Saturday, November 13, 2010

Nana Finds Common Ground With The Tea Party



On November 3rd the San Francisco board of supervisors passed legislation forbidding giving away toys in children’s meals unless the meals met strict dietary criteria. Today San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom vetoed this ban. I do not closely follow San Francisco politics, but Mayor Newsom has been in the news before. He was the official who authorized issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples.



I’m a believer in a healthy diet for children, but I don’t think an occasional Happy Meal will kill them. Like most things in life, it’s all about moderation. In the interest of full disclosure I should let you know that my grandchildren had never crossed the threshold of McDonald’s until Nana took them there. They loved it, and every time I visit they want to go out to lunch. They also ate very little of their meal. They had a few sips of the chocolate milk and went right for the toy. Nana ate their french fries and most of their chicken nuggets while they climbed the structure in the playground.


In vetoing the ban on the sale of toys with Happy Meals Mayor Newsom said, "Parents, not politicians, should decide what their children eat, especially when it comes to spending their own money."


I have to admit that I’m developing some respect for this Mayor Newsom. In the recent elections many candidates campaigned on a platform of limited government, especially the Tea Party candidates, but too often these same politicians are the first to sponsor legislation to address some perceived flaw in society. Our first response should not be to create new laws. It is not the role of government to save us from ourselves.


There’s not much about the Tea Party that I agree with, but I do believe that government officials need to use better judgment in creating new regulations. I want a government that trusts me to make my own decisions about what is good for me and for my family. Protect me from the real evils of the modern world, not the ones made up for political hay.


Happy Meal toys are still in danger; the board of supervisors may vote to override the veto. Gavin Newsom, Democrat, is moving on to a new job. He won the election for lieutenant governor of California on November 2nd.


I’m going to visit my granddaughters next week. I’ll probably take them out to lunch…the toy is still their favorite part of the meal.

9 comments:

  1. Well, you would have to drag me kicking and screaming into a McDonald's but otherwise I agree with your take on this regulation. I was taken into one once and I was appalled at what I had to choose from. Figured a little bit of hashbrowns and coffee might be okay, but the square of compressed "potatoes" squished with grease when I poked at it. The coffee was good, though. But you're right: why make us into a nanny state?

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  2. One of the good things about being an empty nester is that "Mickey D" is no longer on our list of restaurants. Even with a toy.

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  3. Nana,

    Not a Tea Partier here either. I do have some similar thoughts about exactly what you mention.

    Not to Get into the whole political thing but I think it will take People with your attitude to place our Government (as a whole - Local, State and National) back on the intended path.

    Maybe a slogan like:

    "It is Our Choice - To Toy or Not to Toy!"

    Loved your Post - I agree with you.

    Hope you have fun with the Grandkids next time you are in Texas.

    Danny

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  4. Loved the post. Though, I'm glad you are the only person to feed McDonald's meals to your grands.

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  5. I agree with you......it's the parents decision. I don't mind McDonalds once in awhile.

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  6. I don't do MacDonalds but agree that its up to us what and where we eat. Will removing the toy stop kids wanting to go to MacDonalds? I doubt it.

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  7. You said it: parents should be able to spend their money and make their decisions on how their kids eat. An occasional Happy Meal doesn't hurt ... and most kids are in it for the toy only anyway. My son doesn't really care for the food. This kind of stuff should not be legislated.

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  8. I appreciated your point about the kids really wanting the toy, and not the food so much. Love seeing the subversive side of you and it was nice to read someone's sort of political views expressed without shrill hysteria. That I found myself in agreement with most of what you said didn't hurt either. :-)

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  9. Great, I'll remember not to have a conscience when I take mine to McDonalds too!

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