Fast Food Bans

[Gus Van Horn blog]

By Gus Van Horn from Gus Van Horn,cross-posted by MetaBlog

As our nanny state acts to "protect" us from "second-hand smoke" so it will act to "protect" us from -- what is the phrase I'm looking for? -- "first-hand fat".

First, revenue-hungry governments and trial lawyers took Big Tobacco for a ride. And now, it's Fast Food's turn -- as if Ronald McDonald ties people up and force-feeds them. Not surprisingly, local governments have taken the cue from the national stage and are deciding to start micromanaging how we live with respect to yet another "vice".

First, we saw a shameful nationwide proliferation of "no smoking" ordinances. (Even Houston has one!) Now, we're seeing localities use zoning to prevent fast-food restaurants from opening!

Worried by soaring levels of obesity and the health problems that go with it, the city council's youthful and slim health committee chairman says the time has come to challenge the rampant growth of fast-food chains.

"They make good-tasting, affordable food, but unfortunately, it lacks nutrition," says council member Joel Rivera, of the Bronx, who also leads the Democrats at City Hall.

"What I want to do is limit the number of fast-food establishments within specific proximity of each other, and try to give incentives for healthy alternatives, and give people choices," he adds.

What I find supremely ironic here is the following.

Not in any way to condone what he is doing, but Rivera and his fellow fitness fascists have a point. Lots of people do make stupid choices. But the government telling them what to do is a violation of individual rights, and would-be dictators like Rivera are destroying one necessity of life, freedom, in the name of promoting another, good health. We need both to survive, and it is Rivera's job to provide the first. That's what government is for. The second is up to each of us individually, as our medical bills should be. But what the hell is a busybody like Rivera doing in office? He got elected. By the same people who, apparently, are already extremely indifferent about their own well-being.

When the predominant trend of a culture is to shirk personal responsibility, it will get what it deserves one way or another.

In order to live, one must think. And in order to act on his judgement, one must be free. This is why each of us should do what he can to fight silliness like this. An individual can be rational or not, but if most of his society is irrational, his rationality may do him no good.

-- CAV

http://ObjectivismOnline.com/blog/archives/001805.html

[Proverb]

Why not just come out and ban 'em. Oh wait, they know that most people would say that that's crossing the line. After all, congress critters eat McDonalds too!

[psychotrope]

No, they'll just start taxing the hell out of them. You'll be paying $9 for a Big Mac and half of it will be going to pay for government programs that spend billions on advertising on television just to tell you that you shouldn't be buying Big Macs.

And once healthcare is socialized... look out! It's all down hill from there. Say goodbye to anything that any vocal lobby thinks is unhealthy. Fat and salt in high amounts per serving... banned! More than 65 grams of fat a day... banned! Not exercising 3 times a week for 30 minutes... busted! Carnivore? "Why you insensitive bas***d! How can you make the rest of us pay for your bad health habits."

Socialized health care is a gateway to massive loss of freedom. I recognize that that hasn't necessarily been the case in other countries with national health care plans. But remember, those countries aren't as lawsuit happy as we are in this country. Once Hillary's vision of a healthcare utopia comes to fruition, no one will be happy about subsidizing Jon Q. Smoker's lung cancer treatment, or Fred M. Fatso's pacemaker.

And since the medical community goes back in forth every week on which foods are healthy and which are unhealthy, you'll find some states that ban avacadoes. Other states that put a health tax on eggs, only to rescind them at the next senate session when new evidence has come out.

And then the underground movement comes. Guy on the corner opens up his trenchcoat and says "Pssst! Hey buddy, wanna' buy some french fries? Only $23."