esrosedotblog

WSJ?OTD

"Would you support a ban on use of trans fats in restaurants in your city?"

I answered YES and then changed my mind but it was too late because they only give you one vote and you can't screw with the algorithm.

I said YES because it is a poison that you cannot see.

Some national restaurants provide ingredients and nutritional data but, come on, who is going to go looking for that?

On the other hand, this is the same kind of thing as the anti-smoking movement. More regulations. More work for the idle legislative hands who usually create unforeseen consequences.

The fact is that trans-fats were invented as a lower cost substitute substitute for far better, but still lethal, natural fats like butter and lard.

The other fact is that certain food products and certain foods (most bakery items) cannot be made without some kind of saturated fat.

This is all under the heading of trying to protect people from themselves. It is the mainspring of both the left and right extremists.

I know.

I consider myself a progressive but I also think that people ought to be left alone.

Keerist! If we cannot figure out how to vote on a question like this, how do we unsnarl the torture legislation that is now up for a vote.

I hope that I have not lost any of my readers who live out there in Crisco-land by my ambivalence here. I don't want to interrupt their cash flow. But, they have gotten into a lot more lucrative businesses and could take a hit on this one, eh?