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July 17, 2012

READERS’ FORUM: July 17, 2012

The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — Obesity cure not easy, but simple

Despite Mike Anas’ assertion (Tribune-Star, July 15), “It’s my hormones doc” is not valid excuse for the weight gained by most people.

Hormones do regulate appetite and metabolism, but there is no rampant hormonal disorder that is driving the current obesity epidemic.  

Everyone’s insulin increases after eating, especially when one consumes high-glycemic foods that contain easily absorbed sugars (soft drinks, ice cream, French fries, and other favorites). However, very few people who eat a high-fiber, balanced diet experience a rapid drop in blood sugar or suffer from low blood sugar. Insulin spikes are not responsible for the recent increase in obesity, but obesity is likely propelling the recent increase in Type 2 diabetes.

For an enlightening exercise, look at high-school and college yearbooks from years ago. I find the old photos in Parsons Hall at ISU very interesting, but any high-school yearbook from 1960 or earlier will suffice. Almost nobody is obese. Hormones have not evolved in the last 60 years. Metabolism has not evolved in the last 60 years.

One could make a small argument for environmental chemicals, but the evidence is weak. Face it, we eat more junk food (and calories) and exercise less (writing editorials is only an exercise in futility).

Though unpalatable, Chris Davies’ column (Tribune-Star, July 6) is correct. For most of us (the 99 percent), the keys to long-term weight maintenance are to eat better, eat less, and exercise more. Are hormones the major drivers of weight gain in some people? Absolutely. But, general advice should not be based on the exception.

— Jim Hughes

Terre Haute



Learning more about Norquist

I don’t know how many people know who Grover Norquist is, but we all need to know him and the influence he exerts on the Republican Party.

But who is he, and where does he get his power? My information has come from articles sent to me by my daughter, other reading, and from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Norquist has never been elected to office, but he was tapped by Ronald Reagan when he was a little-known staffer at the Chamber of Americans for Tax Reform. This was a pressure group organized to push a comprehensive tax package, and it has pressured Republican congressmen to sign a pledge promising never to raise taxes, especially on the wealthy.

Politicians who have signed Norquist’s pledge include every top Republican running for governor, 1,300 state lawmakers, 40 of the 47 Republicans in the Senate, and 236 of the 242 Republicans in the House. Norquist’s anti-tax pledge was directly responsible for last summer’s effort to raise the debt ceiling, which wrecked the nation’s credit rating by leading the nation to the brink of default. He has also wrecked the Republican Party, a party I grew up with, but not the party it is today.

Norquist made a fortune supplying arms to the Contras during the Reagan administration. He forged an early alliance with Karl Rove. Then, after Obama was elected, this ultimate Washington insider positioned himself as the anti-establishment Tea Party, complete with financial support from the billionaire Koch brothers. Apparently, he has convinced enough Republicans that he has enough power to see that they are either not elected to office, or are not re-elected. He is one of the reasons Richard Lugar, who did not sign his pledge, was not re-elected. Fortunately, there is a ray of hope. I have read that there are more Republicans who are deciding to take their chances against him. Also, former Republican Sen. Alan Simpson has warned his colleagues against Norquist.

It is true that most of us don’t like to pay taxes, but to have someone like Norquist protecting the very wealthy from paying their share is wrong. Without more revenue, in the form of taxes, our programs such as Medicare and Social Security are in real danger, as well as other programs which we badly need, including health care. And our deficit, which was a result of two wars which we did not need, and which we did not raise taxes to pay for, will only grow.

We all need to vote, and we need to become as informed as we can. It is too bad that much of our news media aren’t telling us the whole truth. There are a few who try, and Bill Moyers is one who does, but there are too few.

— Jane White

Rockville



Truthful display

Thank you Tribune-Star and Hobby Lobby for the beautiful page A5 in July 4 paper. It is good to read these truths in our daily paper.

— Lois Moore

Casey, Ill.

 

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