San Francisco Considers Happy Meal Toy Ban
- Posted on October 3, 2010 at 9:44pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco has a long history of bold public health and environmental stances, going after everything from plastic bags in grocery stores to cigarettes to sugary drinks.
The latest target: Ronald McDonald.
A proposed city ordinance would ban McDonald’s from putting toys in Happy Meals unless it adds fruit and vegetable portions and limits calories. The proposal would apply to all restaurants, but the focus has been on McDonald’s and its iconic Happy Meals.
Supervisor Eric Mar said he proposed the law to protect the health of his constituents, but McDonald’s has waged an aggressive fight to block the measure. A battery of McDonald’s Corp. executives showed up at city hall to argue that the legislation is a heavy-handed effort that threatens the company’s decades-old business model and the free choice of its customers.
The proposed Happy Meal law is just the latest in a string of San Francisco ordinances aimed at regulating public health. The city recently expanded a law banning tobacco sales in pharmacies to include grocery stores and big-box stores that also have pharmacies.
Mayor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order earlier this year banning sweetened beverages like Coca Cola and Pepsi from vending machines on city property. Local leaders considered but ultimately abandoned laws recently that would have imposed a fee on businesses that sell sugary drinks and alcohol.
Newsom has slowed down in his support of some health measures after he was attacked by his opponent in next month‘s lieutenant governor’s race, Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado, for being the “food police.” Newsom vetoed the alcohol and soda fees, and he‘s indicated he’ll do the same for Ronald McDonald. The Board of Supervisors could overturn a veto but needs the votes of eight of 11 supervisors to do so.
Tony Winnicker, a Newsom spokesman, has said the mayor was opposed to the measures in part because of their negative impact on local businesses.
“The mayor is always open to argument and evidence about a better way — he’s not ideological, he’s not wedded to one approach,” Winnicker said. “This is not the time to be considering new fees and taxes that would put San Francisco at a disadvantage to other counties around the state.”
Mar said he expected his Happy Meal bill to pass out of committee Monday and receive a vote by the full Board of Supervisors later this month.
McDonald’s vice president for nutrition and menu strategy, Karen Wells, said that denying a toy to a child would undermine the authority of parents to decide what their children should eat and would be difficult to execute.
“It‘s different from what we’re doing today and different from what we’ve done for 25 years, successfully,” Wells said.
Responded Supervisor Sophie Maxwell in an exasperated voice, “Just because it’s different does not make it necessarily difficult. I mean, McDonald’s is an amazing institution. It’s been around for many years … because it‘s able to change and to adapt to new circumstances and new things that people are eating so I think I have a lot more confidence in McDonald’s, I guess, than you do.”
Cynthia Goody, McDonald’s nutrition director, said there was no evidence that childhood obesity would be reduced by requiring a fruit or vegetable with all meals.
In response, a supervisor asked what mix of foods would lower childhood obesity. Goody said she would need to conduct more research to provide an answer.
The Happy Meal ordinance is not all surprising given San Francisco’s famously liberal leanings.
“San Francisco has a reputation — and it’s well deserved — of being a very progressive city,” said Alex Clemens, founder of Barbary Coast Consulting, a local political communications firm. “With that comes naturally, hand in hand, a reliance on government to encourage thoughtful change — that’s just tradition.”
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Comments (97)
Chett
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 11:45pmI wonder, when they ban the sugar drinks do they fill the machines up with diet stuff full of aspartame? Gee that will make everyone soooo healthy.
Report Post »Shackleford
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 11:43pmHappy Meals? Why don’t they go after something that could really help the health of the people in that city like replacing the tens of thousands of miles of lead water pipes with PVC? Oh, so you have a better explanation for why those people act the way they do?
Report Post »IndianaUSA
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 11:18pmGo McDonalds! Eff u Eric Mar. People can decide what they want to feed their own kids. That’s the problem with you stupid azz liberals. You never think. Maybe the parents will buy their kid a candy bar out of the vending machine and a cheap ring out of the gumball machine. Now the kid is going to choke on the effin ring because you wouldn’t let him have a toy in his Happy Meal. The parents had to drive to the neighboring town to buy cigs at the pharmacy and wrecked the car. Wow, so many scenarios that you idiot libs didn’t think of when you make your nanny state laws.
