When it comes to the government’s role in our lives, you’ll see a broad set of opinions ranging from the libertarian “leave us alone” to straight-up totalitarianism (though the latter is less popular, especially in America). There are, of course, broad issues such as healthcare, gun control, and the surveillance, but even the debate over food regulation matters.
Obesity is clearly a huge, expanding issue in the US, and eating healthy is obviously the solution. So why not get rid of all the unhealthy food, and only have vendors sell salads, fruits, and whole foods? Personally, I wouldn’t mind it, as I already eat pretty well, and would be glad see others follow suit. The problem lies in the principle of the matter. While I’m in favor of posting calorie counts on foods, simply because customers have every right to know what they are getting, banning certain foods is, perhaps, a limit the government should not cross. Personal freedom relies on the notion that my body and mind are my own, and I’m free to use them as I see fit, so long as I don’t harm my fellow creatures. By that standard, banning public cigarette smoking seems plausible given that the person partaking is potentially harming others. And while banning trans-fats in foods, and limiting soda’s to 16 ounces don’t seem like a big deal (probably because, in and of themselves, they’re not), I’m not sure I’m okay with arbitrating laws arbitrarily.
