Let’s have a Fat Tax

Watching the T.V every night it appears like we are under siege from the fast food companies. I cannot remember so many dollar menus and value menus being promoted. Loss leaders are being used as ‘carrots’ to entice people into the stores, ( how can it be possible to sell 2 Big Macs for $3.50 and make money? the PZone from Pizza Hut 1lb of food for $1… cmon!!). The ferocity of this marketing seems to tie in nicely with our current economic downturn. As more people lose their jobs/homes/retirement the Big 4 of fast food are acting like the answer to our prayers. Bring me your hungry…. we will feed you and your family for next to nothing. Despite this McDonalds still made $4.3 B net profit in 2008 and have plans for 1000 more restaurants this year. Why is it that the tobacco and alcohol companies pay massive taxes for their right to kill the population yet the junk food business gets a free pass? Think of the educational programs you could fund by taking a percentage of that profit. Across the industry that would be a staggering amount. Remember home economics where kids got a chance to learn how to cook the basics?? New York  seems to be taking this idea seriously having already banned trans-fat in food sold in the city and is proposing the institution of an obesity tax. How about it San Diego????