San Fran Ban Fan Slams Happy Meal Plan

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom was the recipient of the much-coveted Nanny of the Month award from Reason.tv this summer. But it turns out that even the man who favors banning bottled water, removing sodas from vending machines in city buildings, and putting warning labels on cell phones has a line—and banning toys in high-calorie Happy Meals crosses it.

The city's Board of Supervisors voted 8-3 in favor of the ban, which prohibits McDonald's from giving away toys in any meal that exceeds certain calorie and salt requirements, while lacking servings of fruits of veggies. The mayor says he plans to veto, but the Board of Supervisors has a large enough majority to override his protest. 

"There are times when a city can go too far. There's a time when we even cross the line," Newsom said.

"Doing these types of toy bans is inappropriate, I don't think particularly effective, and I just think goes way too far in inserting government to try to be the decision-maker in someone's life as opposed to parents," the mayor said….

Newsom said his opposition is not just about policy, but also about reputation…."There's a reason there's not a TV station in this country that hasn't candidly been mocking us," Newsom said.

Move over, Gavin. There's a new Nanny of the Month in town:

Comments

[Jason]

Then McDonald's introduces a meal under 600 calories, with low salt, and containing a serving of fruit/veggies. A few months later, McDonald's sponsors the ban.

[sage]

Awesome post title, KMW.

[Mayor McSmegma]

The mayor says he plans to veto

He vetoed it last Friday.

http://dailycaller.com/2010/11.....-meal-ban/

[Jeffersonian]

So why is the line on the Nanny State drawn here and not elsewhere? I don't see what the difference is, really. Once you establish the principle, as Newsom clearly has, why not let it play out?

[Episiarch]

Because San Fran is being mocked. He can't have that! They have a reputation to uphold!

[T]

I thought the Happy Meal Ban was upholding their reputation.

[Jeffersonian]

Exactly my thought. What you put into your body is none of the government's business, so long as it's a blood-gorged crank up the ass, but as soon as someone wants to have a sugary soft drink or to have a burger while he plays with a cheap toy, it's time to bring the full weight of the State down on him.

The Left has been saying for decades that it's all politics, and now we see the fruits of that idea. There is zero consistency in any of this.

[cynical]

Honestly, I'm pretty sure the Left can't conceive of or consistently support any freedom that isn't related to the genitals, and even that seems to be fading with time.

[John]

A reputation for what? Electing Nancy Pelosi and smelling their own farts?

[JW]

Is that Newsom's Facebook avatar?

[Fiscal Meth]

The one thing that can safely be assumed is that it was political expediancy and not a sudden desire to let parents raise their own kids that fueled his opposition to the ban.

Jason's right. We'll see McDonalds or some other fast food chain leading the ban soon enough, crying about "Nobody will buy our raisins when the other guys are still allowed to sell french fries."

[Rhywun]

Followed shortly by a multi-gazillion dollar "settlement" which lets McDonald's - and ONLY McDonald's - keep the toys in exchange for printing pictures of liposuction fat or cholesterol scrapings on the hamburger wrappers.

[Joe Zilch]

Newsom just seems to be posturing. He just got elected to Statewide office and we know he has higher ambitions. Why not throw some water on the fire with a little meaningless veto?

Sure, he'll veto the ban and then *gasp* the city will override his veto making said veto a moot point. How brave.

Please. He's still a nanny.

[Joe Zilch]

By throwing water on the fire I meant by way of getting the folks opposed to him to back off a bit with the rationale of "well see, maybe even he has a limit".

[Robert]

But doesn't it work that way with everything? Why does someone put just so much sugar in hir coffee, no more, no less? Presumably there's a "just right" for everything, every time someone sees value on both sides of a compromise. Of course we wouldn't expect people to agree on where that point is, because they're just trading off their personal preferences.

[John]

Of course parents would never drive across the bay to Oakland to buy a happy meal.

