L.C. 9.4 - Sanction Fast Food Act - Failed at Referendum, 18-43

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Sanction Fast Food Act

Recognizing the health risks of refined sugar, processed meats, and added salt, the council shall implement the following policies

A 20% sales tax on salt, as well as a $250 fine for food establishments that include added salt on over 25% of their products.

A 30% sales tax on processed meats, as well as a $300 fine for food establishments that serve over 15% of their meat as processed meat. A tax on 10% of total assets for farms that use growth hormones or other chemicals, and which have a net worth of less than $100,000. A tax of 60% of the current market price per pound of meat for slaughterhouses that agree to slaughter animals raised with growth hormones.

A 20% sales tax on refined sugar, as well as a $200 fine for food establishments that include refined sugar in over 30% of their products.

The government of Lincoln shall set up a tax credit program, where if one can prove that between two consecutive years, they increased their purchase of natural sugar by at least 20% and reduced their purchase of refined sugar by 20%, they shall receive a tax credit of 5% of their regional income tax. This program shall be implemented by sending out scans of all receipts for all products purchased to the regional government, which shall then determine eligibility.

The government of Lincoln, including its council, strongly recommends that the populace not eat or work at McDonalds.

Sponsor: Speaker Dwarven Dragon
Occupying: Government Slot 2 of 10

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

This bill will nip our obesity crisis in the bud. I urge the Council to adopt it.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

So I definitely support the intent behind this bill and will support measures to responsibly curb obesity in our region, but there are countless reasons why I can't support this bill in particular. Banning an entire restaurant chain unilaterally will open us up to countless legal challenges that I'm not willing to engage in. Also, if we do manage to ban McDonald's, we would then need to ban literally every fast food restaurant that serves "unhealthy" food--and who makes that determination?

If passed by the council, I will veto this bill.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

This bill is only about banning McDonald's. This bill doesn't somehow require us to start banning other places, as its provisions only impact McDonald's. McDonald's is far worse than any other similar restaurant because of its extremely high popularity. Therefore there is unique justification for banning it that does not apply to other fast food restaurants.

And this is just like any other Government regulation on health and safety standards for Businesses - in this case, it is a stipulation that McDonald's has failed to live up to any reasonable standard of health with its greasy, addictive, and obesity-causing products, and therefore it deserves to be banned.

If people have concerns about other restaurants or related issues, they are welcome to introduce their own bills. But on this thread, we are banning the most egregious case, and we are not saying anything about other fast-food restaurants, none of which have the same popularity as McDonald's, and most of which aren't nearly as bad as McDonald's.

[Brother Jonathan]

If this legislation were simply seeking to create some sort of strong health regulations that would be binding on all companies that would be one thing, but I think that singling out one company, in particular, is not the way to address this problem. I have little sympathy for McDonald's, but passing a law that singles out only them seems to me to be rather questionable. Even setting aside any objections to the underlying desire to pass stricter health laws, I just don't think this is the way to go about it. If the goal is promote health and safety, then that should be the law we pass, not a blanket ban on the operation of McDonald's franchises in the region.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Moving for a final vote on this. 24 hrs to object

[Former President tack50]

If this somehow passes I am probably suing the region on constitutionality grounds

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

If this somehow passes I am probably suing the region on constitutionality grounds

I would be honored to defend this bill in court

[S019]

Objection, I think there are some good McDonald's products, such as breakfast biscuits, that should not be banned

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Objection, I think there are some good McDonald's products, such as breakfast biscuits, that should not be banned

Objection heard and motion withdrawn.

Write that up as an amendment and we'll see where it goes

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Amendment:

Ban McDonalds Act

Recongizing that McDonalds is a horrible company that exists solely for the purpose of making people Obese and forcing them to consume horribly unhealthy and greasy products made through suspicious practices,

Recongizing that Obesity is one of the biggest problems facing Atlasia and the Lincoln Region,

The Council Hereby,

- Bans McDonalds, or any affiliate or franchise thereof, from operating anywhere in Lincoln and from importing their products to Lincoln

- Bans any offsite McDonalds facility or similar venue that seeks to produce McDonalds products in Lincoln for exportation to other regions.

