Fat Diet or Fat Politicians?

[SuperScout]

In the latest example of the Mommy State ? the "this is for your own good? school of government ? a Chicago official has proposed banning restaurants from using oils that contain trans fats. Under the proposal from Edward Burke, who has served on the Chicago City Council since 1969, restaurants that fail to remove "artificial trans fats? from their kitchens would be fined $200 to $1,000 a day.

Oils with trans fats ? mostly the partially hydrogenated variety ? have been tied to a number of health problems, including clogged arteries and heart attacks, the New York Times reports. And Chicago was recently named America?s "fattest city? by Men?s Fitness magazine.

The ban on oils with trans fat would be the first adopted by a major U.S. city, although restaurants in the town of Tiburon, Calif., have voluntarily given up the oils.

Seeking to justify the ban, Burke said: "If it were just about adults, I would say, ?O.K., we should butt out.? But youngsters are assuming diets that are unhealthy.? Nevertheless, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley believes a trans fat ban is one rule too many. He said: "Is the City Council going to plan our menus??

[Maybe we'd all be better off if we just banned fat politicians!]