telling us we have to Nuke our organic almonds and greens. Oh yeah, take that goofy food pyramid and put it where it won't get so much sun!

anyone here seen the movie "supersize me?" The things our children are being fed by federally funded food programs are appalling. We most certainly do need to think about prevention, especially in our schools. What a moron.

****Should we not teach kids how to brush their teeth, not teach them gym class, not teach drivers' ed, etc.?****

Yes, PARENTS should be teaching their children about hygene, fitness, and proper driving. They shouldn't be putting off their parental responsibilities on the federal government.

Regardless of your thoughts on Fred he is correct. It is not the job of government to be your parent and tell you what to eat. Our government, lead by congress, has strayed so far from the Constitution it's a joke.

Fred Thomson needs to go back to playing an actor in Hollywood. I give his performance as a candidate a big thumbs down. I actually hope he stays in the race because we can always use more laughs around the office.

Interesting that most of the negative remarks here are from left-leaning, “I need the government to take care of me”, blue states.

I'm a hell of a lot more worried about government telling me what to think or monitoring my emails than supporting programs that would keep our kids from looking like beached whales. The GOP is out of touch with America.

So, saying (as Fred did) that it's the responsibility of parents to control what their kids eat instead of the government is wrong? Besides he said it's not the government's PRIMARY responsibility. As I read it, he thinks the government should put the information out there, but after that everyone has a choice. How is choice bad?

Okay listen up all of you self absorbed, the government can fix anything types. Fred is right. No, as it happens we (the government) shouldnt be in the baby sitting business, it was never intended to be. If we are the fattest nation on earth, it is because INDIVIDUALS lack self control, and no amount of goverment intrusion is going fix that. As to the three percent figure so touted by ninnies on thispost, that is three percent more than any of you have at the moment, so maybe you ought to think about that.

Fred Thompson is correct. He's not saying you shouldn't eat well, he's saying the federal government should stay out of your business. Stupid, weak, lazy minded, big baby liberals can't grasp a simple concept. Freedom means you're free to make your own choices. Conservatives are the true
defenders of freedom. Liberals want the gov. and the elitists in the gov. to tell them what to do. Liberals don't
trust people and don't respect their decisions when it comes to food, money
or even defending the unborn.

"I think I just soiled myself little girl"

"We have far too many obese people to let nutritional guidelines be ignored."

Wait a sec. What are you proposing, here? That people shouldn't have the freedom to ignore nutritional guidelines? That's a terrifying thought. What else are we going to strongarm people into doing? Shall we bring back Prohibition?

Fred is right, as he is on most issues. Less government, more common sense by people.
Some of the responses here are apparently from the types that need to be led by the hand. "Don't eat that cookie, now, here have this nice tofu instead or Nanny State will be mad and spank." Pathetic.
Do you want Hillery to wipe your *** too?

Fred is right, it's not in the US Constitution for the Federal Government to tell us what to eat or what not to eat. I realize that probably upsets the bog standard CNN reader, but it's the truth. People are too fat and not eating the proper nuitrition, it's their own problem and Washington's.

Fred Thompson is a LOAD. I'm already tired of looking at his ugly face and his sidekick daugther…er, um, wife?

As usual the liberal give me my government crutch crowd so that I do not have to be responsible for myself or my family speaks up. Beautiful comments from NY and CA keep them coming so we can be reminded why we need people like Sen Thompson. Sen. Thompson was saying that we should take care of ourselves first but instead we expect the government to do it for us.

Bradley: Your obesity study that you cite is flawed and based on BMI. When Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lawrence Tayler were in their athletic primes, their body mass index scores would have labelled them as obese. Look at pictures of them. If you think they were obese, you need either a trip to the optometrist for new glasses or a trip to the therapist to deal with body image issues. BMI is not a great measure of overall health or obesity. Body fat percentage however is a mature science and a much more accurate measure of obesity, but it is more costly and takes a lot more time to execute.

Fred isn't showing up in NH because his strategy doesn't include it. It's delegates he wants, and he apparently wants SC's. And we sould teach our kids to brush their teeth etc…. individually, not from government, but as parents and guardians.

Fred Thompson is exactly right. It is not a proper role of government to monitor what we eat. Beware Democrats looking to control our lives in the guise of "preventative care." Their agenda is to get us all dependant on the government for health care and then have the government dictate how we live our lives in the guise of "preventative care." This dictatorial agenda is dangerous and ominous, and Mr. Thompson is right to reject it.

