It's a good thing we can address problems on multiple levels then, the personal responsibility level and when that fails with a social safety net.

The social safety net is a poor substitute for a fully-functioning pancreas.

Agreed, but for the people with broken pancreases I bet they're thankful for the safety net.

Most T2D is reversible. Get BMI balanced with endocrine pancreatic function, and T2D goes away. Not sure if I'd classify getting shots instead of making much-needed lifestyle adjustments as a "safety net".

Safety belts and airbags are mediocre solutions, too, but that doesn’t imply you shouldn’t have them, even if you are a very careful driver.

Also, like with drivers and car accidents, there are people who happen to get type 2 diabetes even though they do what they can to avoid it.

T2D doesn't arise from a moment of bad luck or inattention. T2D arises from a long stream of sub-optimal choices and ignored warning signs. I am not here to argue for or against socialized medicine. I am here to tell people that they should fix the actual problem instead of opting for the quick fix. I encountered this problem a couple years ago. If I trusted those damn doctors, I'd be stuck, sticking myself several times a day, and keeping an eye on my insulin supply, but I didn't, so I'm not.

Type 2 diabetes doesn't really wreck the pancreas, at least no more than other tissues. The problem is that cells throughout the body become insulin resistant. While it is obviously better to avoid the condition in the first place, most cases if caught early enough can be put into remission by eliminating carbohydrate consumption. (Adherence to such a diet can be difficult for many patients due to economic and cultural issues.)

That's not a policy. That's indulging in a fantasy world. A policy might be ending subsidies for sugar, or creating subsidies for healthier foods, etc.

McDonalds didn't put a gun to anybody's head. Neither did Crisco, or KrispyKreme, or CocaCola. Subsidize broccoli and tofu all you want. They'll still eat hamburgers and wash them down with a soda.

Things are not that black and white. There are many places in both urban and rural America where access to healthy food is much further away and more expensive. If you're relying on food stamps unhealthy foods will often make your dollar go further. This is especially important when you're trying to feed a whole family. The corner mcdonalds or bodega is easier to access food when you don't have a car and work double shifts. Food preferences are also learned early in life and harder to break as you get older. This is a far more nuanced problem than people choosing unhealthy foods because that's what they want.

To combat this NY state, for example, has a whole program around getting additional benefits on top of SNAP for produce at local farmers markets which has been very successful. So yes, while no one is holding a gun to their head your hyperbole is not really adding anything useful to the discussion.

I've been poor. I've been in situations where the only lunch option was McDonalds. Didn't get fat. Didn't get diabetes. How come? Ordered a cheeseburger, small fries, water, while all of my co-workers "super-sized" their orders. My bill and my BMI were always far lower than theirs. People here can blame corporations, "red staters", "food deserts", and whatever other divisive new york times nonsense they want. Ultimately, you've only got one pancreas, and instead of pointing fingers, you should take care of it.

I didn't get pre-diabetic until I was wealthy--eating out, non-stop sushi and Thai. Unfortunately for me, rice has a very high glycemic index. It is not suited to the genetics of my people.