Posted by
Playful Walrus on Monday, July 28, 2008 12:29:12 PM
You’ve probably heard by now that “Republican” California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into law a ban on trans fats in restaurants.
I quote below from Steve Lawrence’s Associate Press article.
California on Friday became the first state to ban trans fats from restaurant food, following several cities and major fast-food chains in erasing the notorious artery-clogger from menus.
It’s the first state, but definitely not the last.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation that will ban restaurants and other retail food establishments from using oil, margarine and shortening containing trans fats.
That’s right. It will be illegal for a restaurant to voluntarily offer the same kind of items it has been offering for years, which people have voluntarily purchased and consumed. No, this wasn’t a law to mandate that restaurants provide information to customers after which the customers could still choose to order those items, No, it is a total ban – taking the choices away from the people outright.
In a statement, Schwarzenegger noted that consuming trans fat is linked to coronary heart disease.
What about alcohol? What about cigarettes? What about pot? What about one man sticking himself into the exit of another man? These things have all been linked to various health problems, but are legal.
Several major fast-food chains have announced that they have eliminated trans fats from their menus or intend to so do in the near future.
Why not allow the market to work???
I’ll tell you why. It is because the state government has its nose in health care. You want more government involvement in health care? Expect more restrictions on what you can eat. Just as predicted, they are using their attacks on Big Tobacco as a template. What’s next? A state limit on calories?
California… a state that encourages sexual practices that can kill you but is concerned your food is too yummy.