Report Post »Ohiowoman
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 11:01pmAnother bizarre proposal from Bizzaroland. These fools will just continue to chase businesses out of their city until there is nothing left but t-shirt and souvenier stands on Fisherman’s Wharf. I‘m surprised they haven’t tried to put Ghiardelli Chocolate out of business too. Maybe they can open tofu shops at the empty McDonald’s locations……or medicinal pot stores. What a bunch of dimwitted fools.
Report Post »Joethedieselmechanic
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 11:00pmI mean this… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCWMAIF6kuA&NR=1
Report Post »Amazona
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:44pmstupid San Francisco politicians and the ring leader Nancy Pelosi, I‘m with McDonalds and tomorrow I’m getting my lunch from there.
Talking about Pelosi crap check out this video of a Pelosi supporter calling a tea party protest racist and the great response from real Americans. I love our patriots!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS9_wJWeK1c
Report Post »Joethedieselmechanic
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:58pmWow I did and it also lead me to this
Report Post »Joethedieselmechanic
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 11:05pmThese people are true americans… And if you disagree you’re a racist homophobic something or rather. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1CLPhz0DHM
Report Post »Amazona
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 11:38pmthanks Joe, there are some great recent tea party videos out there.
Don’t miss this other one, its from that same event in Miami, I have no idea what Nancy Pelosi was doing in Miami this week, anybody know? but the bon voyage she got from the protest was priceless : ) hahahahaha How did people know that she was going to be at that politicans home? We are everywhere now, following everystep. She should have gotten on a boat to Cuba for good since she was so close.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzMXxwTSWIA
Report Post »CapitalistforGod
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:37pmZeh Burgermiester Meisterburger is banning zee toys?. TOYS!!!! Zare vwill be no toy makas to da king!!! Zare vwill be NO TOYS!!!!
Report Post »Joethedieselmechanic
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:33pmOnce again it amazes me that they have nothing better to do. Google about how they handle health care…Your head will explode. Surprised they haven’t formed their own country yet. Then their’s the environmental aspect… Think of all the air they’re sucking up talking and coming up with this crap.
Report Post »Ironmaan
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:21pmAs someone living in flyover country i don’t care what they do in CA, as long as I don’t have to pay to bail out their dumb asses later. So.. They can continue chasing business, jobs and tax dollars away so long as they can afford to do it without my help.
Report Post »Momma M
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 8:02amI’m of a mind to agree with you. I don’t particularly care what they do in California. California is a sovereign state… if THEIR constituents want to follow this path, no matter how crazy it seems to the rest of us, … well, who are we to stop them? McDonalds can decide to stay or go… They have that right as well.
All the weirdo progressives need to live in California, play their little unicorn games and leave the rest of the planet ALONE!
Report Post »Silat
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:19pmIsn’t happy meal slang for gay sex? I don’t know but it sounds GAY!
Report Post »IndianaUSA
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 11:19pmI think silat is but I’m not sure.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:17pmPaul Pelosi, (YES Nancy’s son) has banned plastic bags there, so this does not surprise me! We may get rid of Nancy, but the spawn of the devil is right there waiting to take over and push forward with mummy’s agenda.
Report Post »http://www.plaxo.com/directory/profile/197569797174/df8064d4/Paul/Pelosi
Silat
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:17pmSan Fransisco swallows everything.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:26pmGO TO BED, it’s a school night!
Report Post »EAGLEMOM
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:16pmlet me guess…..they would prefer to put condoms and clean syringes in the meals and call them “safe meals”.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:25pmHAHAHAHA That’s a progressive for you. :)
Report Post »Iamtheoracle
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:14pmI am choking on my happy meal – save us from ourselves PLEASE
Report Post »puck30
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:12pmLiberal Land where the thing we want you to be is happy
Report Post »Ralmoz22
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:08pmwhats next?? BBQ..FOOD AT FAIRS… ARE WE HEADING TO FOOD PROHIBITION ONE ITEM AT A TIME ? iT WILL BE LIKE SMOKING TOBACCO..FIRST BANNED IN PUBLIC THEN BANNED IN YOUR HOME,UGH.
Report Post »flagbearer
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 11:34pmHot dogs at ball games, popcorn, candy in Christmas stockings (if we’re allowed them), apple pie (too American)… But that’s okay, if Monsanto has its way, the world will be dependent upon its seeds and we won’t even be able to plant tomatoes in tubs in our backyard. Shh-hh. Monsanto doesn‘t want anyone to know what they’ve done.
