Quote:
Originally Posted by aceventura3
The mindset that first creates an onerous amount of red-tape for a restaurant to be open, then goes on a crusade against the one type of restaurant (large corporate, with the advantage of economy of scale, at a low cost point - especially in low income areas) that can be profitable in some areas given the increased costs of regulations and the demographics, baffles the hell out of me.
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I reckon it has something to do with this.
Conservatives are keen to defend the ideals of "free market capitalism is always better" and "personal responsibility is the solution to many problems." However, we have a public health crisis on par with smoking or cancer, and obesity is on track to be the #1 killer of Americans, bar none. It's even worse in children, with the current generation being the first which will not outlive their parents. You're welcome to argue that if everyone had some personal responsibility and the free market were allowed to reign this public health crisis would go away, but I don't tend to agree, for obvious reasons.
In all 50 states, more than ONE FOURTH OF THE POPULATION IS CLINICALLY OBESE.
So as I see it, it is a simple conflict of values. When "free market capitalism" and "personal responsibility" do not solve a problem, an epidemic, even.. which has been developing for nearly 20 years; you can either work to address it with governance, or somehow instill personal responsibility and somehow let free market capitalism solve a problem they have no interest in solving. It's more profitable for everyone if the majority of the public is obese. I'd rather be working towards OBVIOUS solutions (like preventing the marketing of a food that is demonstrably worse for children than smoking TO children WITH toys) than simply chanting the mantra of free markets and responsibility.