It appears that there will really be a food police in South Los Angeles if a Los Angeles city councilwoman has her way http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fastfood23-2008jul23,0,6631786.story and there is a moratorium on building new fast-food eateries.
Councilwoman Jan Perry, a busy-body if there ever was one, laments the fact that in her city council district has the highest concentration of fast-food eateries. So what?
Well, according to busy-body Perry, it is because of the eateries that people are becoming obese and getting diabetes. No, there is no accountability of the people who patronize the fast-food eateries. It is not their fault after all. It is the eeeevvviiiiilllll chains like McDonalds, Carl's Jr., Burger King, et al.
Here is what the proposed measure, which has only passed a committee at this point, would define as a fast-food eatery:
defines a fast-food restaurant as "any establishment which dispenses food for consumption on or off the premises, and which has the following characteristics: a limited menu, items prepared in advance or prepared or heated quickly, no table orders and food served in disposable wrapping or containers."
Well, me thinks that busy-body Perry has not been to places like Applebee's, Chillis' or Outback steak house. These are sit-down restaurants. But, they also have take-out orders. I would assume that they are packaged in disposable wrapping or containers. Also, I would like the definition of a limited menu. Here in California, there is a popular hamburger chain called In-n-Out burgers. Now, they are a bare-bones type operation. The visible menu is pretty standard. But, there are "off-menu" requests. How would that fall under busy-body Perry's measure?
The real issue that busy-body Perry has is the fact that there are not more "sit-down" restaurants or supermarkets in her city council district.
One of the reason's is that it is a primarily low-income, high crime and high gang area of Los Angeles. Supermarkets and "sit-down" restaurants are not going to invest in an area that does not have the ability to protect their investment. It is sad to say that, but true. And, because busy-body Perry does not want to address the real problems I just wrote, it is so much easier to blame the high diabetes rate and obesity on Mickey-D's.
And, at least one member of the city council, Jose Huizar, asked about the fact that McDonalds menu has expanded and improved in terms of offering healthier eating alternatives.
Here is something for busy-body Perry to consider. Since you are, rightfully, concerned about the health of the people in your district, why do you not consider an education program so that people are aware of what is good and what is bad? I think it would make sense. It would make people responsible for their eating habits. And, in such an area it would be something that is a nessecity.
No, in typical socialist fashion, busy-body Perry would rather make fast-food eateries a villain, not recognizing that they are taking the risk of being in bad neighborhoods where supermarkets and "sit-down" restaurants will not invest in.
Hopefully, the full Los Angeles city council will vote this down into the trash can. It is an encroachment on free enterprise and the freedom of people to decide what to eat and where to eat. But, I am not hopeful for it is a council with 13 Democrats and only two Republicans.
It is sad that Councilwoman Jan Perry chooses not to address the big picture. Only slamming businesses.
6 comments:
i remember this story 64. i dare say if they decide to take away some of these resturants then l.a. has seen no fury like that of a man who can't get his taco bell at 1 am.... keep us updated on this if you would please!!
Absolutly! It is insanity! This issue even has Mrs. rightviewfromtheleftcoast riled up!
While I agree the government shouldn't be deciding what type of food their constituents should have access to, I disagree that they have any business "educating" their constituents on what type of food they "should" be eating. There's way too much of that already, particularly on the Federal level, and to what effect? Hasn't made a dent in America's health, as far as I know.
But, hey, since they're incapable of actually doing anything useful with their time in government, I guess such legislation keeps them from getting too bored.
It is sad that Councilwoman Jan Perry chooses not to address the big picture.
OK, lay it out for me. What's your take on the 'big picture?'
For Right Wing Snarkle, the big picture is that councilwoman Perry represents a low-income, high crime and high gang area. That is the big picture. The overwhelming majority of the people in this district would give their right arm to be somewhere else. Miss Perry should be addressing getting crime down, gangbangers off the street and be serious about improving the lives of those who want to get ahead. Punishing businesses that will come in, provide jobs and a legitamate service is not going to solve the problem.
After some thought: I don't care. The idjiots voted those people in, let them live with the consequences. The only sad part is that they won't put two and two together to vote smarter next time.
Post a Comment