Posted on 02/01/2015 3:05:16 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
The command and control mandates of ObamaCare continue to cause unintended consequences for businesses.
In another example of government gone wild, the federal government is now forcing restaurants to post the calorie information of its menu items.
Late last year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule under ObamaCare that requires retail food establishments with the same name and 20 or more locations to list calorie information for its standard menu offerings.
The regulation applies to many food retail operations including restaurants, delicatessens, supermarkets and movie theaters to name a few.
The goal of this regulatory effort is to combat obesity by providing calorie content of menu items for retail food operations to consumers.
By mandating retail food establishments to list nutritional information for its products, the government feels consumers will make healthier choices and this action is justified because a significant amount of food is consumed outside the home.
For FDA bureaucrats divorced from the real world, writing regulations like this makes sense but in the real world of retail food service it’s a nightmare.
While the calorie labeling standard for food retail outlets mandated by ObamaCare will likely make former nanny state New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg happy, it’s causing havoc for restaurant chains.
Domino’s Pizza explained the difficulty of complying with the regulation to The Washington Free Beacon.
According to the restaurant chain, the definition of a “menu” described in the regulation is so poorly written that a sign or a television advertisement could trigger the calorie information requirement.
The regulation is particularly burdensome for Domino’s because of the vast number of combinations a customer can order. In theory, each pizza combination must carry a calorie count.
Domino’s is justified in opposing this regulation because of the stiff penalties for violating the FDA’s edict.
In its usual heavy handed approach to regulation, failing to meet FDA’s requirement could result in government seizing the “misbranded” food, fines and jail.
Could you imagine going to jail for breaking the calorie labeling limit by putting too much pepperoni on a pizza?
The FDA regulation is a reminder that with ObamaCare the government has its nose under the health care tent and can interfere with all aspects of behavior.
Obamacare Calorically-Challenged Nanny State PING!
Customers need to start complaining and bringing class action lawsuits over this needless bull**** being put on the menus. When I got into a place to get something to eat, I really don’t give a flying **** how many calories are on the table and it’s none of the business of those Nazi bastards up in Washington either. Those fags on Capitol Hill need to worry about themselves. I can take of myself, thank you.
What about restaurants that decide what will be on the menu based on the fresh ingredients they obtain that day?
If a few lawsuits will lighten up that Nazi fag, Bloomberg’s, bank accounts, that would be a good thing.
Just wait until someone is served a tablespoon more/less of the mashed potatoes than what is advertised. The restaurant will be sued out of business. If you’re too dumb to know the mashed potatoes have more calories than the broccoli, you shouldn’t be allowed to eat out.
NSA will now be documenting our calorie intake.
Executive branch diktats reflect a larger, fundamental problem involving separation of powers.
Enormous legislative authority from congress has moved into the executive and judicial branches.
Every extra-congressional edict dressed up as law, from the exec or judiciary constitutes a high crime against us, the sovereign people, who granted limited legislative power to a congress and congress only. There is no such thing as “law” without our consent. Those who exercise arbitrary rule are tyrants.
Obama has established executive branch precedents that no election alone can reverse. Whoever assumes the presidency in 2017 will have his tyrannical powers. The political party of the president is irrelevant to the powers he/she exercises.
So let's not kid ourselves. With the passage of time, elections have increasingly become something akin to courtesies, electoral placebos extended to slaves who pretend they live as freemen.
Is this the only area of life where the Liberals believe that individuals are responsible for their own actions?
That making a wise choice requires informed consent?
Any chance of these principles being extended to Abortion?
I think I’d just make up the numbers. I’d make sure the most expensive things on the menu have the lowest calories.
”... the federal government is now forcing restaurants to post the calorie information of its menu items."
The states have never delegated to the feds, expressly via the Constitution, the specific power to dictate what restaurants put on their menus. So constitutionally ignorant restaurant owners deserve to be bullied by the corrupt feds imo.
Fringe lunatic liberal answer to evetything is more regulation and taxes. I’m sure they would tax marital relations if they could find a way to do that.
And...
In its usual heavy handed approach to regulation, failing to meet FDA’s requirement could result in government seizing the “misbranded” food, fines and jail.
Controlling the food supply by crushing private business, one slice of pepperoni at a time. These writers really need to quit using the phrase "unintended consequences". Of course they are intended.
Oh brother. Just put down the calorie of each item and the dough with sauce and cheese. Let the consumer add up the calories as they order. Not rocket science.
“What about restaurants that decide what will be on the menu based on the fresh ingredients they obtain that day?”
How true
Considering that 1) the vast majority of his voters cannot read, and 2) most of ‘em are overweight anyway, and 3) reading the labels would only interfere with them ordering drugs over their Obamafones...
WHY THE HELL DO WE ALL NOT TELL DORKBAMA AND HIS JUST-US COLLECTION OF SHOULD-BE FELONS TO SHOVE THEIR SILLY LITTLE IDEAS UP THEIR OBAMAHOLES?
There are far, far more of us than them, and sooner or later this will have to happen anyway.
(Remember A Bug’s Life, and remember that the evil grasshopper was about ten times more intelligent than Dorkbama.)
Just label everything with one-million calories with the warning “consume at your own risk,”
I would just say that everything on the menu has 3500 calories or maybe less.
Could you imagine going to jail for breaking the calorie labeling limit by putting too much pepperoni on a pizza?
yes I could!
Just like people don’t read software agreements or computer manuals, they will not pay any attention to the calorie information. Mandating something doesn’t mean if will have the intended results. This is just more intrusion into the private sector that raises the cost of goods to consumers and will not accomplish anything but pleasing the socialist, big-government fanatics.
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