Thompson is right. By what right can the Gummint force you to eat some things but not others. That's too Orwellian.

What's so telling always about the criticism toward Fred Thompson is how it is always so lacking in substance. Should the US Government be telling people what to eat? What I suspect Thompson's edging towards, and ever so diplomatically, is that he doesn't believe government should carry the health care expense for individuals with no self control over their eating habits. Give them a pair of tennis shoes. I am with him.

Its surprising that dinosaurs would call progressive Washington/Jeffersonian-minded republicanism anything but true American values being expressed by a presidential candidate. Yes Republican. Our founding fathers despised democracy calling it mob rule and a path to despotism. If you dont know this, then you went to a govt. school and should take remedial classes.

I'd rather vote for the guy you're calling a "dinosaur" than Hillary or Obama any day. He's the only candidate that doesn't seem to be in politics for himself. If you read carefully, the article spun his comments by inferring that "preventative care and wellness education" should not be a central feature. He never said that; he only said that the government shouldn't tell you what to eat. The government can only make suggestions - legislation can't -make- you do anything. If you'd rather have the government breathing down your neck to tell you to eat no more than 13 potato chips rather than using your head to make sound choices, I dare say that the "idiot alert" may have been tripped by you!

Thompson knows how much we DO NOT want a "Nanny State." Parents need to step up to the plate and stop depending on the federal government to raise their children for them. How about a little personal accountability. I'm with Fred.

Ba Gua Zhang: I understand if you confused the words "Preventative care" and "Preventative education", but they are not the same.

Parents & family should be responsible for teaching children to brush their teeth, driver's education, and to exercise as preventatitve education.

The government should not be responsible for marking people with demerits for failing to uphold preventative care in choosing which foods to eat, brushing your teeth,etc. It is not government's business to do that in a free society. Even such meeasures in a government like the PRC go unenforced as it is impossible to enforce.

Keep government concerned with maintaining border intergrity, collecting taxes, enforcing existing motor & commerce laws- stuff that the government is actually effective at doing.

Keep the government out of the bed room, away from the arts, and out of my dinner plate. In a free society, the government has no business being their, even with nationalised health care. See Canada and the UK for effective examples.

I'm wondering what clause of the constitution or its amendments can be twisted to the point where it can be interpreted as giving the federal government the power to tell you what you should eat. I know that most CNN viewers (and presumably, those who visit this site) will be people stupid enough to believe that the federal government can do ANYTHING and make it work if only the program were "fully funded", but there are just some things that should be "reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." to quote from that "obsolete" old document that nobody pays attention to anymore.

Fred is 2nd nationally and 3rd in Iowa in the latest polling. A southerner can't really expect to win NH. Besides, anyone that watched the last Bears or Patriots games knows better than to predict the outcome of a game before its over, let alone before its started! The Government can recommend what we eat, but has no place TELLING us what to eat. It's an untenable proposition anyway, so the point is moot.

Yeah, I can hear it now. "You - yes you, with the Big Mac! Freeze! Drop the burger and step away from it, or I'll taze ya, bro. I'm from the government and I'm here to help!"

The pio

Please find the clause in the constitution that makes individual diet the responsibility of the Federal Government. Republicans (American Fascist Party) and Democrats(American Socialist Party) all want the Federal Government to run every detail of our lives. The only difference between them is what they want to make us do.

Ridiculous. If the government doesn't tell you how to eat, we are just going to get fatter. The government needs to tell us what to do and how to live at all times.

It's called personal responsibility folks! If you're so stupid and weak that you need the government to monitor what you eat then you are beyond help. Fred Thompson is the only authentic candidate running!

Thompson's point is, it is not the flippin' federal government's responsibility to educate morons on common sense matters such as what is healthy and not healthy to eat. The democrats and Huckabee would like to take care of/control us from cradle to grave, womb to tomb. Thompson understands the Constitution and the fed's limited role better than any other candidate, which means less digging into our pockets.

Do you folks understand the difference between nutritional guidelines/education and force of law? Thompson isn't saying people shouldn't be educated or shouldn't try to prevent illness. He's saying the government shouldn't force people into a certain lifestyle.

Ah, I see we already have a number of liberal democrats bashing small government, personal responsibility, and free living. They long for the day of the stalinist state where they are told when to eat, how to eat, and every aspect of their life comes via government decree. How, here's a secret dems, you can experience your hearts desire now, just 90 miles south of Florida. Cuba would just love to have you. I'll even ship your stuff. Everything there is taken care of for you.

