'Cheeseburger Bill' takes a weight off US fast-food industry's mind

[T_i_B]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1034742,00.html

OBESE Americans may have their attempts to sue the food industry for making them fat thwarted by a “Cheeseburger Bill”.

The House of Representatives voted 276-139 to ban class-action lawsuits that blame food companies for obesity, a condition now thought to kill more Americans than smoking.

Despite widespread support, the Bill may have a rougher ride in the Senate, which has often opposed moves to limit lawsuits and where the Republicans have a slimmer majority. The Bill’s Republican backers said that they were trying to protect an industry that employed 12 million people and which, after the Government, was the largest employer in the country.

Lawsuits of this ilk have so far failed to get through the courts. A federal judge in New York dismissed two cases last year that blamed McDonald’s for making people fat. The White House supported the Bill, saying food manufacturers and sellers should not be held liable for someone else’s “consumption of legal, unadulterated food and a person’s weight gain or obesity”.

[icymist]

1. 'legal, unadulterated food' ? 'food manufacturers' ?

Give me a break!

[T_i_B]

2. I must warn you...

...this is an article from a Murdoch rag. Just so you know what spin to expect.

That said, I thought it was relevant, particularly with the other flame war about obesity on LBN.

[radfringe]

3. more like a "sheesh"burger bill

:eyes: sheesh-burger :eyes: sheesh-burger :eyes: sheesh-burger :eyes:

like protectionism for burger "manufacturers" is suddenly going to result in people shedding pounds...

isn't there something more important that they could be working on, instead of wasting OUR money on this kind of junk bill?

what they are really saying is that juries are too stupid and incompentent to render verdicts and awards...

[Moderator]

4. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=413533