Fascism will not cure obesity!

People use many adjectives to describe Los Angeles—“logical” is not one of them.  Of course, one rarely associates “logic” with fascism and fascism lies at the very core of Los Angelean culture. Environmental quacks, anti-smoking zealots, and personal health nuts, represent just a handful of power hungry, agenda driven, ideologues who seek to implement a “nanny” government.   With that said, it doesn’t surprise me when I see stories like the one concerning the city of Los Angeles’ recent moratorium on new fast food restaurants in the southern part of the city. 

The city’s argument lacks logical footing. Preventing new fast-food restaurants, potential sources of foods that lead to obesity, does not guarantee that people in the southern sector of the city will not eat fast food. What if they continue to dine at the pre-existing fast-food restaurants or choose to dine at fast-food restaurants built in other parts of the city or in neighboring communities where the moratorium has no power. Additionally, the city’s argument assumes that government, specifically a municipal government, has an obligation to deal with the physical health of citizens.

Stripped of its’ many layers, the argument serves as another illustration of how intrusive we have allowed our local governments to become, trampling on our personal liberties and disrupting the flow of economic markets. All across the United States, local governments have, in the name of personal health, fought to outlaw everything from trans fats to smoking in virtually every public space. Left alone, the market would alleviate these problems. With all the knowledge we now have concerning health and nutrition, many people are turning away from fast-food on their accord. Fast-food restaurants have responded by providing a “healthier” menu, relatively speaking. Eventually, market pressures will force fast-food restaurants to alter their menus even more or cause them to shut their doors for good.

Just like other fascist groups, the obesity lobby seeks to further their agenda. All of these groups share the same agenda, which is to transfer power from the individual to the community. What these obese people need, many of whom probably got fat off of the government’s dole, is not legislation, but self-discipline. Of course, with self-discipline comes self-reliance and the big government that gives so many Californians “happy pants” becomes less relevant to the general population and then the advocates would have to find real jobs.