It is the libs who support fat people who sue McDonalds for making them fat. The damage Edwards has done in his lifetime with bogus lawsuits is probably worse than every person who has ever ran for president combined. Then again people getting money that they don't deserve is what makes the average liberal democrat most happy.

Libs want a government to tell them what to do and take care of them from cradle to grave. If you have a little more dignity than that then you shouldn't give any of them your support.

I watched Fred Thompson on Charlie Rose last night.

His performance was truly painful to watch, between his attempts at sounding conservative with buzzwords and keywords (voucher, get government out of X), and his constant attempts at watering down everything he said in a bid to appeal to centrists, it sounded like a lot of cold porridge.

this is good. In no way should the government tell an individual what they can or cannot eat. People are different. Some people can eat the fattiest foods and matobolize them fine without having health problems and being obese. Just because certain people eat and become over weight should not be a burden of other people. It's your own responsibility to maintain your health. Not the government. I don't want to only be able to eat coose coose and dried tofu. I want the butter, greese, and sugar. No artificial flavors made with plastic!! I have the choice.

The government has been pushing the false idea that fat in the diet causes heart attacks for decades. So now we eat high carb diets and diabetes, heart disease and obesity are soaring. It was all a political, not a scientific decision in the first place. How many have lost their lives due to government incompetance. So not only is it none of the government's business, the government is incapable of doing unbiased science anyway. Meat isn't the problem, it's the solution. Ignore the corn farmers lobby and their high fructose corn syrup.

here's the problem with his thinking. People do nothing to promote or protect their own health, or you could even say do the opposite they know is right, and then when they lose their health because of their poor choices with no thought to the future, they want the govt (taxpayer) sponsored health care to pay for their expenses through medicare/medicaid. There has to be some accountability.

Fred is right. Finally someone is talking since.

I cannot believe a Presidential Candidate in 2008 believes that a citizen should be able to take care of themselves. I can hardly wait for Hillary to tell me how to eat, think, spend my money and handle my life. These decisions are far too important for me to decide.

The point Thompson is making is not so much about food as it is about personal responsibility, something in which this country needs a HUGE refresher course. It's ridiculous to sue McDonalds because eating their food made you fat, and it's ridiculous to expect the government to pass a law to keep you from eating there as well.

"Preventive education is NOT telling you what to eat or do. Should we not teach kids how to brush their teeth, not teach them gym class, not teach drivers' ed, etc.? He's confusing education with coercion. Typical Republican propaganda about the role of government.

Posted By Ba Gua Zhang, Chico, CA : December 4, 2007 6:36 pm"

NO!!! THE GOVERNMENT SHOULDN'T!! Thats what PARENTS are for!!!

Just another lazy liberal that wants the government to do EVERYTHING for them so they can play like little children rather than assume ANY responsibility for their own lives. If you dont have the time to teach your children to brush their teeth, you are PATHETIC!!

Are you kidding me? It is not the role of the federal government to "teach" people how to eat. Nor is it the role of the federal government to ban "junk" food in schools.

I'm telling you, I don’t think that it’s the primary responsibility of the federal government to tell you what to eat," Thompson said to applause when asked if his health care plan included any details on preventative care, a priority for Democratic candidates.

-Wow. How dishonest. Who said the "primary responsibility" of the federal government is to tell you what to eat? I must have missed that. Try this one out at you next rally Fred, "I don't think that it's the primary responsibility of federal government to tell you who you can marry". Something tells me the Spartanburg folks would not have applaused that one.

Gua Zhang is an idiot. We are not talking about teaching "children" like you libtards love to preach about as a cover for your idiotic ideas. We are talking about GROWN ADULTS who lack the will power to not eat like pigs and expect the government to bail them and and teach them how to live. Get a grip Gua, you moron.

Fred is spot on. It is not the role of the Federal nor State Government to tell me how to live MY life. If I want to eat buckets of lard for breakfast lunch and dinner that is my choice.

The government shouldn't be teaching us anything! We are wasting millions of taxpayer dollars doing studies. People need to take personal responsibility for their life and stop looking to the government to "hold their hand".

Dietary guidelines are not the governments business. Find anything in the constitution that lets the Feds tell me what to eat or how to do anything. The problem with us being overweight is not going to be fixed by the government. Government does not and should not have the power to force me to eat something or not eat something. Thompson is the first person in politics who has had the sense to say enough is enough. Get the government out of my food. After all when does it end, with your choice of music, your car, your house style? Once you let them into your daily life they will not stop.

