I thought for sure this news report was coming out of California or Washington State, but no, this latest bit on the squashing of free enterprise comes from across the pond. The Guardian Unlimited in the UK reports, ”health charities today renewed calls for a ban on the advertising of junk food to children as new government research predicted rising obesity in the next few years.” Of course, that makes total sense! Parents are helpless when their children are being brainwashed by the commercials on television. I mean, really, what’s a parent to do when their kid incessantly demands McDonald’s for dinner — say NO? Cut down on their TV viewing to decrease the advertising bombardment? Preposterous!! 

It’s much easier, apparently, to pass a law and smack the hand of the nasty corporations at the root of all evil. People are fat? Corporations fault! High fuel prices? Corporations! War in Iraq? Corporations! Poor education? You guessed it, corporations! Left-wing liberals that bristle at the label ”communist” or “socialist”, should perhaps, then, tone down the championing of doing away with pure capitalism and a free market society… Fortunately the UK health secretary has a shred of common sense:

However, the health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, indicated today that the government would not be pushing strongly for curbs on advertising. She argued about the importance of personal responsibility in the battle against obesity.

Ms Hewitt said lifestyle was important and spoke about the importance of exercise. Fast food firms such as McDonald’s who oppose curbs on advertising have long made similar arguments.

Ms Hewitt said Ofcom and the government would have to assess how far advertising actually influenced the choices children made.

Read the whole story… 

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