[creech]

I guess it somewhat depends on the bridge toll.

[Bill Dalasio]

You know, if libertarians were a little more cynical, they'd be well served to sponsor a children's book competition about all of the fun things statists want to not let them do.

[Anonymous Coward]

It's not a lack of cynicism; merely a lack of funding.

[Max]

Gavin is so great on so many issues dear to liberals. We just love him, so stick your nanny award up your scrawny right-wing cunt.

[Max's Mom]

Max, I will not tolerate that language in this house! You apologize to Ms. Mangu-Ward this instant!

[Max]

I'm sorry, Ms. Mangu-Ward. I'll never use the S-word again.

[Jeffersonian]

Gavin is so great on so many issues dear to liberals.

Newsom and I have a lot in common, too: We both want to run every last detail of my life.

[Mr. FIFY]

Max is a stupid fuck for cheerleading for food bans. Just like every other stupid fuck who thinks like him.

[Rhywun]

Yeah, but fake-Max makes me chuckle.

[Risa Noyd]

Couldn't they just give a bigger toy with the higher-calorie Happy Meal?

[SugarFree]

"So what do I have to eat to get the Barbie Dream House?"

"Dammit, Susie... I've told you about making double entendres in public. Go wait in the goddamn car."

[Robert]

That's silly, when they can just sell the same meal without the toy, and increase their profit margin. I take it that practically nobody goes into McDonald's with the express purpose of buying a meal with a toy. The toy is just there to placate the kid while you grab a bite you were going to buy anyway.

[CrackertyAssCracker]

It's all part of the Happy Meal Mystique man. And I'm not kidding or being sarctasic here. It makes kids happy. And to extend a concept of the great Philosopher Jeff Foxworthy, "If they're not happy, you're not happy".

[wheelock]

Actually... Poorer families will often do just that as getting a toy from the latest pixar movie or whatever can't be done cheaper. Which in my opinion makes the ban that much more elitist and cruel...

[Robert]

Come to think of it, the more interested the kid is in the toy, the less interested s/he is in eating. if the kid is persuaded to come along for the toy, it means the kid wasn't really interested in eating. Which means that the effect of the Happy Meal is primarily to increase the consumption of calories by those kids who are not big eaters, while those who are big eaters don't need the bribe. So they toy is going to make the skinny kids less skinny, and not make the fat kids any fatter.

[wylie]

make the skinny kids less skinny

ie "fat", get with it Robert, sheesh.

Personally, the lego toys were the only ones I recall ever caring about. Any chance to grow my collection without the 'rents having to spend much money. And I usually didn't get the legos till after I'd eaten...who has time for food when there's legos to assemble?

[CrackertyAssCracker]

So the Saul Alinksy strategy involves a little bit of projection. Not that TeamRed is totally immune to it. But I think Mr Alinksy's tactics are better suuited for use against TeamBlue. To a certain extent, TeamRed thrives on ridicule from the elites ..... moreso than the mirror image.

[John]

Team Red didn't used to. But in the last few years they have started to. I think it really started with Rush Limbaugh. The left tried every way in the world to Alynskize Limbaugh and run him off the air. And he is more influential and has more listeners than ever. All they succeeded in doing was keeping him from buying an NFL team.

[alan]

McDonald's should spend a little money on upgrading the quality of their Happy Meal toys, and replace the toys in the San Fran stores with a picture of a toy with the message, 'You can't have this. Your government wont let you.'

Progressivism dies in San Fran within a generation with the bitter memories of the fucked over.

[Cy Nicklefuque]

That's good, but assumes people can read.

[wylie]

You'd be surprised how quick lil Johnny's reading skills improve when toys are involved?

"BUT MOM, It's only available till March!!"

"Sounds like someone should've gotten a better score on last weeks quiz about the months-of-the-year...."

