Holly Benson: Poor have more time to run

Holly Benson, secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, was interviewed on WFSU last week, with reporter Margie Menzel for Florida on the Line.

When asked whether the economic downturn would create a downward spiral on people's health, Benson said she disagreed.

"Just because you're poor doesn't mean you're unhealthy; it just means you have a lot more time to go running," Benson said. An edited version is here. (Thanks to Sticks of Fire, which first pointed out the comments.)

Later a caller, Michael in Alabama, called Benson's comment "low class." Benson  quickly apologized. "As soon as I said it, I regretted it," she said. "I meant there's no reason that anybody couldn't be healthy at any time." The full program is here.

Comments

Good thing she was at "Free Shoes University" radio station. Surely they can supply Holly with some running shoes she can stuff in her mouth.

[Crusader]

OK, she caught herself, let's move on.

A suggestion, if she's sincere about improving public health of the poor -- especially the working poor, who hold multiple jobs, have no health insurance.

Tackle childhood obesity.

Go get 'em, Holly.

right on Holly B

"Just because you're poor doesn't mean you're unhealthy, it just means you have a lot more time to go running," Benson said.

I wonder what she thinks about the darkies, jews, and fags?

If she is so interested in health, about about the health of the people who work in her agency?

Oops! She's not THAT interested!

Remember in November!!!

[JZ]

9:07 You can only help unhealthy people as much as they are willing to help themselves. At some point, those unhealthy people are going to have to make the conscious choice to lead a healthier life, rather than blame others for their condition.

Hamburgers are 99 cents. A pint of blueberries is four bucks. Poor people eat cheaper foods, which are higher in refined sugars and fats. Working poor people work two jobs and grab food on the run.

It's funny

So what… she was continuing with a line of questioning from the host (mostly related to programs to help people live a healthier lifestyle) and the comment was more related to people who were losing their job, not necessarily poor… so in that case they would have more time to jog.

What is the big deal? People get free healthcare paid for by taxpayers, and when someone suggests that they should take better care of themselves they are offended? That is absurd!!!

Great point 10:11!

who wears leather in their agency headshot?

so what, i'll bet she at least knows there's not 57 states

Holly rocks! She has committed the ultimate sin for a public official: she told an inconvenient truth. Good for her.

10:35 She has no clue how poor people in the real world live. When you are poor, you have two and three jobs to stay alive. There is no time for running. Your lucky if you have time to sleep. Start voting for real world people.

[terminator]

sounds like another solid Chuckles "the clown" Crist agency appointee.

Jesus H Christ, can this state get any dumber than it already is?

Time hit the nail on the head.

If I were the Russians, Floriduh would be the first place I'd nuke!

BANG-O-RANG, 10:47!

10:51 sounds like the dumb people that 10:47 wrote about. "BANG-O-RANG". How stupid is that?

8:23, the good secretary is a UF alumna.

terminator - you are a dumbass...

FREE HEALTH CARE! Most of us pay ALOT for our own healthcare. Those who don't should not have the right to be offended. Get over it!

11:26 – You are only partially right, not only are they not paying for their healthcare, WE ARE PAYING FOR THEIR HEALTHCARE! I say make the health ones jog.

That is suppose to be "...healthy ones jog."

Good golly Holly!

not the best thing to say, but everyone knows what it feels like to immediately regret saying something. benson does a good job.

[Annie Oakley]

LOL 10:19. Not just leather but leather and LACE..how cliche!
And soon, we'll all be putting more miles on our feet because we won't be able to fill up our gas tanks.

10:28 - Only Senior Management and SES don't pay for their health care. Most state employees do pay for their health care just like in the private sector.

Holly couldn't care less for the people in the agency who actually DO the work. She has contempt for those who aren't in her "social class."