Report Post »akamaikamaaina
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:02pmwho the hell is taking these kids to buy a happy meal
Report Post »2
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:37pmTheir Moms and Dads goofy.
Report Post »NoName22
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 11:47pm“Cynthia Goody, McDonald’s nutrition director, said there was no evidence that childhood obesity would be reduced by requiring a fruit or vegetable with all meals.”
Here’s the evidence…..Dad has sex with Mom. Mom carries child for 9 months, dealing with cramps, and letting the baby mooch off her eating habits. Mom gains weight and risks her job for baby.
Baby is born…..Parents subsequently forget how much they sacrificed for baby…..Parents forget that they pay the rent, buy the food, and clothe baby.
If baby don’t like not getting a toy, please tell me what baby is doing to do. Nag? Whine? Come on parents, YOU GAVE BIRTH AND CONTINUE TO GIVE THE KID A PLACE TO LIVE……Show ‘em who’s boss.
I can’t stand this crap. Cut the tv off, stop relying on commercials to babysit your kids. Aren’t you not in charge? How does some 35 cent toy command this much power? Seriously, Univ of Berkley is over there, they have an element on the periodic table named after that University. If YOU ARE SO DAMN INTELLIGENT AND WISE, I think you would know how to parent your child and hold your authority in the household? Absolutely sickening. Parents in San Fran should be ashamed.
Report Post »NoName22
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 11:52pmGosh that grammar is awful, I need to watch my drinking….
Perhaps I should sue where I was drinking this evening, since it seems to be affecting my intelligence….Yes, this would be the most sensible course of action.
Report Post »Large Eagle
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:00pmMaybe they are just clowning around
Report Post »Boy am I glad the Ronald Mc Donald house is at Stanford or they probably would try to close the most incredible gift and offering from Mickey “D” Corp. ever.
akamaikamaaina
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 9:59pm“San Francisco has a reputation — and it’s well deserved” — of being flat out nuts
Report Post »2
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 9:59pmPut some Mary Jane in with the Happy meal so the Kids get something. It is Frisco.
Report Post »Large Eagle
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 9:57pmSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco has a long history of bold public health and environmental stances,
Does this include the rampant aids from bath houses?
Report Post »american1st
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:16pm“San Francisco has a long history of bold public health and environmental stances,”
the needles and human feces in golden gate park prove it.
Report Post »TruthTalker
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 12:11amHa Ha Ha! Excellent point and You Rock!
Report Post »Desma
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 9:57pmAn easier way to cut the appetites of children to eat healthier would be just to put a picture of Nancy Pelosi on the McDonalds bag and that would make kids sick to their stomache and ruin their appetites.
Report Post »timefool
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:02pmThat would be incredibly funny, but also incredibly useless. Too many Americans cannot identify her
Report Post »GBMBulletsSKNRD
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 10:23pmMan that is funny, you guy should work for Leno. I don’t watch him but I think his rating would skyrocket. Thanks for the laugh.
Report Post »DMD
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 11:00pmewwww yuck that would make anyone puke
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 9:56pmi would fully support mcdonalds closing its stores in calistupidland. I would go out of my way to buy mcdonalds every day so they dont lose any revenue. how bout it mickey? lets give em EXACTLY what they want, and then push the freakin state into the sea. Id rather read a book than watch these movies anyway
Report Post »ruffnex
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 3:15pmI’ve lived in California for over 50 years. It’s a beautiful state. I resent people lumping all Californians together. We are not all stupid!. My idea for a solution…..
Report Post »California should be divided into THIRDS No. Cal, So. Cal and C. Cal. C. Cal would be similar to the Gaza Strip.st”,and contain San Francisco, Oakland and L.A. Anyone wishing to immigrate from there would be wlcome in No. Cal or So.Cal. They would be required to say the Pledge of Allegiance..and sing, at least, one verse of the National Anthem, while proudly waving “Old Glory”.. Remember San Diego is a “Military Town”.
GOD BLESS OUR SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN AND
GOD BLESS AMERICA
Large Eagle
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 9:54pmDoes this include the gerbil offering from last year? Maybe they should call it the unhappy meal and just forget to put the toy in.
Report Post »SND97
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 9:52pmThis country and San Fran has goe to happy land. When is all this stupidity going to stop? We have let this insanity go on for way to long, could we PLEASE wake up and get our country back? TOY BAN? How about a Liberal ban?