Preventive education is NOT telling you what to eat or do. Should we not teach kids how to brush their teeth, not teach them gym class, not teach drivers' ed, etc.? He's confusing education with coercion. Typical Republican propaganda about the role of government.

Posted By Ba Gua Zhang, Chico, CA : December 4, 2007 6:36 pm

Telling people you CANNOT eat something is not Preventive education. If some people had their way it'd be a law that you can only eat grass, low-fat grass but grass only. There is nothing wrong with the government presenting the facts, the problem is the government things we are stupid. I do not need someone in washington telling me if I eat of a fastfood place I'm probably not eating healthy….I know that, I also don't need someone in washington telling me I cannot eat foods cooked in this or that. I'm a big boy, all grown up, I think I can decide for myself.

The government has been telling us to eat since I was a child, with the four basic food groups. Since we are now the fattest nation, do you think the government may have erred? What makes you think they'll get it right this time?

Some people want to spend your money to tell you and others how to live, what to do and how to do it.

I really don't think that is a good idea, nor a good use of my money.

Pay for the rule of law, from a local level to the national level, but don't pay for a nanny state nor a government that can't spend money wisely.

Call that what ever you wish, Thompson is saying the same thing. Like him or not yourself, he will appeal to millions of Americans.

Just be sure and not just be a talker and a net nut.

Git your butt out on election day and cast your vote.

Once.

Papa Ray
West Texas
USA

Good for Fred. This is not the governments role.

You've made our point. "We have far too many obese people to let nutritional guidelines be ignored." The only way to keep them from being ignored is to ENFORCE them which is what libs will do if they ever get real power again. If I don't eat right, it is MY fault, not some government bureaucrats. I pay for my own health care. That is the incentive I need to live healthy. Having the government pay for my healthcare and then forcing me to live healthy makes fear of punishment the incentive. Does anyone really want that?

I agree with Fred…I a big guy…not obese, but just a big guy in general. It kills me that everyone has to blame someone other than themselves. When I hear obese people talking about it someone else's fault it is hard to sypathize when I see them whoof down a dozen Krispy Kremes…does personal responsibility play any role these days. It is not the governments job to instill will power to eat right in people. Did you all think KFC stood for Kolesterol Free Chicken? No body was forced to eat it…it was a choice. It is a personal problem if they can't back away from the buffet line at the appropriate time.

Common-sense practices like brushing one's teeth and learning to drive are not mandated by the government, nor should they be. However, "education" becomes "coersion" when laws are established to prevent restaurants from serving fatty food to its customers.

Those that are "educated" will likely be aware of the consequences of their decisions. Let the consumer live with his/her choices, rather than allowing the government the opportunity to choose for us.

Wow, these comments really say a lot about the mental state of our nation. Are Americans really that brainwashed that they need the government to educate them at every level of our personal lives? Is the government the end all, be all to some?

If Americans haven't learned by NOW that eating too much pizza and fried chicken will make you FAT, then sorry, there is nothing the government can do to teach you. It's simple common sense, which Americans are lacking more and more everyday. We need a ticket for not buckling up, we need smoke nazis to prevent anyone from breathing second hand smoke (cause you know, our air is so clean anyways) and now, here comes the government to tell fat people to shape up.

When will it end? Pretty soon they will be in every aspect of our lives, from cradle to grave. Everyone will be working for some government agency because you need a lot of people to dictate to others.

Take some friggin' responsibility people! Down with government, up with personal accountability!

I guess the US CONSTITUTION means nothing to Anonymous who is so progressive my guess is he thinks from each according to his means, to each according to his needs is in the US Constitution. God this contry is in big trouble if the Dinosaur comment is prevelent

Bradley Schaubs is representative of what's gone wrong in this country. He's displaying a complete lack of understanding (or wanton disregard) of the principle of limited government on which our country was founded. The federal government has no authority to enforce nutritional guidelines, nor should they.

People will do what they want no matter what the Government says. A little Ron Paul thinking wouldn't hurt here. Laws don't change peoples behavior. If you want a government babysitter, you better look to the Demos but don't expect to become a more responsible nation.

Ba Gua Zhang and others are missing the point as usual. Thompson isn't trying to suppress education on healthy living. He just doesn't want to federal government to do it! Doctors, parents, teachers and individuals are responsible for helping us understand what we should eat.
The government is already trying to tell us what to eat. NYC has passed laws on trans fat use, etc.
As with many of these topics, liberals want the government to be responsible, conservatives want individuals to be responsible. I prefer having the FREEDOM to make my own intelligent decisions.

