Orwellian Government Quote of the Day

[speltwon]

Councilmember Bernard Parks on why he is one of the architects behind the recent fast food ban in South LA

"in order to force choice into the market, we have to limit one that is overconcentrated and attract others that provide other options."

Forcing choice is like bombing for peace, fucking for abstinence or working out for laziness.

[JuniperLea]

1. Forescee Hogan-Rowles!!

I sure hope the recount goes in her favor! We're supposed to know tomorrow around 9am.

I went to high school with Forescee... she's brilliant. Always has been obviously highly intelligent. Fingers remain crossed!

[Motown_Johnny]

2. So we should allow monopolies?

Doesn't the practice of not allowing monopolies effectively force choice through competition?



This is not to say I am in favor of the ban or of that statement. Just playing devil's advocate.

[speltwon]

5. There is no monopoly on fast food

McDonald's, Burger King, Wendys etc. are in fierce competition. Some offer pretty healthy choices fwiw (Wendy's Chili is nutritious)...

Furthermore, there are restaurants that offer quick food, (you could call it fast) that are quite nutrititious - Boston Market is a good example, Chipotle,etc.

Regardless, the orwellian part was the "force choice". Two more oxymoronic words have never been seen in such close proximity.

Reminds me of the old Simone de Beauvoir quote...

[Motown_Johnny]

10. I agree with some of that

but we do force choice by forcing competition


It is a poor choice of words but technically accurate


If only one option is open to you then you have no choice but to follow that option. By forcing more than one option to be available you are forced to choose.


Breaking up a monopoly is the best example I can think of for this. It creates another choice (by force of law) and therefore forces consumers to choose.



I'm not going to be drawn into the specific argument of the fast food ban. IMO that is up to the residents to decide for themselves.

[speltwon]

12. Well, first of all, its not the residents, its their paternalistic

nannyish councilmembers (some of them). Ah, the joys of representative democracy when Govt. deigns to protect us from ourselves.

To say there is only one option is laughable. I've driven through South LA. Furthermore, the restaurants tend to go to the markets where they make money. As Chris Rock says, you are going to see more chicken in the hood, and more couscous in the burbs. With the influx of asian and other cultures, we are also seeing far more vietnamese, laotian, cambodian and other food choices. Entrepreneurs who start their own competing businesses and have done quite well.

Also, LA has been reasonably bad on cracking down on food carts etc. that offer IMMENSE variety, choice, etc. - from mexican to thai, etc. for very cheap as a great alternative to conventional box fast food stores, but they are in the same stage homeschooling was 20 yrs ago, or home brewing was before CArter - facing govt. roadblocks and regs every step o the way

Regardless, the very idea of "forcing choice" is like fucking for abstinence.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

3. Depends *whose* choice.

Forcing suppliers to provide consumers with a choice is not a contradiction (although it's not necessarily a good idea, either).

[JuniperLea]

4. "Councilman" Bernard Parks...

Villaraigosa is still Mayor.

[speltwon]

6. My bad

fixing as we speak if I still can

[RKP5637]

7. Too bad that doesn't work on the Comcast/NBC merger, or the proposed

AT&T/T-Mobile merger, or the mammoth banking cartels we have and a zillion other monopolies allowed to flourish in the US crowding out any hint of competition. Some of these monopolies we have today will just one day declare the US gov. a subsidiary.

[speltwon]

8. There is an argument , a quite good one, about monopolistic consolidation

in the ownership of media. There is no monopoly in the world of fast food. The reason why McD's is so successful is their quality control, marketing, brand loyalty and responsiveness. There was a time when they were not so good at that, and their business (and stock price) sank. Warren Buffet sagely (no surprise there) recognized the value and McD's has done quite well since. Regardless, there is fierce competitition in fast food, with chains often outbidding themselves in loss leader items ($1 big mac, etc.) to one up the competition. It's one of the most fiercely competitive markets in our nation. And the world (McD's is immensely popular in France, for instance).

There are plenty of healthy choices at some fast food restaurants e.g. Wendys chili, and several fast food restaurants that are very healthy overall - Chipotle's for instance

[RKP5637]

9. The media one is a real problem. In the big picture net/net they can twist this country

however they want, as the populace will be misinformed to their desire. Frankly, media monopolization is one of the most dangerous things (more or less) going on in the country IMO.

BTW, I agree with you on fast food!

[speltwon]

11. I agree. I think action needs to be taken, should be taken

by congress and that it is "criminal" that they let the consolidation go through years back. I may differ here in that I am against any kind of fairness doctrine, but I am also strongly against monopolistic consolidation of the media, which is what we have, at least in a few markets (obviously the internet as freeform as it is, is an exception).

I think Congress should hold hearings, and if possible legally, these media monopolies need to be broken up.

[RKP5637]

13. One step that needs to happen, and I have no idea how, is to get the money

out of elections and IMO bribery out of congress. I wonder how many of these media conglomerates have made, or will make, sizable contributions under Citizens United to get what they damn well please.