<idle musing>
We are destroying ourselves with bad food, bad herbicides, and bad pesticides. The problem is we aren't just destroying ourselves, we're destroying other plants and animals, and insects (especially honey bees) as well. Below are a pair of excerpts, but do yourself a favor and read the whole thing. Then go out and buy local (good) or grow your own (better). And then try to get congress to be honest about labeling food—they do work for the people, right? OK, at least in theory they do!
</idle musing>
Tax the marketing and sale of unhealthful foods. Another budget booster. This isn’t nanny-state paternalism but an accepted role of government: public health. If you support seat-belt, tobacco and alcohol laws, sewer systems and traffic lights, you should support legislation curbing the relentless marketing of soda and other foods that are hazardous to our health — including the sacred cheeseburger and fries.
Mandate truth in labeling. Nearly everything labeled “healthy” or “natural” is not. It’s probably too much to ask that “vitamin water” be called “sugar water with vitamins,” but that’s precisely what real truth in labeling would mean.
HT
3 comments:
Like Corn Flakes and Special K, and numerous other "healthy" cereals and foods claim to be so nutritious yet have high fructose corn syrup in them. Yes, very healthy. not.
I'm all in favor of truth in labeling, though those wanting to "market" will always find a way to obscure what they think needs to be to get it sold. However, I can't jump on the bandwagon of taxing "unhealthful food" because who precisely is going to decide what is healthful and what is not? Such a system, as with so many other attempts to legislate a better life for the masses, invariably sets up an elite class to decide what is best for the rest—something I can't be in favor of.
John,
I knew you wouldn't take that one lying down. But, I agree with you; humanity is fallen :( Of course, that does complicate the tax issue a bit, too, doesn't it? In a perfect world...right!
Of course, it will never happen anyway; the lobbies for the big food industries are too powerful. So, the majority of Americans will continue to eat too much. And, it will be too much of the wrong things. And, those of us who eat a more healthy diet will pay the bill for those who don't. Is that fair?
Of course not. But, life isn't fair.
James
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