USD College Republicans
- All
- Climate Change/Global Warming
- Affirmative Action
- Freedom
- Medicare
- No Child Left Behind
- Economics
- Media
- Taxes
- Ridiculous!
- Trade
- Democrats
- Telecom
- The Courts
- Neo-conservatism
- Presidential Race 2008
- Libertarianism
- Earmarks
- Student Government Association
- Congress
- University of South Dakota
- State and Local Politics
- General
- Republicans
- Grassroots conservatism
- Iraq
- Education
- USD Political Science League
- Afghanistan
- SCHIP
- Subsidies
- Spending
- Health Care
- Social Security
- Africa
- Labor unions
- Political Philosophy
- Hyperion Oil Refinery at Elk Point
- Foreign Policy
- War on Terror
New York and the food police
The New York City Board of Health is reviving its efforts to force restaurants to indicate calorie counts on their menus.
It seems to me that this is just another action by a nanny government to try to save its people from themselves.
First of all, why just calories? If NYC were truly concerned about the health of its citizens, it would ask establishments to indicate the entire nutritional breakdown of the product, like on store-bought food. That way, consumers could see if the product fits within their nutritional needs for the day.
Second, I think that this is unwarranted. If indication calorie count is important to consumers- they never mentioned if it is or not- this is how it should go: If some restaurants started writing their products' calorie count on menus, it would establish a precedent. Those restaurants would establish credibility with consumers. Those that didn't indicate calories might be looked upon negatively by consumers. These businesses would see a drop in sales, and would begin to indicate calories on their menu to get their business back. TA-DA! The free market at work.
-Matt Hittle
Posted at 08:28AM Jan 22, 2008 by College Republicans in Ridiculous! | Comments[4]
Food police or the first step of many towards perfect information for consumers?
Posted by RCDEM on January 22, 2008 at 04:55 PM CST #
Why should the government insist upon perfect information? If it's so important for consumers, why haven't they demanded this information before?
One would assume that if it were important, they would've asked long ago.
Posted by Matt Hittle on January 22, 2008 at 05:33 PM CST #
Maybe they have...Perhaps the City of New York is responding to the "demands" of NYC consumers. Plus, why shouldn't the govt. insist on perfect information? Markets are more "real" or "accurate" that way. I think human nature demonstrates that we don't always ask what is important. Consumers didn't ask tobacco companies what they were putting in their products despite common observation that smokers did suffer health problems. People knew, but did not act "rationally." It was not until the govt.demanded that info from tobacco companies that real public education occurred. As a result, many did choose not to smoke because their govt. required the facts.
Posted by RCDEM on January 24, 2008 at 01:22 PM CST #
Again, if customers had demanded this, it would've happened long ago.
Posted by Matt Hittle on January 24, 2008 at 03:03 PM CST #