Food Police Chase The Hamburglar

Sometimes, most of the time, it seems California operates outside of the range of normalcy. San Francisco is nutcase central and Hollywood is, well, Hollywood. The state of California, in a recent report by DCI (http://www.aboutdci.com/WinningStrategies.aspx), (hat tip Carpe Diem blog) was identified as having the least favorite business climate in the nation, with “too much regulation” cited as the leading culprit.

Enter the Los Angeles City Council, who on Tuesday voted unanimously to place a yearlong moratorium on new fast food restaurants in an area of impoverished citizens where obesity (not crime) is apparently running rampant. Thanks.

"Our communities have an extreme shortage of quality foods," City Councilman Bernard Parks said. I guess the programs implemented by favorite son Magic Johnson, who has TGI Friday’s among his corporate partners, have not had an impact. They in fact have!

The City Council, who obviously know more about where and what their citizens should eat than the citizens themselves, was apparently unwilling to work with existing and prospective restaurant outlets. "It's not where you eat, it's what you eat," said Andrew Puzder, president and chief executive of CKE Restaurants, parent company of Carl's Jr. "We were willing to work with the city on that, but they obviously weren't interested."


I got some thoughts for the “Food Police”. There are several very serious problems in south central Los Angeles which require immediate attention, and Ronald McDonald and his restaurants, charities and arch rival the Hamburglar are not among them. The Council should be spending the greater majority of their time eliminating gangs and the high level of violence and drug issues associated with them. The problem is so severe, the Army Rangers may be required to get the job done.

Should MS-13 and it’s counterparts be extinguished, a more favorable business climate could be established, leading to new restaurant ventures which could provide the alternatives necessary to help combat the perceived issues with obesity. Then, small business entrepreneurs and risk takers may find an environment worthy of investment. Having then escaped the local council’s interference in the marketplace, the private sector will provide a full array of choice for the citizens in your impoverished neighborhoods.

ALTHOUGH NOT CURRENTLY, I HAVE BEEN A LONGTIME SHAREHOLDER OF McDONALDS.