On Tuesday the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a one year moratorium on new fast food restaurants in low income areas. Councilwoman Jan Perry believes this will attract restaurants that offer healthier choices and help combat obesity. The errors and presumptions of this legislation are numerous:
- Banning something does not promote alternatives, on the contrary the arbitrary use of legislation gives pause to businesses who favor a predictable approach to the "rule of law."
- One would promote healthier restaurants thru the use of tax credits, enterprise zones and the like.
- Fast food does not equal obesity. Obesity results when your calorie consumption is greater than calories burned resulting in calorie retention, i.e., weight gain.
- Fast food in fact may be quite appropriate for poor residents, a double cheeseburger can be had for one dollar and yields in excess of 440 calories, approximately 25 -30% of the daily requirement.
- Fast food restaurants bring jobs, tax dollars and help spur further development to the areas they locate. While poor people have many needs, by definition poor people need more income which can only be derived thru jobs, work.
While the LA Council's motives may be honest and true the route they have chosen betrays an arrogance and condescension frequently evident when liberals look at the least advantaged among us.
No comments:
Post a Comment