First, let me say that businesses have enough trouble in this state just complying with hundreds of other rules and regulations without being burdened with more crap like this. For one thing, if you're not smart enough by age 18 to know what's fattening and what's not.... you need to wear a helmet at all times. Here's my rule of thumb: If it tastes really good, it's probably fattening.
I've been watching this "Menu-Labeling Bill" as it's officially called from the start. And the first thing I thought of was a former State Senators business, Tudors Biscuit World & Ginos. These two foods alone have single handedly caused more obesity in this state than the next 10 chain restaurants combined. It's not the foods fault of course, but the fact that lazy people ABUSE these foods. Often times, these are the only food businesses in the hills and hollows of WV, and people purchase way too much food there instead of cooking up their own nutritious meals.
Let's take a look at these foods:
Biscuits & Gravy: Farmer food. Here you have flour for biscuits, flour for gravy. Pork grease and pork pieces for the gravy to top it off. Pretty much the same for the biscuit sandwiches. Now, there's nothing wrong with this in moderation. And there's nothing wrong with this a little beyond moderation IF YOU'RE A CONSTRUCTION WORKER OR FARMER OR ANYONE WHO DOES REAL PHYSICAL WORK ALL DAY. But if you work in an office, eating one of these each morning will soon turn you into one of the many State Worker Blimps (SWB) that you see waddling down Capitol Street each day at lunch.
Pizza: Do I really have to explain to you the fattening aspects of Pizza? Are you really so dumb that you think pizza is diet food? Please tell me that I need not go there.
OK... so you have two of the most fattening foods possible sold to the lazy-ass masses who in turn abuse these foods and by default become obese to the point that Legislators must pass laws to "protect them from themselves".
BUT WAIT.... THERE'S MORE!
Naturally West Virginia lawmakers are infamous for protecting their own right? In this case it's Oshel Craigo and his two business, Tudors and Ginos... the foods most fattening and abused.
Calorie Bill Changed to Favor Former Senator's Business
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- One day after rejecting it, the Senate advanced a slimmed-down version of a bill to require fast-food and chain restaurants to post calorie counts for all menu items. The bill passed by a razor-thin 18-16 vote Tuesday evening.
Sen. Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, amended the bill (SB419) to limit menu-labeling requirements to national and regional fast-food and chain restaurants with locations in at least 14 other states.
The amendment was intended to placate one of the bill's most prominent and powerful opponents, Oshel Craigo. The former Cabell County state senator operates the Tudor's Biscuit World and Gino's pizza chains in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.
Hahahah! The jokes write themselves here in West Virginia don't they? If this Bill actually passes the House, and if I were one of the "other" restaurants caught-up in this nonsense, I'd take it to the Supreme Court. Like I said, it's stupid in my opinion to have this law in the first place, but to use it to protect the fattest of foods because the owner is a local boy who happened to be a former lawmaker is shady at best.
