Merritt 13ret hair croppedMerritt Hamilton Allen, whose work is published previously in the Edgewood Independent, will also provide her columns to the Grant County Beat. 

Our bountiful food dilemma

America is awash in food. People from other countries who visit here or move here comment on the variety and volume of the food in our stores and the portions at our restaurants.

Then, they often like to comment on our collective obesity and tell us our food is crap.

It hits a nerve. But is it entirely deserved?

Our country has gotten fatter in the last thirty years. Since 1994, child obesity rates have doubled to nearly 20%. Nationwide, about 40% of Americans are considered obese, and another 30% considered overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Read more ...

Make no mistake, healthcare is rationed

Whenever anyone talks about changing our healthcare system, the opposition warns of healthcare rationing. Here's the thing. Healthcare already is rationed, in truly haphazard ways.

I am among the most fortunate of Americans in that I am well-insured and quite knowledgeable about healthcare coverage from previous work experience. I consider myself to be a sophisticated consumer of our healthcare system. This was very helpful assisting my parents with multiple catastrophic hospitalizations, managing the pandemic, and managing my own medical issues (I happen to be a disabled veteran).

Read more ...

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