You numbnuts liberals need to immigrate to Canada or the UK if you want the government to take care of you 24-7. Thompson is exactly right. Why do you think there are so many fat-bastard Americans? It's that mindset of, "I have no responsibility to myself or my fellow-Americans. I'll do whatever feels good, and my government will take care of me." When people are conditioned to think for themselves and to rely on themselves for their needs, they will make better choices.

You'll get my Liberty Fries (aka "French") when you prey 'em from my fat, pudgy fingers!

Fred's The Man: he's right, we gotta right to be, well, whatever.

what he is saying you idiots is the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT should not tell you how or what or when or how much to eat.
To you morons out there who don't understand this it means the the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT should not waste time, money or anything else on attempting to tell you what to eat. It is not their job and never should be. This country needs to grow up and take some personal responsibility.

He's got a good idea. Too many people are living too long, and it's not just America that's overpopulated.

Allow those who don't care for health to kill themselves with bad diet, and cut the strain on already useless programs that are spending our tax dollars. It's not difficult to find the information and knowledge you need about being healthy. Like he said, the government cannot instill willpower, only individuals can.

Obviously, the attempts of the government to influence our health so far have failed miserably.

A tiny advance for the greater good. I want the Gov. out of my labor, out of my health care, out of my bedroom, out of my kitchen, out of my church, out of my…well just about everything else except what its supposed to do and while they're at it..how about repealing the 16th amendment and going to a national sales tax? Huh?

Liberals hate anyone that talks of smaller gov't. The liberal comments above prove that. All they can do is personal attacks, skillfully avoiding the real message. Less gov't, more freedoms.

And he's running at second place in South Carolina. What does any of this have to do with his comments here anyway?

Where in the Constitution does it say that the federal government should educate and guide the private daily lives of citizens? The thing about liberal-minded people and nanny-staters I don't understand and get irritated with is that they have no clue what the framework our government is based on really says. You may think Fred Thompson looks old, but what he says and what he holds to as his set of principles are what we should be looking at for judging whether or not he would be a good president. If you think the government should be involved in every part of your life and tell you what to eat, whether you can smoke, and take more money from you to run social entitlements that our Constitution never gave them the authority to do, then Fred probably is not the candidate for you. At least judge him on the issues and not on whether he looks "tired." Sheesh, 90% of the people in this country look tired and rundown. I recommend reading the Constitution and then "the Federalist Papers" to get a better sense of where Fred is drawing his platform.

Kudos to Thompson! I too, am fed up with Government telling us what to eat, what not to say, what not to do, how to raise our kids. It has gotten to the point that so many people are so interested in what other people are doing (and if they can change anything they don't like), that even to hug a friend can get you thrown out of a job or school! Government is not a "nanny" and should quit trying to be one.

Senator Thompson is absolutely correct…it is up to us as individuals, to take some personal responsibility(a concept that seems to have gotten lost in this country) for what we do with our lives and our bodies…it is not the place of Govt, to tell us how to live as free people, it IS the govts' responsibility to provide a safe infrastructure, within which to conduct our daily lives…….when you expect the govt. to do everything for you….that is called socialism.

Way to go Fred! You liberals are idiots. Apparently you have been too busy reading Karl Marx to pick up a copy of The Constitution or The Federalist Papers. Socialism = Dependency = Loss of Rights. It worked so well in East Germany and North Korea. The government is doing such a good job with schools, Social Security, and the BMV, why not let them run everything else.

To: Ba Gua Zhang, who said, "Preventive education is NOT telling you what to eat or do. Should we not teach kids how to brush their teeth, not teach them gym class, not teach drivers' ed, etc.? He's confusing education with coercion. Typical Republican propaganda about the role of government."

Yes, WE should teach the kids those things. However, the Government should not… it is not their responsibility, period. It is the Parent's responsibility to teach their kids how to take care of themselves. The Government needs to stay out of this.

Fred won't get my vote, but he's right. Read your Constitution folks. Where in the world does it task the federal government with educating the people on ANYTHING? How many of you folks even know how many amendments there are in our Constitution? Bottom line: The federal government does nothing well…why do you trust it to educate well? It doesn't matter who the President is, the federal government should stay out…otherwise, rename our nation the United STATE of America as the individual states are merely just administrative units now.

People who want to healthify America feel it is their duty to go around and fix all the "ignorant slobs" in the world, because they have it all figured out. How dare anyone stick their noses into my home and tell me what I can and cannot do about food. Here's something we never here from the democrats, "It's none of your business!!!!"