Report Post »TruthTalker
Posted on October 3, 2010 at 11:31pmPrepare to be assimilated, resistance is futile. LOL! Yup the plan is to make us cyborgs and control everything. Including thought. I‘m glad technology hasn’t given them the ability at this point in our history. Fight with every fiber of your being. Fight for your children, your family and your very soul. I am talking their ideals and our ideals. Thank GOD for this November.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 12:02amJust one more thing to piss off the next generation, first we stiff them with the deficit, then take away their toys, all in the name of San Fransicko. We will not have prosperity through the midst of chaos.
How would Dr. Suess account for these events?
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 12:29amIt’s impossible to have prosperity through the midst of chaos. It’s the objective of the Socialist Liberal Progressive Democrats to manufacture chaos inorder to implement their agenda. It’s our liberty to distract them by calling them out. Call the press, Call your elected officials.
Report Post »DaytonConserve
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 12:30amIn Ohio and many other states, last day to register to be able to vote on November 2nd is today, Monday, October 4th. You know what to do in order to protect liberty.
Report Post »AzMike
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 12:42amWhy don’t companies just leave SF? I would love to see that happen.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 12:49amNegative – Socialist Liberal Progressive Democrats need to leave this country.
Report Post »anOpinion
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 2:35amI’m with Glenn on a lot of topics but not this one.
Would you complain if they sold cigarettes in a happy meal, how about beer, how about marijuna brownies? Ludicrous right, I agree. The fact is there is a reasonable line where the government steps in and says no, you can’t sell that.
All these fast food places spend $$$ on advertising, “nudging” you towards eating their food. You know, if you go to McD‘s you’ll be happy, your kids will love you, it will be a sunny day. If you don’t believe advertising conditions people, and especially children, then you have your head in the sand.
Report Post »Quack Addict
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 3:13am“San Francisco has a reputation — and it’s well deserved — of being a very progressive city,” They (being the libs) should progress over a bridge…i know of a big one in SF.
Report Post »Post-Progressive American
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 5:34amSan Fran is not alone in these wacko bans…NY and Boston propose them all the time as well. My objection is that it would “ban McDonald’s from putting toys in Happy Meals unless it adds fruit and vegetable portions and limits calories” which sounds a lot like extortion.
My kids always loved the Happy Meals and the toys…but we were the parents and decide if and when we went there…my kids found out very quickly that tantrums when we said ‘no’ only lead to less visits, not more. I sure don’t need the government to step in and parent my children for me.
Report Post »starman70
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 8:46amTO AZ MIKE:
Report Post »GREAT IDEA! McDonalds should close all their restaurants in the city limits and put the thousand or so workers on S. F.’s welfare rolls and unemployment lines. Maybe then these loonies that run that town wake up.
AngryTexanFromAmarillo
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 11:10amI think I have a plan….Everyone who is a Conservative move out of California, we then move all the Liberals into California oh way first we build a big fence down the side of California then we move all the liberals in and let them run it how ever they want. Then we can send them all the illegal aliens they love so much. They can form there own country in California and we can sit back and watch as they destroy themselves and then the best part =) Target practice as they try to scurry out of California once they realize their plans don’t work.
Report Post »wscitgo
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 4:43pmAngryTexanFromAmarillo, that would be a good start. But I think to really solve the problem we just need to take it one step further and just split into two countries—-the USA and the USSA. The USA would be comprised of mostly the southern and middle states—-the non, liberal, non-progressive constitution loving states. The USSA would be California as you proposed, along with the cess pool states like New York that are made up largely of anti-American progressives.
In the end, a split into the USA and USSA is the only peaceful resolution we have. The ideology that divides us is only going to get worse, so why not just split amicably and peacefully. We could setup borders and gladly allow all progressives to leave the USA and move to the USSA, and welcome with open arms those who try living in a socialist/marxist country (the USSA) but finally realize that socialism has never worked and never will.
Report Post »Greyhound424
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 4:50pmWatch the movie “Idiocracy”, it’s California all the way!
Report Post »wscitgo
Posted on October 4, 2010 at 4:59pmGreyhound24, you nailed it on Idiocracy—-truly Mike Judge the creator illustrated the mentality of progressives perfectly in that movie and EVERYBODY should watch that move—-it is full of laughs but sadly it is also what we are becoming.
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