Has anyone ever considered

[Bunnahabhain]

fast food is a societal problem and we should just tax them out of existence? My case would be:

1) The food is just plain bad for you
2) It is expensive relative to a normal home cooked meal (I mean, prime rib will be more than a Big Mac so we're talking daily fare here)
3) The destroy regionalism. The McD is Santa Fe is going to be like the McD in Seattle like the one in NYC. Local character is a good thing and food is a huge part of local character.
4) Drive mom&pop type restaurants out of the market.
5) Not good corporate citizens.
6) Chick-fil-A. Need I say more?

I think there is actually much to be said for this thought.

[leftstreet]

1. Ugh. If people like McD's leave them alone

Enough of this 'what's good for you' crap

If people like to eat McDonalds food, let them.

Just pay the workers decent wages!

[Bunnahabhain]

3. Yeah, fostering healthy diets is a terrible idea

as, you know, a healthy population is a right wing conspiracy type thing, right?

Are you serious? We have "sin taxes" on smokes, booze, etc. This is not a new concept nor I think a bad one. An outbreak of people not being fatasses would be a good thing for all.

[leftstreet]

4. Do you worry about the nutritional habits of the rich?

[Bunnahabhain]

7. As someone with a career in public health

I worry about the nutritional habits of everyone. Also, the rich eat plenty of fast food.

[leftstreet]

12. That's nice n/t

[ohheckyeah]

9. Demolition Man was a movie...

not a blueprint for a new society.

An outbreak of people who aren't control freaks would be an even better thing for all.

[pintobean]

16. Fatasses?

Aren't you special.

[pintobean]

2. Don't eat it.

Simple enough.

[meaculpa2011]

5. Comments such as...

"we should just tax them out of existence" give the RWs all the ammunition they need.

[quinnox]

6. great, so we will only have high end restaurant chains for the high incomes

to eat out at, while nothing available for those damn poor folk. No thanks.

[Bunnahabhain]

10. So you missed the point where I mentioned mom&pop places being crowded out?

Before fast food poor people ate out. Honest. It's true. If fast food joints disappeared it would still happen.

[independentpiney]

20. What about all the new 'mom&pops' serving double bacon cheese burgers and loaded cheesy fries?

If thats what people want, that's what they'll serve. Unless you're planning to regulate everyones menus. In which case you're an authoritarian asshole.

[tumtum]

8. And who are you to decide what someone wants to eat?

I occasionally like to eat at Jack in the Box, their Ultimate Bacon Cheeseburger and their Tacos, what business is it of yours?
Or anyone else for that manner?
I choose to eat what I want to, my choice, not yours, not anyone else.

You don't want eat at a fast food place, don't, very simple.

[Bunnahabhain]

13. Public policy makes these decisions all the time.

I mean, can we (legally) eat horse or dog in the US? Same logic applies...even though Fido and Trigger are much more appealing to us than the poor cow we're munching on.

[tumtum]

14. And the public likes fast food joints.

Get off your high horse and mind your own business about what people want to eat.

This thread reminds me of M. Bloomberg's now failed soda law in NYC.

[Just Saying]

11. What legal justification can be made to tax fast food?

Who decides what's fast food?

Are all bad for us foods going to be taxed too?

The problem is while we can all agree certain foods are unhealthy, there is debate on things like GMOs. I don't like the idea of taxing food as it already costs enough and people need to eat. And furthermore, people don't want to be told what they can eat. I have no problem with educating people about healthy eating, but trying to tax them out of existence seems like the wrong approach.

[Shrike47]

15. I don't think it's appropriate to tax any legal business out of existence.

If the product is that injurious to people, it shouldn't be legal. If it's not, education may be appropriate, but I tend to think we should leave it up to people to make their own choices. Otherwise, it's 'I'm pretty sure I could run your life better than you are.'

[Downwinder]

17. Who am I to say what people eat or don't eat?

[NightWatcher]

18. So we should get rid of everything YOU don't like?

You should try to become a dictator in some tiny country, then you'll get that power.

[X_Digger]

19. No, because it's a stupid idea. n/t

[Gregorian]

21. Unfortunately we can't legislate intelligence.

I'm all for it, but people scream when you try to tell them what to do, even if it's for their own good. Besides, it works both ways. Republicans are already trying to do it, and it sucks.

[Bunnahabhain]

22. So...

I guess I'm flying solo on this thought?

[meaculpa2011]

23. Yup. n/t

[shraby]

24. One good thing about the fast food restaurants, is when you do a lot of traveling, and have to eat

on the go, you know what you're going to get and about what you'll pay. Most of them are clean at least the ones we've been in, and you can stop, eat and be on your way with a full tummy.

[BainsBane]

25. There are some regional chains that make reasonably healthy food

I used to go to a place called Pollo Tropical in Florida. It was rotisserie chicken, beans and rice, etc. . . It was pretty good.

[Jenoch]

26. An attempt to 'tax them out of existence'

might not survive a court challenge.