Thank you, Peter, for an unbiased report.

This highlights the fundamental difference between Conservatism and Liberalism: use of the Federal Government to achieve certain social goals. For example, Edwards' healthcare plan would REQUIRE you to receive preventative care in order to contain long-term costs associated with a poor lifestyle (i.e. smoking, obesity, etc.) REQUIRE!! What if you choose not to? What if the doctor tells you to quit smoking and over-eating and you don't? Can't the justification used to require you to seek preventative care (cost control) be used to force people to live a healthier life? While a noble goal, doesn't that violate the very principles upon which this nation was founded (i.e. freedom and liberty)? Is it really the kind of power we want to give the Federal Government? The Federal Government is not the grantor of rights, but the guarantor of them.

The fact that many liberals do not agree with Fred's sentiment is frightening. I don't want the government in my kitchen or bedroom. Wake up!

Right on Fred. We in corporate America, the true Americans, support the Republican plan for health care! Let the slobs get fat and die. We can then replace them with overseas companies or guest workers (wink, wink). Meanwhile all those pension benefits and Social Security benefits that we owe will go away since they are gone! Gotta love the Republican party, they know how to save the top 1% of the country from poverty.

Thank you Fred, I couldn't agree more. People who are fat and lazy will always be fat and lazy it's their right to make bad choices. In this country most obese people don't work and are welfare anyway. Poor down trodden fat people.

"Preventive education is NOT telling you what to eat or do. Should we not teach kids how to brush their teeth, not teach them gym class, not teach drivers' ed, etc.?"

nobody is telling you what to teach your kids. leave the rest of use alone.

To Ba Gua Zhang,

If you paid any attention at all to the article, you would have noticed he said the family should teach healthy living. The point isn't that we should be fat slobs, the point is the gov't shouldn't use our tax dollars to encourage healty living. Healthy living is a personal choice and nothing the gov't says or does will make people make the right choice. Remember, the gov't does nothing to earn money, they take it from you and me. If we allow them to fund every program they deem to be "necessary", we will all be broke!

I generally ignore Fred Thompson ("Fred Thompson-who?"), but I agree wholeheartedly with this-it's truly getting ridiculous what our government wants to tell us to do. I can tell Washington a thing or two to do, though…

Thanks Fred, the gov't needs to get the heck out of our lives. ITS THE PARENTS RESPONSIBILITY

He is right to make that point.

We are continuously headed toward a "Nanny State" and it's THAT far fetched to think that government might one day pass some "FAT TAX" in the name of health costs.

Keep up the good work Fred!

Since the government can't educate people about living healthily, as Thompson suggests, I hope he'll also suggest that the government shouldn't give medicare or social security to fat old people. Typical Republican pandering to the Lowest Common Denominator.

Daniel, NY:

New Hampshire has proven itself irrelevant in deciding who will win the Republican nomination. In 2000 McCain carried NH. In 1996, Buchanan carried NH. And this year, NH's already small contingent of delegates will be reduced by half.

Thompson is still in the running to win South Carolina. South Carolina has proven to be a key to obtaining the Republican nomination.

And as for all these people who are calling Fred an idiot and saying he doesn't want to teach gym class or driver's ed. I wish you were intelligent enough, or honest enough, to recognize the distinction between the authority of the federal government and the authority of state governments. Try reading the Constitution. You might learn something.

I truly don't understand some of these comments. Why do some people almost insist on being told what to do? Are you an adult? Can you not live for yourself and leave others' to their own vices and wiles?
If you want socialized/universal medicine and and all the governmental mandates of health of fitness that will come along with it, why not just move to Canada? Seriously. The other socialists will gladly welcome you. They need help with that immense tax burden!

I'd sure like to see someone actually take care of one of those preventatives.

Fred Thompson — He is definitely the "voice of reason" amid the chaos!

Not a Fred Thompson fan or follower, however on this one I agree. It is not the governments job to tell anyone what to eat.
If so then why stop there? Whe shouldn't the government tell you to ban smoking 100%. Ban Alcohol 100%. Ban all processed foods 100%.Have government mandated daily excersizing for all people. Sounds like communist Utopia.
No individual responsibilities or choices left.

The government should also not be allowed to define what marriage is…remember less government is better…less government is better

Yes, we should brush our teeth and exercise. Should the government mandate it? NO! It is not the government's job to prevent us from disease, obesity, etc. Good for Fred!

I am a Democrat, but Fred is absolutely correct about this issue.

