NYC Councilman Leroy Comrie Proposes Bill Banning ‘Happy Meals’

April 6, 2011 9:26 AM

Girl eating Happy Meal (credit: CBS 2)

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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – San Francisco’s already done it, and now New York may follow suit. New York City Councilman Leroy Comrie thinks the city should consider a ban on “Happy Meals” and similar fast food promotions aimed at kids unless those meals meet certain nutritional standards.

1010 WINS’ John Montone reports: Taking The Happy Out Of Happy Meals?

Comrie has fought the battle of the bulge himself.

“As you know, and I’m an example, nearly one-third of all children in New York City and throughout the United States are either overweight or obese,” Comrie said.

Comrie planned to introduce his own bill Wednesday that would essentially rewrite what could currently be considered a “Happy Meal.” The bill would require establishments that offer toys with food make sure the meals are 500 calories or less and have low fat and low sodium totals.

Penalties would be steep: between $200 to $2,500 for repeat restaurant offenders who use toys to sell unhealthy meals.

Comrie said fast food restaurants know exactly what they’re doing.

“It comes as no surprise that these ads and meals are also targeted in low income and minority neighborhoods that are already at risk for childhood obesity. These are the same communities that have limited access to supermarkets, limited access to healthy food options,” Comrie said.

In a statement, Mason Smoot, vice president and general manager for McDonald’s in the New York Metro Area said, “Our Happy Meals make it easier for families to choose the right foods in portions just for kids. We provide options for our customers and trust them to make the decisions that are right for their families. Politicians should too.”

Do you side with Councilman Comrie? Should Happy Meals be banned? Let us know below…

NYC Councilman Leroy Comrie Proposes Bill Banning Happy Meals

Dude

Yep, it’s always the inanimate object’s fault.

I can only surmise that in a few years there will be no childhood obesity in N.Y., just like there is no gun crime anymore.

Hunter S.

+1

Typical of the elite to misidentify the problem and focus the collective against it.

Happy Meals are the problem just like V8′s cause high speed accidents.

Harnes

Every politician that proposes such idiot nonsense has to be fired! What is freedom? In these folks mind they know what is best for everyone else and they want to use the police to go after food? It has gone to far – fire these idiots or we will be slaves!
zef

Lord Bloomberg would be proud.
Mark

IF we are not at liberty to harm ourselves, do we really have liberty?

Asystole

Umm…yes? Who is to describe exactly what ‘harm’ is? Harm can be tangible (gun shot), or intangible (verbal abuse). What can be deemed harmful by one can be unharmful to another. George Burns, the famous actor, lived to be 100 years old even though he smokied on average five cigars per day for the majority of his life. There are people who are naturally immune to the effects of cigareete smoke, for instance.
Liberty means we get to make our own decisions and we get to live with the repurcussions; both good and bad. Do you really want someone else to tell you how to live, micromanaging your life? If you don’t ever cross a street, you probably will never be hit by a car. If you never drive a car, your chances of dying in a car accident go almost to nill.

Or, you can live fully and accept that life is about risks, rewards, and failures.

James

“It comes as no surprise that these ads and meals are also targeted in low income and minority neighborhoods that are already at risk for childhood obesity. These are the same communities that have limited access to supermarkets, limited access to healthy food options,” Comrie said.

Change a few of these words and you can say the same about Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry. I doubt Comrie would outlaw them, though. Typical liberal phony.
Steve Rob

This Councilmen would have loved to live in the old Soviet Union or in China. While the world is in deep peril and the economies of the world are collapsing and the future of our nation is in grave danger with all governments broke including New York, this nutjob is worried about Happy Meals. This is precisely why the future of this nation is in such peril. Fools like this focusing on Happy Meals while their world is crumbling and trying to put out a raging economic fire with a garden hose. God help us, we’re giong to need it.
Jaime

How can people be so stupid as to continue to vote people like this Bozo and Mayor Nannyberg into office? Do they really have such little regard for themselves that they are willing to put up with this kind of tyranny in small doses? Once they’ve become accustomed to having the “Smarter than Thous” make the small decisions for them, they will follow along like sheep when it is time for the more important ones.

tnmccoy

Excellent!

jrocket

I think this guy should be deported. Why are you New Yorkers so stupid?

Michael H.

How do you intend to deport a United States citizen?

Yet, somehow, you call New Yorkers stupid…

Grand Wizard

He should lose his for being a communist. then you can deport him.
Michael H.

