Mississippi Pols Seek To Ban Fats

The Smoking Gun ^ | 2/1/2008 | The Smoking Gun

[Kirkwood]

PHONEY republicans!

[WayneS]

Has anyone considered the possibility that these gentlemen were being purposefully ironic?

Of COURSE such a ridiculous Bill will not get passed, as should NOT such ridiculous laws as anti-smoking bills, seat belt laws, helmet laws, gun storage laws, etc. They ALL interfere with individual liberty.

It’s only a matter of whose ox is getting gored (or pig, in this case).

Isn’t it at least POSSIBLE that they are trying to make a point about government run amok?

[KarlInOhio]

They are the best customers of the "all you can eat" buffets.

No, they are the worst customers. The buffet starts losing money around the eighth full plate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdwuiyO7hOU

You go now! You here four hour!

[mrsmel]

That was the first thing that crossed my my mind—Mississippi is the last state where a law like this would find favor with either party.

[doc30]

Mississippi is a nanny state on steroids. Ironic since its suposed to be a very “Republican” state. Over 60% of their counties are dry.

Republican and Socailly Conservative are not the same thing. Most of those "republicans" would have been democrats 40 years ago.

[VR-21]

"Interestingly, I have stated recently that we are indeed entering a new form of “Dark Age” characterized by lack of rational thinking skills.

I agree with you wholeheartedly Codeflier. I've long thought that for all the all the handwringing about things like looming ice-ages (I'm that old) and global warming, people don't seem to notice that for all our technological progress, we as a species seem to be becoming more coarse, brutish, ignorant and superstitious. We're less human, less humane, and as you say, seem to have little in the way of critical thinking skills.

I heard an interview several years ago in which a woman said..."Television has done to the American public, what booze did to the American Indian." Perhaps that's one of the reasons. Like you, I also feel a "darkness" coming over the world.

[Wuli]

mcpain is not winning gop/conservative majorities in any state so far

the gop/conservative majority has voted against mcpain with its votes split between multiple mcpain opponents

i think that is the truth about the gop internally in most states

[mmichaels1970]

Has anyone considered the possibility that these gentlemen were being purposefully ironic?

Yes. See post #49. I hope this is the case. I did read the bill several times before posting. I'd guess The Smoking Gun did as well. In either case, whether it is serious or ironic, to me it still sends a message about where we are heading if we allow our government to continue to "run amok".

[mrsmel]

Mississippi is the farthest thing from a nanny state in the Union. We have some of the most lenient gun laws, smoking laws, hunting laws, insurance laws, etc, of any state you can name. people here will not have their personal liberties interfered with. We are the only state which managed to have a vote on our flag, however you may feel about the flag itself.

This silly legislation is DOA.

[varon]

Mississippi legislators this week introduced a bill that would make it illegal for state-licensed restaurants to serve obese patrons.

Makes sense to me. Bars can't serve an intoxicated patron so why should a restaurant serve someone that's obviously stuffed ;-)

[Old Sarge]

Mississippi Pols Seek To Ban Fats

My eyes are getting worse... I thought it said, "banning farts".

[mmichaels1970]

Here is another link.

Representative Mayhall admits he does not think his bill would pass but that it was, indeed,a serious effort on his part because of the “urgency of the obesity crisis and need for government action."

[ellery]

“I called lead author, Rep. Mayhall, and asked if this was serious legislation or tongue-in-cheek to make a point. He kindly took a moment to answer my question while the legislature was in session. He said that while, regrettably, he doesn’t believe his bill will pass, this is serious. He wrote it, he said, because of the ‘urgency of the obesity crisis and need for government action.’ He hopes it will ‘call attention to the serious problem of obesity and what it is costing the Medicare system.’”

http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/01/no-fat-people-allowed-only-slim-will-be.html

[mrsmel]

Thank you, he’s just grandstanding, like I figured. I can just see his fellow legislators snickering at him.

[mmichaels1970]

Here is another link to junkfoodscience who claims to be have contacted the lawmakers.

Don't take this (at least from me) as a slight on Mississippi. I went to A school in Meridian and loved it.

Is this a tongue-in-cheek bill, meant to point out how absurd the war on obesity has become? Or do lawmakers actually believe the myths that gluttony is the cause for obesity and that it is the government’s role to force people to eat and live how it deems best?

I called lead author, Rep. Mayhall, and asked if this was serious legislation or tongue-in-cheek to make a point. He kindly took a moment to answer my question while the legislature was in session. He said that while, regrettably, he doesn’t believe his bill will pass, this is serious. He wrote it, he said, because of the “urgency of the obesity crisis and need for government action.” He hopes it will “call attention to the serious problem of obesity and what it is costing the Medicare system.”

So, yes, this is for real and these elected officials actually believe this stuff.

[Red_Devil 232]

That is true but they think they are the best customers because they do eat the food!LOL

The owners try their best to sneak the fried chicken out on to the buffet but it is still gone in a flash ... must be some kind of built in smelladar.

I am kidding with what I have posted but my wife and I avoid these place like the plague.

[rockinqsranch]

“....I thought it said, “banning farts”.”

No no no that’s here...California...Global Warming and all that you know.

[mmichaels1970]

I can just see his fellow legislators snickering at him

I'd think there are at least two fellow legislators that are not snickering at him, since they were cosponsors.

[mrsmel]

Yes but he know it doesn’t have a hope in Hades of passing. It’s easy to introduce silly bills to make a point when you know you won’t have to really defend them.

[dragonblustar]

I want my buffet.