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To: Libbyt who wrote (54)	9/16/2002 10:40:03 AM
From: LPS5	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2534

(A follow-up on the Fast Food Fascism movement:) McDonald’s decision to make healthier fries shows free market works better than government, Libertarians say September 5, 2002 WASHINGTON, DC -- A decision by McDonald's to slash the fat content in its french fries shows that Americans who want healthier fast food are going to get it - without interference from a nanny-state government, Libertarians say. "McDonald's decision proves that the consumer really is king in a free-market economy," said Steve Dasbach, Libertarian Party executive director. "Now it's time to give McDonald's and other fast-food restaurants a break from the politicians and special-interest groups who want to dictate the content of their menus." In an attempt to cater to increasingly health-conscious consumers, the world's largest fast-food chain announced on Tuesday that it would cut the amount of saturated fat in its french fries by nearly half. Industry analysts predict that if McDonald’s is successful in altering its recipe without alienating customers, Burger King, Wendy's and other competitors will be forced to follow suit in developing healthier menus. But the decision isn't just a victory for health-conscious customers, Libertarians say - it's also a victory for the free market. "McDonald's decision was driven by consumer demand and by the prospect of making millions of dollars - which is why it will take effect so quickly," said Dasbach, who noted that the lower-fat fries will debut in October. "Americans who rely instead on the power of government regulators could be waiting years before any change is made in restaurant menus." For example, the Food and Drug Administration has been studying the issue of trans fat for a decade, and is finally preparing to require warning labels on fast-food products in 2003, he noted. "By the time those labels actually appear, the trans fat in McDonald's french fries may be greatly reduced," he said. "What more proof do Americans need that the free market works more quickly and efficiently than government regulators do? "Besides, the national nannies who create such labels are only telling individuals what they already know: that fatty food can cause heart attacks and that smoking can cause cancer. Americans don't need to be force-fed such useless 'information' by the federal food police." Federal legislation is another option favored by special-interest groups, Dasbach noted. "Pro-tax activists masquerading as health care experts have created a phony 'obesity crisis' in an attempt to persuade Congress to impose new taxes on fatty foods," he said. "But thanks to the obesity of the federal government, such legislation could take years to go into effect. "The bottom line is that Americans who actually want healthier fast food are going to get it without government interference. The only orders that restaurants should have to take are those for hamburgers and shakes – not orders from self-righteous public health crusaders.”

To: Libbyt who wrote (54)	1/22/2003 12:50:45 PM
From: LPS5	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 2534

Obesity Suit Against McDonald's Dismissed Wednesday January 22, 11:19 am ET by Gail Appleson NEW YORK (Reuters) - In a major victory for the fast food industry, a federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a widely watched suit in which McDonald's hamburgers and French fries were blamed for children's obesity. U.S. District Judge Robert Sweet said the plaintiffs, including a 14-year-old girl who is 4-foot-10 and 170 pounds, failed to show McDonald's Corp. products presented a danger unknown to consumers. He also cited concerns the case could "spawn thousands of similar 'McLawsuits"' against all types of restaurants. "This opinion is guided by the principle that legal consequences should not attach to the consumption of hamburgers and other fast food fare unless consumers are unaware of the dangers of eating such food," Sweet said. "If consumers know...the potential ill health effect of eating at McDonald's, they cannot blame McDonald's if they, nonetheless, choose to satiate their appetite with a surfeit of supersized McDonald's products." Although the judge threw out the suit in it's entirety, he ruled the plaintiffs could refile claims in Manhattan federal court within certain limits. Sweet also said McDonald's had rightfully pointed out that the case was the first of its kind to reach this stage in federal court and could result in thousands of copycat cases. The suit was brought on behalf of overweight children who ate at two McDonald's restaurants in the Bronx borough of New York City. The plaintiffs sought unspecified damages, blaming McDonald's for health problems that included diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. The suit was one of at least four cases filed against McDonald's and other fast food chains over the obesity issue. At least two cases have been dropped and another is dormant. The judge noted that Americans spend more than $110 billion on fast food each year, and cited studies showing that on any given day in the United States, almost one in four adults visits a fast-food restaurant. "The potential for lawsuits is even greater given the numbers of persons who eat food prepared at other restaurants in addition to those serving fast food," Sweet said, citing reports that show almost half of the American food dollar is spent on food eaten away from home. He said the court had a duty to "limit the legal consequences of wrongs to a controllable degree and to protect against crushing exposure to liability."