The Happy Meal Under Attack
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is threatening to sue McDonald's if the burger giant doesn't stop selling Happy Meals, one of 1979's greatest contributions to all mankind. In typical nanny-statist hype, the CSPI likens McD's to a child molester:
"McDonald's is the stranger in the playground handing out candy to children," CSPI's litigation director, Stephen Gardner, said in a prepared statement. "It's a creepy and predatory practice that warrants an injunction."…
"Multi-billion-dollar corporations make parents' job nearly impossible by giving away toys and bombarding kids with slick advertising," [CSPI director Michael Jacobson] said.
Scott Stein at the excellent blog When Falls the Coliseum points out something that Reason's Jacob Sullum has in the past:
Saying "no" to your kid who wants a third cookie is easy. Telling your kid that you're not getting him the Happy Meal is easy. Parents have choices to make, but they aren't impossible choices. Choosing to get your fat child the apples and not the french fries is easy. Choosing to get him low-fat milk instead of soda is easy. Choosing not to go to McDonald's in the first place is easy. These are the easy parts of being a parent — making these choices is a parent's job.
If parents don't do it, don't make excuses for them by saying they had an impossible choice. Sophie had an impossible choice. Parents at the fast-food counter don't.