a world ruled by lawyers...

[whiskeytown]

this crap really bugs me...and the problem is...it's happening .

http://www.aynrand.org/medialink/fatlawsuits.shtml

RB

[Oski]

"But in attacking fast-food companies, they are taking away our freedom to decide what we eat for lunch. And if that seems like a small matter, reflect that a group of lawyers who can dictate such a ubiquitous detail of everyday life can dictate anything"

Comment: Let's not get carried away here...Despite the lawsuits against big tobacco, I do believe we can still choose whether to smoke or not. However, now all of the info necessary to make an informed choice is out in the open (cigs bad for you and addictive!)

It is not too big of a stretch to think of fast-food as a potentially harmful product - even more so because it is food. If the products are unduly harmful to consumers, why is a lawsuit such a bad thing? Is it really such a coincidence our country's waistlines have grown in proportion to the popularity of fast-food?

Does anyone else feel a little ill knowing Taco Bell, Burger King, etc. supply food for public schools? I think the proposed lawsuits are a welcome step back from the unfettered growth of fast-food.

Another thing, what was so bad about the tobacco lawsuits, that gets people up in arms about the potential fast-food suits. I believe the results were quite positive - despite the fact the lawyers made piles of money. They did a good job, pay 'em -however, I would not complain if there was some sort of proportionality cap put on lawyer's portions of awards. Remember we do live in a capatalist economy, lawyers take cases "on the come" all the time; they eat it big when they fail to recover, they make up ground on big victories.

- Oski

[TAFKAn]

Does anyone else feel a little ill knowing Taco Bell, Burger King, etc. supply food for public schools? I think the proposed lawsuits are a welcome step back from the unfettered growth of fast-food.

What do you have against people making decisions for themselves? If someone wants to get fat eating McDonalds hamburgers, it's not your business and it's CERTAINLY not a lawyer's business.

The only reason this lawsuit hasn't been laughed out of court instantly is because of the growing attitude in this country like the one you just articulated. We don't actually have the right or responsibility to make others do what's best for them, but most people think we do.

[Oski]

LOL. I want everyone to have a choice - however, it should be a well-informed one. Lay all the cards on the table, and then let us make up our mind.

- Legally speaking, children are not of the age of majority, thus, by law require extra protection. Fast food preys on them especially. I remember in the 70's at the end of every commercial for sugar-laden cereals the following: "part of a nutritious breakfast" or "part of a complete breakfast, etc." what is left out is that it is the un-nutritious part of a nutritious breakfast. Funny, I don't seem to see those commercials anymore. I wonder if the lawsuits for false advertising in California against those food makers and advertisment agencies has anything to do with it.

- I do think people know how to mind their own business; unfortunately for people like you, you don't understand that lawyers ARE PART of everyone's business in a society. Lawyers are merely an instrument of the principal, whether the principal is an individual, corporation, government, or society at large.

- So in other words, save your breath, its not worth getting fired up about...especially since your outrage is misplaced. Law is merely a function of its society, so place the blame accordingly.

[J.R.]

The McDonald's lawsuit was dismissed- but the plaintiffs still have an open door to amend their complaint to assert grounds upon which they could obtain relief.

http://www.lawyersweeklyusa.com/mcdonalds.cfm

The bottom line is that it was hard enough to sue tobacco, and there where smoking guns (internal memos) that proved knowledge of harm and a deliberate public relations effort to conceal this knowldge, in addition to tobacco's concious attempts to make cigarettes more addictive. These facts just aren't present in the fast food realm, given what is currently public knowledge.