All she does is send out uless e-mails addressed to "dear team." She isn't interested in the mission of the agency, couldn't care less that there are insufficient investigators to conduct surpise inspections of nursing homes (you'd be suprised yourself to know how your loved ones are treated in those places - and not pleasantly), and doesn't care that the agency has insufficient legal staff with adquate support to prosecute violators.

Oh well, as long as she can get a sound-bite or two!

Image over substance is the rule of the day.

6:13 - We are talking about Medicaid, not your state benefits. Get a clue. People on Medicaid do not pay for their healthcare... we the taxpayers do.

Holly couldn't care less for the people in the agency who actually DO the work. She has contempt for those who aren't in her "social class."

Wrong! I have seen her work very hard for her employees, especially the ones who do the menial work. Sure, she drops Dartmouth a bit frequently in conversation but she is, at heart, a geeky woman who enjoys and is talented at policy. She may be an appointtee but she has a huge amount of energy that she can bring to bear. I do not care to work for her but she IS good people.

Love it. This is what people in healthcare think, but don't have the guts to say. Next thing we know the state will be buying WIIs for these people who are living on the system. And they'll say something like they have a "right" to exercise like anyone else. Free WIIs for everyone.....

I agree with Holly. They also have more time to write the Great American Novel and solve Global Warming. Results expected any day now.

Agree with Holly.

that is AWESOME! I am going to tell that to the next bum who asks me for money- "Hey, at least you have time to workout! Me on the other hand, I barely have enough time to stuff my face with food!"

LOL- I love me some Holly- but that is TOO funny

Not that i disagree (there are far too many obese poor people), but this shows just how out of touch the political class is with the rest of society.

Holly has it right… once we kill all the fat, ugly, gay, old, black, hispanic, and unhealthy people… the US will belong to the rich, white, closet pervs!

Whoooo Hooooo!

Those who actually know and have worked with Holly Benson know she is a class act with integrity and a strong ethic of her own personal responsibility ... it is reflected in the fact that she accepted responsibility immediately for her comment and said it was mistaken. We can count on one hand the number of people in public life who would act with that degree of integrity ...

Holly is one of the friendliest people around state government- the people that are throwing knives on this board have obviously never met her. Do you ever say anything stupid?

It is not easy to be under the spotlight. If this is her worse gaffe, she will be great.

I guess we know what Holly's staff does all day!

Get a clue? Holly, as well as her predecessors, has - and had - so little knowledge of the Agency's workings, it's surpising any meaningful work is accomplished. Appoint someone from within the Agency - that knows its workings - and it may improve.

[work3jobs]

Already we see people who work three jobs who cannot afford steak, but people with EBT cards always buy them.

They buy steaks with EBT cards and then use their stash of cash to buy beer and the honest working schmucks have to eat beans and rice....that is the American injustice.

man you guys are slow, this is old news. how dated are the rest of the stories you blog about?

Typical snooty mind set.

This entry gives me new thanks that not every stupid thing I say ends up on a blog somewhere with 50 angry comments.

Just because you think it doesn't mean that you should say it Holly

[Bill]

Would I say something this stupid on air if I was a leading state health official? Only if I wanted to lose my job. Just because she is nice and everybody makes stupid jokes etc. doesn't make it better. Holly you'll have more time when you lose your job.
And it didn't make the mainstream news and it isn't old, only the mindset that produces such prejudice.

We live in the only country that I know of where the poorest people are the fattest. Call me a snob, but in many cases they are both for the same reason- laziness. I am neither poor or fat but could have been both based on family history.

[Concerned citizen]

Another case of media "Ambush Questions". Holly tried to answer the coniving reporter's seemingly innocent question, and she created a firestorm.
This is a lesson to everyone that may come into contact with the media. It's almost always better to say nothing!

[Adam]

A lot of "poor" people actually work multiple low-paying jobs, so they don't necessarily have more time to exercise.

Also, "poor" people tend to have health problems and to be nutrionally uneducation.

[local]

How did she get this position? Who's her daddy?