You can’t take away somebody’s citizenship based on a political affiliation. What kind of American are you? You’re advocating denying somebody their First Amendment right.
TWRauch

That’s right, we can’t deport somebody for being a Communist. Freedom, Pease, Love. BUT we can sure as HE11 pass out fines (and jail time if fines aren’t paid) because somebody selling a ‘Happy Meal’. Ska-Roo Eee-U.
Tampax McRiblett

You a idiot!

teaisstronger

IF WE ALL HAD RIFLES THEY WOULD NOT TRY TO DO THIS;

Its time to march like an Egyptiian. This Government of ours will only listen to vollies of musketry and gun ships.

blackirishblonde

People who makes these rules should think about this. For many children these are the ONLY toys they receive. To deprive a child of a toy is wrong in so many ways.
JK

The COMMUNIST Chinese are laughing at us.
Frank

Why do the stupid voters of NYC keep putting morons like this guy in power?
CSI

I usually don’t support big business and franchise such as these. But It’s easier to blame them for the problem then the uneducated parents who don’t care for there children. They are the ones who buy these foods for their kids.
BackwardsBoy

Sooo, there is no crime and all the criminals have been apprehended in New York so the police are now free to pursue McDonald’s customers?

Michael H.

Who said anything about police pursuing McD’s customers? The restaurants would be fined, not the customers, and those fines would likely be levied by health department officials.

TWRauch

Oh, so I guess that makes it OK then? Fine the businesses with the threat of jail time if fines aren’t paid. For a Happy Meal. Yes, those eeeevil restaurants selling hamburger, fries, and a Coke, they sure are un-American gangsta’s arent’ they. You would think they were selling hand grenades with their meals. Why don’t you go eat your bag of Doritos and brush the crumbs off your shirt. Oh, hey, maybe you ask your Councilman to levy fines on Doritos too.
Mike

Oh, well, that makes it OK…
Michael H.

Where, exactly, did I say “that makes it OK”? I’m not agreeing with this proposed legislation, so DON’T PUT WORDS IN MY MOUTH, prick. I’m correcting somebody’s incorrect assumption, not defending this bill.

ilvedanny05

People complain a lot, but for some reason we just sit back and let this stuff happen. Give it a few years and we will all be dressing the same and eating the same.

LEL MN

Uni-togs and tranquilizers.

Gene Gold

Who is driving these kids to McDonalds for a Happy Meal. ? Where is the parental responsibility in all of this? I s the Gov’t going to tell parents what to feed thier kids at home.? McDonald’s isn’t the only source of food making thie kids obsese.
Hank Warren

Useless gov’t and their useless laws, yet another violation of our rights. Add it to the list of gov’t violations of our right:
They violate the 1st Amendment by placing protesters in cages, banning books like “America Deceived II” and censoring the internet.
They violate the 2nd Amendment by confiscating guns.
They violate the 4th and 5th Amendment by molesting airline passengers.
They violate the entire Constitution by starting undeclared wars for foreign countries.
Impeach Obama and sweep out the Congress.
(Last link of Banned Book):
http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000190526

hankwarrenisabot

loser. That book is not banned it’s not even hard to find. Quit hawking your book on these forums and pay for your advertising like everyone else.

art phul

Wait (Weight)…doesn’t NY have a revenue problem?

Chasing Happy Meals while Rome/NYC burns. Typical Liberal play book.

Jim P.

Great point!

Leon

Thought this was america…. not nazi germany

LEL MN

It’s not Nazi Germany. It is The Transformed obamaNation.

noof

hi
spoutinghorn

What a fat, disgusting slob this Leroy Comrie is. These disgusting politicians get off on telling everyone else how to live their lives, but his own buffet spread will always be exempt.
scott

Really? Yall quit selling Happy Meals? Dang. Then we’d like to order, ok well, umm lets see, uh ,how about 2 small cheeseburgers, 2 small fries, and 2 small cokes.

NurseDee

Good one, Scott!
Scupper

Great comment Scott, and would you like to PURCHASE a toy with that order?

TT

Was that name spelled Comrie or Commie?

TWRauch

Either way, have you ever seen a picture of this loser? He’s a blimp, and now he’s going to get some ‘retribution’ on fast food restaurants because of his own life choices, snarfing down pizzas, beer, burgers, and any other fast food like Pac Man his entire life. And he wants everybody else to ‘suffer’ for his own largess ( or is that largass).

2smart4u

It certainly makes sense this would be approved in California, and contemplated in New York. Two atates with the dumbest populace.
L Dubya

A waist is a terrible thing to mind — especially if the gubment is doing it
mak

Unbelievable … let me parent my own children, thank you very much.

How did the human race survive as long as it did without these nanny politicians butting their noses into our lives and dictating how we live?

Boulder guy

Very well thank you. But as long as brain dead liberals are elected we will have to put up with this kind of garbage. I am glad I live in Nevada.

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NYC Councilman Leroy Comrie Proposes Bill Banning ‘Happy Meals’

April 6, 2011 9:26 AM

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