[Mayor McCheese]

I have faithfully served the people of MacDonaldland for nearly 39 years. It saddens me greatly that a fellow elected official would overstep his authority and violate the public trust in such an egregious manner. I sincerely hope that this does not distract the good people of MacDonaldland from the work that I have done to keep my city's children safe from vile predators such as the Hambuggerer.

Thanks and GodBless

[The Hamburglar]

Fuck Hambuggerer, he is an imposter! I am the true twisted thug in McDonaldland. Now retract your statement before I send Grimace down to break your Mcknee-caps, bitch!

[Jaybird]

You know who else faithfully served the people for almost 39 years?

[alan]

Which reminds me, I have to take about ninety minutes out of my day tomorrow to get my vehicle inspected and emissions tested. Given the mere headache of compliance with state edicts how does anyone ever come to the conclusion they like government? Supposedly, these matters like inspections and emissions testing occur through a democratic process. Even if the supporters of those actions were correct that they save lives and save the environment, the majority of us would still say, 'nah, I don't want to do that.'

'But, lives! The environment!'

'Nah. Don't care, don't wanna.'

'But . . . but . . .'

'We got the votes, it's not happening.'

Somehow, it never works out that way in the world at large.

[wylie]

emissions testing....

Yeah, we really need to be testing any car built in the last 5-10 years. Oh, and the loopholes that allow the cars that actually do the bulk of the polluting to stay on the road...gotta love it.

"hey, this is so important we let the worst offenders off with a cash bribe...i mean, fee."

[alan]

With the inspection portion the service centers where problems are noticed and additional monies are thus attempted to be extracted from me for the purpose of raising the left head light a millimeter up are the ones that never get my business again. So far, the current shop I use hasn't made that mistake in seven years.

[alan]

Oh, and in that seven years, I have had them service several thousand dollars worth of repairs, general work, and even an engine replacement on an a 1971 Corvette I use to have, so, yeah, not screwing me over on this one tiny thing is kind of a big deal for them even if I don't spell it out to them. It is like David Lee Roth's contractual M&M test. Not significant in itself but indicative of what I'm willing to tolerate if you collaborate with the state against my interest versus what I will tolerate if I voluntarily come in for work without a gun held to my back.

[Ken Shultz]

Just for the record, when we stop discriminating against them? They'll stop lashing out at us.

You know who "they" are!

[Apogee]

Which is why some people point to the analogy between government support and religion. Sitting through a sermon isn't much fun either, but, both for better and for worse, human beings are motivated to an extent by feelings of belonging.

Participation in ritual behavior produces those feelings, whether the participant actually believes in the efficacy of the ritual or not.

The difference is that nobody can put others in jail or fine them for not attending church.

[Apogee]

That was to alan at 5:06pm

[alan]

When's the next Commander Keen due? It's been twenty years, man.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_Keen

Interesting fact about Tom Hall. He played the voice of Walter Simon in Deus Ex. I know, you just can't get that creepy voice out of your head when you think about it!

[Apogee]

Wow. Had to read the link to get the reference. Not the same Apogee, unfortunately for my bank account.

Played Wolfenstein, Duke Nukem and Doom - but I don't think that counts.

[alan]

If you love old shooters you'll appreciate this joke:

Pretty much what you are left with when you take out the shader effects in the modern shooters

[Mayor McSmegma]

You missed by a lot.

[moob]

Everyone has to draw the line somewhere. The Catholic Church finally finally excommunicated a famous Nazi when he sought a divorce from his wife.

[chr1]

Sometimes, the Left lets slip that deep desire for authoritarian rule.

What will all of the righteous folks who ban happy meals (just one measly step beyond food deserts and getting black kids quitting grape drink) do now?

Where will all the career bureaucrats, legislators, righteous nutritionists and true believers go?

Please people, don't denigrate your comrades. They're in it for the long haul.

[Tom]

The parents are the ones who are responsible for choosing what their kids eat. Seriously, how many people have seen a 5 year-old walk into McD's, buy a Happy Meal, and leave?