Cheeseburger in Paradise

The House of Representatives today passed a bill banning frivolous lawsuits against fast food chains for making their customers fat. Their reasoning is summed up in this example.

In the best-known case, a federal judge in New York last year dismissed a lawsuit filed against McDonald's on behalf of two overweight teenagers that contended the company was hiding the health risks of Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets. U.S. District Judge Robert W. Sweet said it was well-known that fast food contains high levels of potentially harmful ingredients such as fat and salt.

The article also quotes Rep. Kay Granger who say this:

"Americans can sue the McDonald's and Burger Kings of the world until these establishments can pay no more, but not one American will lose weight until they eat better and exercise more frequently."

And in yet another source, I found this little gem:

Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) said, "You made yourself obese. It wasn't the system that did it, or the local fast-food chain that did it. You did it yourself."

While I agree that our legal system has a major problem with stupid and frivolous lawsuits, this sounds like a good bill. Or does it?

After all, obesity kills. And there is no doubt that obesity-related disease and illnesses are a huge drain on the economic resources of society and employers.

Am I making this too hard to follow? Let's supposed that U.S. District Judge Robert W. Sweet had actually said: "...it was well-known that fast food tabacco contains high levels of potentially harmful ingredients…" Perhaps Rep. Granger had said "Americans can sue the McDonald's R.J. Reynolds Burger Kings and Phillips Morris' of the world until these establishments can pay no more, but not one American will lose weight until they eat better and exercise more frequently be safe from smoking related illnesses until they stop smoking. And perhaps Congressman Sensenbrenner said, "You made yourself obese smoked. It wasn't the system that did it, or the local fast-food chain Tobacco Industry that did it. You did it yourself."

Really - what's the difference? If it was so good for the tobacco industry, why isn’t it good for the fast-food industry?

Personal responsibility folks – that’s all I’m asking. Well, that and perhaps a couple of judges who have the balls to look a plaintiff in the face and say “Your lawsuit is stupid and it’s wasting the courts time. Furthermore, your counsel is stupid and he/she’s wasted your money. Case dismissed on grounds of stupidity.”