When Bake Sales Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Have Bake Sales

Somewhat Reasonable ^ | December 3, 2010 | Ben Boychuk

[seamus]

"Drop that brownie, young lady! You're in violation of Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010."

A bit of rhetorical hyperbole? Actually, that might not be too much of an exaggeration of what's in store under the new child nutrition law Congress passed Thursday. The bill, which gives the USDA power to regulate fat and sugar in schools, squeaked through the House thanks to heavy lobbying from sundry "public health" and child welfare groups. First Lady Michelle Obama's support probably didn't hurt, either.

The feds will also be empowered to regulate fundraisers where food is sold -- i.e., bake sales. And that has PTAs and varsity cheerleading squads across the country seriously freaking out. According to the Associated Press:

The legislation would apply to all foods sold in schools during regular class hours, including in the cafeteria line, vending machines and at fundraisers....

[goldstategop]

Liberals will be empowered to decide what, where and when you can eat.

A Food Czar’s dream. And every one else’s nightmare.

[blueplum]

another trend of the past couple of decades has been the steady disappearance of recess.

liability insurance issues? no monkey bars, no dodge ball, no red-rover, no swings, no merrygorounds, no tether ball, no jungle-gyms, no baseball.....

[dennisw]

I’m not into junk food or pizza.... But kids can burn that stuff off. At least I did and so did millions of others before the age of at home computer games. So you see more kids wearing eyeglasses and dicking around inside on computer games instead of outside in disorganized sports like we had in my neighborhood

[John Valentine]

...squeaked through the House...?

Anyone have any idea if this idiotic, unconstitutional, Fascist wet dream has also "squeaked" through the Senate?

[John Valentine]

Congress is authorized to regulate school bake sales exactly where in the Constitution, again?

The Interstate Commerce clause?

Somebody needs to tell Congress that the last election was all about STOPPING this kind of lawlessness.

[seamus]

I'm 40. And as hard as it is for kids or "millennials" to believe ... the whole "video games will create sloth and all kids will be fat" was a problem back in my teens.

Granted, we didn't have "Halo" back then, but "Pac Man," and Atari 2600 games, and going over to a friend who had "ColecoVision" was still a BIG TIME competitor to tossing a football around. And we heard the same nonsense back then.

Of course, we didn't have the force of the federal government making us all play football - let alone ban bake sales - back then. Statists have stepped up their game.

[seamus]

I believe the Senate has not yet acted. But I’m sure fellow Freepers will have the skinny.

[Razz Barry]

When will the fat children be attacked on the playground?

[roamer_1]

[...] outside in disorganized sports like we had in my neighborhood

How I loved the sand lot... I hate most every organized sport (hate 'em... never watch), but that sand lot was something else.

Too bad there isn't a sand lot for fat, crippled up, 50 year old men, or I would be there... : P

[this_ol_patriot]

I’m not into junk food or pizza.... But kids can burn that stuff off.

We used to burn it off alright, going door-to-door selling that fundraiser crap. Seemed like every week we had something new to sell, hoagies, pizzas, Easter candy, Christmas candy, Halloween candy, I thought maybe we were being groomed to be Electrolux salesmen.

[garandgal]

"Most parents don't want their kids to use their lunch money to buy junk food. They expect they'll use their lunch money to buy a balanced school meal."

Somehow, I'm just certain that the 50% of students whose parents PAY for lunch are not the main problem.

[dr_lew]

Food Facism, fer sure. It is. It’s here. Wake up and smell the Facism.

[seamus]

Somehow, I'm just certain that the 50% of students whose parents PAY for lunch are not the main problem.

Bingo!

[convertedtoreason]

I’ve been TOO MAD at this.

Everyone is flabbing his mouth on DADT.

But the Food Safety Bill HAS MORE DRASTIC EFFECT TO ORDINARY AMERICANS.

Small business and families selling their small home products will be the major casualties.

THIS IS THE REASON WHY PALIN RECENTLY LAMBASTED MICHELLE OBAMA AND THE CONGRESS ON THIS ISSUE.

[dennisw]

We had an old lot where we played. Catholic church owned it and even put in fencing for a backstop. No lawsuits back then. This would never be done these days letting kids play pick-up baseball on your property. Blame the lawyers

Of course that lot was eventually built on but that was a decade after I last played there

[30Moves]

I think this bill passed the senate a while ago with unanimous support.

So it goes to Obama next.

[Strk321]

“At least I did and so did millions of others before the age of at home computer games. So you see more kids wearing eyeglasses and dicking around inside on computer games instead of outside in disorganized sports like we had in my neighborhood”

Remember how up through the ‘90s, parenting experts would always say “Kids watch too much TV! They need to play outside more!” Well, we now have the first generation of children who are addicted to the computer instead of TV.

However, I assure you that in my neighborhood disorganized outdoors activities are very much alive and well. Still too many fat kids around here, though :-p

[Irenic]

No, we resist and we have bake sells, we eat whatever the L we want and send our kids to school with whatever we/they want.

They jail us for THAT— it’s them that will look STUPID on the world stage.

It’s time to say NO.

[Gene Eric]

>> It’s time to say NO.

bttt