Let’s get to the issues that fire me up and deplete the blogsphere.
I love the Sopranos. I am huge fan and I already own all seasons on DVD. I came across this short and hilarious video clip on YouTube that shows how the Sopranos have ‘contributed’ to the English language. This is great and fun. Just click on the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb8Kgn6JIHo
The Washington Post reported today that the push for more big/nanny government is heating up in Maryland. The Montgomery County Council unanimously approved a ban on ‘trans-fat” in restaurants, supermarket bakeries and delis. This makes Montgomery County the first county in the country to restrict your right to choose for yourself.
This is just another in a series of big/nanny government expansions in which bureaucrats regulate or ban our right to eat, drink, dance, play contact sports, smoke cigars, drive SUVs and etc. This is also a further continuation in the gradual destruction of private property rights due to this new regulation on forcing healthy foods onto privately owned restaurants and grocery stores.
It is interesting that Montgomery County’s ban comes after it has already passed a smoking ban just like what happened in New York City and Philadelphia. They are linked. Once you let them in the door with a smoking ban you can’t stop them from legislating every other area of our lives.
The scariest part of this ban is that it will apply to church suppers. According to this new left-wing law Church kitchens will now be considered ‘food service establishments’ to be regulated by government.
Thankfully, establishments can get a waiver to be exempt from this ban, however, they will be forced to post a sign ‘alerting’ customers to the ban and their decision to get exempted. Basically, they are punishing via bad public relations establishments that don’t want the government to tell them what to do.
Ironically, restaurant owners in Montgomery County have said that it will be difficult to find healthy replacements for trans fatty oils and that they might have to use artery-clogging palm and coconut oils or butter as an approved substitute.
Of course, those who should be fighting this ban are caving in like cowards. Melvin Thompson, chief lobbyist for the Restaurant Association of Maryland, said his organization will not oppose the bill. When will we learn? The more we cave the more these food police are emboldened to go further and further. What is eve scarier is that bans on the use of trans-fats in restaurants have been introduced in over 18 states so far.
Food police and advocates of big/nanny government have already destroyed our right to smoke a cigar in a bar and order a double cheeseburger with fries. Now, they have found a new ‘threat’ to public health in caffeine. This past Sunday the Boston Globe reported a ‘medical opinion’ by a high school English teacher named Ron Fletcher. Mr. Fletcher wrote that caffeine consumption is ‘a vicious cycle that can start subtly and lead to major problems, including illicit use of prescription drugs such as Ritalin.” Apparently, coffee is a gateway drug.
The food police are now jumping all over this. Naturally, they are using this ‘logic’ to attack one of their favorite scapegoats, soda pop. This ’logic’ is bound to lead to a new assault on coffee, tea and energy drinks.
Better start stockpiling your Dr. Pepper before the new soda tax, which has been introduced in the New Mexico State Legislature in the past by the way, goes into effect.
Big/nanny government continues its march.
