Curious- if LA bans fast food in poor areas-

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080730/ap_on_re_us/fast_food_ban

... will they force healthy AFFORDABLE restaurants to move in?? healthy food isn't cheap- what is LA gonna do to feed its poor in their well-meaning attempt to make them healthier? will higher priced eateries come and go when people DON'T go there because they can't afford it, AND/OR because they don't like the food?

what- the middle and upper class are ALLOWED to make poor choice then? because they have insurance to pay for their illnesses brought on by obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and other illnesses brought on by eating too much fast food? plenty of obesity in THESE classes- why no ban in the broadlands?

ban it for all if you ban it for any- and in MY humble chalupa-eating big mac- loving opinion, it is WRONG. give people the opportunity to make BETTER choices, don't treat them like babies and "censor" their food choices. build a YMCA, a community center gym, add healthier choices, but censorship of fast food?!?! ridiculous and insulting.

would love your thoughts on this city's decision to determine what restaurants the poor are allowed to have available in their neighborhoods...

 

Redon, you are right on target. This is what happens when we look to the government to be our nanny. Because some bureaucrat knows what is better for you than you do. When you look to government to take care of you, you give your freedom away. Where does this end? If the government begins taking over health care, what is to stop them from telling you exactly what you can and cannot do.

At least we know the government is always right with health issues Oh, except for tomatoes causing salmonella. Oops. Or the FDA's food guidelines, which have probably killed more people than anything else!

The really interesting part of any government program is the law of unintended consequences that occur afterward. I think you are all over this, Redon.

 

I appreciate what the city is trying to accomplish here, but I don't agree with their methods.

If, as is reported in the article, people in poor communities are truly tired of fast food and want healthier choices, and because they don't have a car cannot access healthier choices elsewhere, I have no problem with the city encouraging the opening of healthy eating establishments in these neighborhoods (with tax breaks/etc.).

Of course, the free market concept of supply and demand should operate to make this happen without government intervention if there were an actual demand for such restaurants...

 

Time will tell how it turns out, but I think this is exactly what they are trying to do. There are already a zillion fast food joints in the neighborhood which they're not forcing to close, and so they're trying to encourage other types of eateries to move in to provide people with better choices.

I still believe that getting people to shop at the grocery and cook their own food at home is the cheapest and healthiest option of all, but that's a huge uphill battle to many people.

 

If there were demand for such restaurants, they would likely be there already. People ALREADY have access to affordable, healthy food. These things called grocery stores carry things like spinach, tomatoes (you know, the ones our federal government claimed caused salmonella, only to find out they didn't...oops!) and all manner of vegetables and fruits. Heck, they are in California so it should all be fresh. Fast food restaurants carry salads.

The fact is people choose not to eat healthy. People choose not to exercise. And it isn't just in poor neighborhoods--look around ours and watch how busy McDonald's is every day...

 

<KaosDad picks up his soap box and moves it center stage. Taps Mic..."Is this thing on?">

Yes - once again what we see is a portion of the American Public yelling; "Hey Uncle Sam! I have no self control, can't make good decisions and things are bad for ME. What are YOU doing about it????" These are the same bozos who need the ESRB to put stickers on games & CDs because they refuse to be PARENTS and get involved with their kids. And please don't limit this mind set to "poor America." Columbine would not have happened if wealthy mommy & daddy had walked into their son's room. Why? Because they would have seen the freaking SHOTGUN sticking out from under the bed!!!

With great freedom comes greater responsibility. (Some) Americans need to look in the mirror - point at the face and screm; "YOU! YES YOU! YOU DID THIS TO ME! FIX IT!!!!"


Thank you, I'm done.


May I have a juice?

 

Awe man...I haven't eaten at McD's in years...and now I want a hamburger from there soooooo bad!!!

 

Go Kaos!!

 

I think there is a need for good-for-you fast food- but they just don't exist around here. i would pay more for a drive through with organic and healthy choices. sometimes i go to taco bell b/c i have a sleeping baby, 2 other kids and a dog in the car- so it's convenient and we don't have to go into the supermarket- but i would way rather pull through O'McDonalds (organic mcdonalds?) or the nuts-a-no-no drive through for organic (nut-free?) healthy lunch. i think there is a demand for healthy fast food here, b/c people are BUSY and on the GO here, and are also health conscious- but their schedules are so vigorous that they forego health sometimes for convenience.
i would also like to be able to buy milk and diapers through a drive through. call me lazy.

 

We need El Pollo Loco here.

 

Agree, Sunny, but perhaps the solution is to change our lifestyles so they are not so hectic. And in some ways, I think "good for you" and "fast food" are oxymorons--just not sure it's meant to work that way!

 

EXACTLY. growing up we HAD very little money, i am one of six, my dad was in the air force and mom did not work. we couldn't even AFFORD fast food!!! it was a once a year treat on our birthdays to have a party at Mickey D's.

now, as an adult, do i have an unhealthy habit of associating success and Big Macs? YES. do I have to stop my self from Eating a Royal with Cheese every time something great happens in my life? Uh Huh. but that's my personal responsibility, MY call- not the state's!

i feel like America is being dumbed down. "don't worry- don't think- WEEE will take care of making those toughie woughie decisons for you..." BLEH!!! If you have seen WALL*E you know what I mean even more.


we are ALL blessed with the pportunity to MAKE choices that make sense for US- it's called frickin' FREEDOM. with that comes responsibility. Family Cranium instead of American Idol (but not instead of So You Think you Can Dance- those kids are livin' MY dream!!), grilling chicken at home over KFC... and Sirius Motown instead of I Kissed a Girl...

 

You just made my day, Redon.

 

just doin' my job, spreading good vibes and poppy seeds wherever i go...

one more point- there's nothing WRONG with a little fast food in moderation! that said, i will chase my dinner salad with a meximelt, extra large diet coke please! lol

 

I don't disagree with anything you've said. I'm all about personal responsibility and agree that far too few people even grasp that concept! I think that anyone who waits for government to make their world safe, healthy and enjoyable is sadly mistaken.

That said, I do not think that the government in this case is overtepping its' bounds. I don't believe they are REQUIRED to do what they're doing, but I think it is acceptable that they have decided to do this - something they think will be for the betterment of their community. That's ok. Will it work? We'll have to wait and see. Old habits die hard.

 

Sharse, I respect the intent of what you are saying. But where does it stop? Who is to decide what is for the "betterment of the community"? Just watch over the next few years as government begins to mandate more and more details of how we live our lives.

Liberty and freedom are precious, precious rights...and once they are gone, it is nearly impossible to take back what the government has stolen/misappropriated from citizens.

 

I will admit that I haven't been following this story too much out here, but when I first heard about it ( a few weeks ago), I was quite disturbed. They're not getting rid of fast food, just not building anymore. I haven't been through the area to see how saturated it is with fast food, but as has been stated, that really shouldn't matter. One of the things I'm learning out here is that cities, districts, etc... seem to really like passing laws or ordinances like this that are specific to them. I don't know how much it has affected me since I still hven't been out here all that long.

 

it won't work- i drove 15 miles to go to Mcdonalds when i didn't live near one...

 

Our elected officials are. Doesn't mean I agree with them, and I can certainly vote for their opponent in the next election if I don't like what they're doing.

 

And that was your choice, my darling.