Michael Mudd, a former executive at Kraft foods, penned a scathing op-ed in The New York Times over the weekend blaming "Big Food" for the obesity epidemic in America. His solution? More progressive regulation like the kind Bloomberg tried to implement in New York State with his recently soda ban. Even though it's been shot down by the courts, Mudd claims that government should continue to push more regulation in order to protect the American people, who apparently have handed over personal responsibility to the Nanny State.
"First, the food industry knows it has a problem, potentially a very big one if the forces against it ever do coalesce effectively. So, in maneuvering for protection by managing public opinion and policy formation, the industry will always try to camouflage itself as just one of many causes in the growth of obesity," Mudd wrote .
"Second, as more is revealed about their deliberate indifference, food companies must be made to change their worst practices. After years of foot dragging and hundreds of millions of dollars in lobbying fees, it’s obvious the industry won’t change on its own. Quite simply, change will have to be forced — by public pressure, media attention, regulation and litigation," he continued.
"You're powerless," Glenn said, summarizing Mudd's argument. "It is a lack of personal responsibility. It is the idea that there is absolutely no personal responsibility, that you, you are helpless because they come and they just hypnotize you or whatever it is."
"Let me tell you something: The word that the American people need to understand is one, one word: Control . Everything they're doing now is about that one word: Control. Control your behavior."
"It is really truly an amazing thing, but understand it is all truly about one thing: Control. It's not about your health, it's not about education, it's not about the children. It is not about guns, it's not about saving people in schools against guns. It's not about any of that. It is about control because they are currently robbing you blind. That's exactly what's happening."
"There's nobody from big food forcing you to eat. It is your personal responsibility and your personal choice, and the minute you relinquish that for the common good, common bad is going to be happening everywhere. Everywhere. Bad. And it will become very common."
Oddly enough, while Glenn was in the middle of explaining to Mudd what it meant to be responsible for ones own choices, agents of "Big Food" ran up behind him and shoved a Twinkie down his throat...because that happens in real life...