- EXCEPTION: Any McDonalds, or any affiliate or franchise thereof, or any related offsite facility or similar venue, that sells or produces ONLY a selection of the items on this list may remain open:

- McMuffins
- McGriddles
- Biscuit Sandwiches
- Drinks not currently considered part of the McCafe Umbrella
- Salads

Such facilities may NOT add to these items hamburger patties, hamburger buns or other ingredients that prior to the passage of this law were only found in Burgers and/or Chicken Sandwiches.


- Decrees that any McDonalds, or any affiliate or franchise thereof, or any related offsite facility or similar venue, that acts in contravention to this law, will see all of its owners and managers imprisoned for anywhere from six months to three years. Each case will be judged individually.

I believe this addresses S019's concern. 24 hrs to object.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

i'ma get me a mcrib one way or another tf

[S019]

Banning French fries is a no, I guess you could ban salt, but then we're going to head down a rabbit hole, instead of banning I'd recommend regulating

Amendment to replace bill in entirety

Recognizing the health risks of refined sugar, processed meats, and added salt, the council shall implement the following policies

A 20% sales tax on salt, as well as a $250 fine for food establishments that include added salt on over 25% of their products.

A 30% sales tax on processed meats, as well as a $300 fine for food establishments that serve over 15% of their meat as processed meat. A tax on 10% of total assets for farms that use growth hormones or other chemicals, and which have a net worth of less than $100,000. A tax of 60% of the current market price per pound of meat for slaughterhouses that agree to slaughter animals raised with growth hormones.

A 20% sales tax on refined sugar, as well as a $200 fine for food establishments that include refined sugar in over 30% of their products.

The government of Lincoln shall set up a tax credit program, where if one can prove that between two consecutive years, they increased their purchase of natural sugar by at least 20% and reduced their purchase of refined sugar by 20%, they shall receive a tax credit of 5% of their regional income tax. This program shall be implemented by sending out scans of all receipts for all products purchased to the regional government, which shall then determine eligibility.

Caveat: I don't know if I support this amendment, but if you want to use regulation to control the food market, this is a far better way to do it, mostly putting this forward so we can get some debate here.

[S019]

Also if the amendment is adopted, we'll need to change the title of this

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Banning French fries is a no, I guess you could ban salt, but then we're going to head down a rabbit hole, instead of banning I'd recommend regulating

Depending on how many you're having, French Fries can be just as bad as a Big Mac.

-----

Also, if there is no Objection, I'm not going to call 24 hours on S019's amendment for a while. Would prefer to just leave it for a few days to foster debate and so I can think over it more.

[Former President tack50]

Well Suburban's version is still horrible but at least it is not unconstitutional

FYI, at one point Gandhi fought against salt taxes

[RC (a la Frémont)]

Wulfric this sh**ts rediculous, always has been. Dont make me come out of retirement to beat that into your skull.

[OBD]

This is gonna dick over the folks who rely on inexpensive sources of food so hard. I urge the Council to reject this out of hand.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Wulfric this sh**ts rediculous, always has been. Dont make me come out of retirement to beat that into your skull.

If we do pass something here you will be thanking me one day because Lincoln Obesity will be solved

[Elcaspar]

Like the Governor i support the intent behind the bill, but the bill itself is ridiculous. Regulating fast foods, while also incentivizing more healthy and balanced eating habits would do us much better than just straight up banning a fast-food chain.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Withdrawing my amendment

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

I'm willing to support the S019 amendment.

24 hours to object to the amendment.

[Continential]

I object

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

The vote is on this amendment:

Recognizing the health risks of refined sugar, processed meats, and added salt, the council shall implement the following policies

A 20% sales tax on salt, as well as a $250 fine for food establishments that include added salt on over 25% of their products.

A 30% sales tax on processed meats, as well as a $300 fine for food establishments that serve over 15% of their meat as processed meat. A tax on 10% of total assets for farms that use growth hormones or other chemicals, and which have a net worth of less than $100,000. A tax of 60% of the current market price per pound of meat for slaughterhouses that agree to slaughter animals raised with growth hormones.

A 20% sales tax on refined sugar, as well as a $200 fine for food establishments that include refined sugar in over 30% of their products.

The government of Lincoln shall set up a tax credit program, where if one can prove that between two consecutive years, they increased their purchase of natural sugar by at least 20% and reduced their purchase of refined sugar by 20%, they shall receive a tax credit of 5% of their regional income tax. This program shall be implemented by sending out scans of all receipts for all products purchased to the regional government, which shall then determine eligibility.

Please cast your votes.


AYE

[Continential]

Nay