Jelly Roll Michelle

The Delusional Donut The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act has passed the House of Representatives and will soon be signed into law by President Obama. Indeed, first lady Michelle Obama has touted the legislation as the centerpiece of her efforts to combat childhood obesity in the United States.

“ We doubt the legislation will do much to improve childhood nutrition, and its economics are suspect. •Schools already lose money on each meal they serve. Compliance with stricter federal nutrition guidelines will increase costs for schools that want to qualify for the increased reimbursements, offsetting some or all of that extra six cents per meal. That could well mean a greater burden on local budgets, not a lesser one. •Banning so-called empty calories won’t force children to eat broccoli. It will cause some to simply bring their favorite foods to school, skipping what’s on offer in the cafeteria, resulting in greater waste and no better nutrition. •Junk food has a role in obesity and poor health, but decisions to ban it should be made at the district level. This legislation expands government in an area where it has no constitutional role. We’re confident James and Dolley Madison never envisioned Congress barring schoolchildren from consuming cupcakes. The most egregious aspect of the legislation is its financing ... .  [US policy in schools distasteful continued]