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11/10/2010
Shown: It’s more than just cheese
Did you hear the one about the bureaucrat that couldn't decide how much cheese to eat? Seriously, the New York Times recently profiled a U.S. Department of Agriculture at war with itself over cheese consumption.
In a scene reminiscent of the old "tastes great" vs. "less filling" commercials, the part of the USDA concerned with nutrition undertook an effort to discourage overconsumption of cheese, while a marketing entity created by the USDA was simultaneously trying to increase cheese consumption. They did so by partnering with well known brands like Domino's Pizza and Taco Bell to increase the amount of cheese in their products.
Is it too much to describe this as a government at war with itself – with citizens caught in the crossfire? Perhaps, since we are only talking about cheese. But it would be a mistake to just shrug your shoulders and dismiss this story as another episode of laughable government ineptitude.
This episode highlights one of the fundamental questions facing the country: What activities should the federal government be involved in and which are those that it should not have any part of?
We won’t all agree on the exact answer to this question. But surely there is one or more answers to this question that will garner broad support. Finding that answer ought to be near the front of the minds of our leaders and legislators. Even those who would advocate for more government involvement than I, must acknowledge that a government working against itself will never be successful.
So while those of us in America's Dairyland may benefit from our nation's increased cheese consumption, a federal (or state, for that matter) government that can't or won't set its priorities benefits no one.
Jeremy Shown blogs at Rhymes with Clown and frequently hits on politics and economics in Wisconsin and the U.S.
COMMENTS
Whatever you do, don't question tourism promotion and economic development efforts at the state level.
John Foust (Thu Nov 11 11:19:14 2010)
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