OPINION: Big Brother's Menu

From The Heritage Foundation, I’m Ernest Istook.

Advocates of big government always claim noble motives, rather than admitting they want Big Brother to control our lives, for our own good, of course.

The most common excuse is that they want to protect children. And if you disagree, you must hate kids.
The latest example comes from several federal agencies that don’t have authority to regulate what we eat, but have issued what they call voluntary guidelines that send a clear warning to food companies—do what we say or risk lawsuits.

Products including cereal, frozen dinners, snack foods, baked goods and beverages would risk bureaucratic backlash if they marketed to children, meaning not only cartoons but maybe sponsoring Little League teams or NASCAR drivers.

The feds say it’s to protect children against unhealthy and fattening foods; but isn’t that the family’s job? Or is Big Brother now part of everyone’s family?

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