Daniel T
Member
Read the story here.
The parallels between this and the gun-manufacturer liability bill are amazing. The usual suspects are standing up and decrying the bill because it is "aimed at hurting trial lawyers".
I guess that's only a bad thing to Democrats.
WASHINGTON — The same people who sued Big Tobacco (search) are suing fast-food companies but some lawmakers in Congress are pushing for a law to put the lawsuits on a starvation diet.
The House of Representatives is considering what has been nicknamed the "Cheeseburger Bill" (search) on Wednesday.
If the bill — officially called the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act — becomes law, it would prevent what it describes as "frivolous lawsuits against the manufacturers, distributors or sellers of food or nonalcoholic beverage products" arising from obesity claims.
The measure basically says it's the consumer's problem if his greasy-eating habit adds to his bulk and would protect companies like KFC and Wendy's from fat-related lawsuits. But it wouldn't prevent civil suits stemming from tainted foods or mislabeling.
Coming up for a vote a day after health officials announced that obesity was on the verge of surpassing tobacco as the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, the bill is expected to easily pass the House.
But it may hit some obstacles in the Senate, which has often blocked House-passed measures that would cap legal damages or protect certain industries from lawsuits.
At a news conference Wednesday, bill sponsor Rep. Ric Keller (search), R-Fla., said the bill is about "common sense and personal responsibility."
The White House issued a statement backing Keller's bill, saying, "food manufacturers and sellers should not be held liable for injury because of a person's consumption of legal, unadulterated food and a person's weight gain or obesity."
But Democrats called the bill a Republican political ploy aimed at hurting trial lawyers and helping the multibillion-dollar food business.
Professor John Banzhaf (search), who is leading the lawyers arguing for their overweight clients who regularly dine at such establishments, insists the lawsuits aren't frivolous.
"Let me remind you that the smoker suits, the non-smoker suits, the suits by the states against the tobacco industry, all were originally called frivolous," Banzhaf said.
Although personal responsibility is a big factor, said Jennifer Keller of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (search), "people are confused about what eating healthy is."
Although obesity undoubtedly is a huge health problem in America, fast-food companies and some lawmakers say a certain amount of common sense should be applied when people stuff themselves with cheeseburgers and French fries.
"The fact is, it's ridiculous to blame a restaurant for when a person eats too much food," Rep. Pat Toomey (search), R-Penn., told Fox News. "It's a person's own individual decision … we ought to make it clear you can't sue a restaurant for the behavior you're responsible for yourself.
"We have a very abusive class-action lawsuit system in this country," he continued.
Many fast-food restaurants now offer leaner menus but it's up to customers whether they want to partake in a salad or a burger.
The parallels between this and the gun-manufacturer liability bill are amazing. The usual suspects are standing up and decrying the bill because it is "aimed at hurting trial lawyers".
I guess that's only a bad thing to Democrats.
Legislate common sense? Prevent trial lawyers from gutting the economic base of this country? Are you Crazy?