It comes down to this: In a free country, people MUST be allowed to be self-destructive and must be permitted to make stupid, irresponsible choices.

If I wish to eat KFC 3 meals per day, that is my prerogative, and nobody should interfere with me. If I suffer obesity-related illness and die, it's my problem and my fault.

That's freedom, folks.

To Andy

Because the Democratic party doesn't pander to the lowest common denominator? Last time I checked it was the Democrats who get the majority of the votes from the welfare sponges because they protect their free government money. "No, why should we fix welfare? We've got an entire community voting for us, we just have to pay for their living expenses and a bus to the polls."

We're talking about the God given right to do whatever the hell you want with your body be it healthy or not. I want to have the freedom to eat a second piece of cake. Do you Democrats and Liberals REALLY believe that you can make people healthy with education? True, proper education is important so that we know what is health and what is not, but that's where it should end. No tax, no laws, no government intrusion.

Referring to the post below: Who is we? Is we the government? Should the government be teaching children to brush their teeth? Shouldn't parents be doing that? Of course if the guy who wrote the post below had his way families won't be needed anymore. Socialist, big government policies are THE reason for the destruction of American families.

Preventive education is NOT telling you what to eat or do. Should we not teach kids how to brush their teeth, not teach them gym class, not teach drivers' ed, etc.? He's confusing education with coercion. Typical Republican propaganda about the role of government.

Posted By Ba Gua Zhang, Chico, CA : December 4, 2007 6:36 pm

The last thing we need is government to tell us how and what to eat. The less government in our lives the better! Think about it, a bunch of useless guidelines created out of a Senate committee. Government is not an expert in Wellness care. (or many other things)

Fred is the only real conservative in this race. McCain is liberal on immigration and thats why he has no chance of winning. Rudy is a social liberal(and by the way, likes to dress like a woman sometimes). Romney has always been liberal. Huckabee is just acting like a conservative to get some votes. Paul is conservative, but has no chance of winning. Same with Hunter and Tancredo.

To Ba Gua Zhang

Confusing education with coercian? Republican Propaganda on the role of government?

Can I ask you for the passage in our Constitution that states that its the federal governments role in teaching children how to brush their teeth? Or where to send those children to gym class or drivers ed?

Just wondering…

Maybe if we didn't have such a high tax burden to pay for social programs, people could afford more fresh fruits and vegetables, and better yet, afford to have one spouse stay home and cook them properly. But that's putting too much trust in people, we can't allow that in today's world view. Ask not what you can do for the government, ask what the government can do for you seems to be the mantra among Republicans and Democrats alike.

Mike Huckabee's health plan: have Chuck Norris shove your pallet full of broccoli. Pray to Jesus it doesn't hurt.

I'm disappointed that no one yet has noted that this is clearly a dig at the Huckabee "get fit for God and Country" plan, in addition at faceless liberalism.

No where in Thompson's remarks did he indicate that he "dismissed the idea that preventative care and wellness education should be central features of a government's health care system."

This is your interpretation. He simply believes that government should not intervene or mandate what we eat.

I think most people agree that every US citizen should have access to scientifically proven healthy lifestyle education and preventive medical care. It is when the government starts paying for other things that are based on the individuals choice of lifestyle that the role of government gets scary.
Here's is a possible plan. Use federal tax dollars to pay for all preventive care and education on how to live a healthy lifestyle. Preventive care includes annual physicals for adults and other preventive screenings appropriate for age and the normal child physicals appropriate for their age. It includes dental cleaning and vision screening. Any other types of medical care should be the responsibility of the individual either by paying out of pocket or through unregulated healthcare providers. This includes eyeglasses, contacts, medical surgeries (even those required to save someone's life), cosmetic surgery, fillings, crowns, perscriptions. If people choose not to use the preventive care or life a healthy lifestyle, they will have higher medical expenses. If you choose to live healthy you should have much lower medical expenses. I realize that many people get sick not as a result of any of their choices and may not be able to afford the necessary medical care or insurance. If that person requires assistance from the government, then the government should be able to ensure the person has gone to all the preventive medical appointments and lives a reasonably healthy lifestyle before offering any assistance. Bottom line is you do not want to have to rely on the government for anything unless you absolutely have to…and when you do, you are going to be subject to the scrutiny of the entire country since it is their money you are using.

I wish this was just propoganda, but unfortunately as we see in NYC and elsewhere, the government IS starting to mandate what we eat. But guess what? It should, as long as "it" foots the bill for healthcare. The only sustainable (sustainable as in will not continuousely snowball to an extreme) policy is for the government to not be involved AT ALL in our healthcare.

