Congress Explores Bills to Restrict Fast Food Law Suits

[Joust Williams]

"The amount of carbs one eats on an Atkins diet suggests anything but moderation"

Exactly. And that's a problem I have with companies trying to play this Atkins angle to get people to buy their products. If someone was trying to do eat differently and asked me if this Atkins chocolate bar would be good, I'd tell them to go eat a real one if they need something like that. This diet nonsense is junk. Everyone is on a diet...a diet is simply what you eat.

[Wilykat]

In essence, I disagree with most lawsuits against fast food companies.

However, the amount of advertising McDonalds and the like have directed towards children keeps me from siding with them either. Children in America are almost conditioned to accept Happy Meals as part of their life. Adults can make their own choices, but McDonalds would have a better argument for immunity if they didn't focus on children as much as they do.

[Frogacuda]

However, the amount of advertising McDonalds and the like have directed towards children keeps me from siding with them either. Children in America are almost conditioned to accept Happy Meals as part of their life. Adults can make their own choices, but McDonalds would have a better argument for immunity if they didn't focus on children as much as they do.

Children don't make purchasing decisions. Nothing irks me more than parents who say their kids made them buy them stuff.

[Wilykat]

Children don't make purchasing decisions. Nothing irks me more than parents who say their kids made them buy them stuff.

That's true, you just need to advertise towards a child enough until they nag their parents into submission.

[Fe 26]

That's true, you just need to advertise towards a child enough until they nag their parents into submission.

Lets be honest here. We all know that a big ammount of McDonalds money comes from kids. They are about the only people who give a damn about the place anymore.

[Gohron]

I agree with both Frog and CV on this issue, something more needs to be done but this isn't neccasarily a bad idea. Gozen's logic really suprises me and makes me pretty angry at the same time. I guess computer companies should stop advertising because their products have been known to cause carpal tunnel syndrom, and tissue companies because their tissues can give you a rash and chapped skin from blowing too much.

[Frogacuda]

That's true, you just need to advertise towards a child enough until they nag their parents into submission.

Yes, clearly in this case television is being an irresponsible parent, and should be held accountable.

This situation is one of the areas where I really break ranks with the American left. I don't know why reducing personal responsibility has become a liberal crusade, except that it the opposes corporate intrests of the right, but it really shouldn't be. People need to cope with their bad decsions. They should not have their lives padded for them. They shouldn't be lied to, and they should have the information they need to make informed decisions, but they should not be able to sue people over their own negligence.

If anything, I think parents should be held more accountable for what their kids do.

[Wilykat]

I agree that the burden of liability is on the parent for making the decision to buy their child fast food on a regular basis if healthier food is available. I just feel that giving fast food companies like McDonalds immunity would be be less ambiguous if, in exchange, tighter restrictions were placed on advertising these products towards children.

Let's make no bones about it: Ronald McDonald has been trying to work itself into the mindset of children for decades now. Even if a five-year old isn't the one buying the Happy Meal themselves, the constant commercials are designed to place that desire there. "Everybody else eats McDonalds". The idea that a child should grow up eating McDonalds contributes to the overall obesity of our country. That's bad.

I'm not arguing in favor of lawsuits against McDonalds, and against personal responsibility. Just that McDonalds should target only conscious adults with their marketing if they full legal protection from consumers.

[g0zen]

I was just arguing the point from the side of the consumer. I don't think the flames sent my way were really necessary, but I doubt any of you give a shit about that.

Suffice it to say that the root of my argument is that this is a matter that should be left up to the courts to decide, instead of giving blanket protection for the companies implicated. That's where I'll stop on the matter.

[Gohron]

I was just arguing the point from the side of the consumer. I don't think the flames sent my way were really necessary, but I doubt any of you give a shit about that.

Suffice it to say that the root of my argument is that this is a matter that should be left up to the courts to decide, instead of giving blanket protection for the companies implicated. That's where I'll stop on the matter.

The courts in the United States of America are a joke, sometimes I think they pass stuff simply because they can with no real grasp on what it can do. I definately think they need to be reformed.