Vote Democrat so that the Goverment can tell you how to run you life, what to eat, how to dress. Oh by the way, we will install live video feeds in your home to make sure you are following the rules.
OBEY..or else

Democrates want the federal government to demand healthful living from our obese and smoking citizens. AIDS is a serious health issue. Guess they will have to also outlaw homosexual sex. what about STDs? Let's ban sex out of marriage. What about abortions. Dangerous to health (emotional/physical) of the mother. Deadly to the baby. Ban abortions. etc., etc. What about the dangerous side-effects of pharmacuticals? Outlaw them. etc., etc.,

The key words are "Federal Government". Fred is right, the feds have no business telling us what to eat. Federal government is not here to micro manage our lives, and it's just ridiculous that some folks think it should be. There are, however, many lower levels of government who are better equipped to take these positions or assist other agencies in keeping the folks informed. I don't know anyone who is saying let everyone get fat. But when it is said that the feds should stay out of our private lives, that is exactly what they mean. It does not mean that nobody should inform the masses about nutrition. Then again, there do seem to be people who think the federal government is in charge of everything and never even consider a more local approach.

OF COURSE government should not be controlling or telling people what they should and should'nt eat. Do you liberals want to live in a 1984 Orwellian nightmare where the government has absolute control over our lives?!! ARE you liberal Democrats really so ignorant that you cant understand what freedom is? All the government should do for the people is keep the roads up to date, provide police and fire departments and the strongest military and that is ALL! Government has NO PLACE in my life, and especially has no right telling me what I should or should not be putting in my body. That is MY decision, and my choice! All of you same liberals that are such pro-abortion activist, and talk about your right to choice. Well it is my right to eat what I want, and I dont want the government using my tax dollars creating some costly program that tells people what to eat! STUPID!!! And I am not an old dinosaur, I am 26 years old!!! GO FRED 08′!

Thanks Fred. We need LESS government involvement in our private lives, not more. The lazy ones want government to control everything - so they don't have to think or develop their own plan of action. That's scarey. Too much like Hitler for me!

You spelled Tennessee wrong.

What a New Hampshire poll says about Fred is of little concern to me. I can't think of the last time I agreed with someone in New Hampshire about anything. I intend to vote for Fred! I don't want another Yankee liberal in the White House. I also don't want any more of government's help. Everytime they promise to help, it costs me more money!

Fred is right-on. KEEP GOVERNMENT OUT OF OUR LIVES!!!!!

Thompson is totally correct that it's a willpower issue, not an education issue. It's become common basic knowledge that eating too many calories causes weight gain. Who in the world does not know this? All this "wellness" education from Washington over the past few decades has been accompanied by the average American getting FATTER not thinner. And it's not about food choices either. It's been shown that both high fat diets and low fat diets can result in weight loss. The issues is the AMOUNT of food one eats, much more than the types of foods.

'A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess from the public treasury. From that time on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the results that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's great civilizations has been 200 years.

These nations have progressed through this sequence:
from bondage to spiritual faith
from spiritual faith to great courage
from courage to liberty
from liberty to abundance
from abundance to selfishness
from selfishness to complacency
from complacency to apathy
from apathy to dependency
from dependency back to bondage'
–Alexander Fraser Tyler (1742-1813)

The same people who advocate that government should "stay out of the bedroom" will nevertheless invite them right on in to the kitchen table. Hypocrites to the bitter end….

Oh please - what pandering. People are free to make their own food choices. That has never been at issue.

Trans Fats are an artificial substance that cause great harm to the human body. They can be regulated like any other chemical. DDT was banned for a good reason, and so too should trans fats. Your grandparents did not grow up eating trans fats.

Otherwise, there is an obesity crisis in this country, and the government CAN help - especially in the schools. The cost of not doing anything raises the cost of healthcare for us all.

Less government = Less taxes = More freedom

Pete, you're a journalist. I shouldn't be able to know what you think…yet, I do.

Liberalism, Socialism, Communism, and Stupidity; What's the difference?
NONE!

I'd also add, that Fred Thompson is addressing a non-existent issue here. The only instance of any government in the United States telling you what to eat relates to the issue of trans-fats in some of our processed food. Trans-fats are not naturally occurring, but rather, are a product of chemical alterations made to processed foods in order to prolong shelf life. When companies chemically alter food to thicken their bottom line, at the expense of our waist lines, that is a public health issue.