Many people complain about the obesity epidemic, yet criticize governmental measures to curb obesity.

I think it's an education issue.

I consider a fast food tax a tax on the poor and those that live in a "food oasis" with limited access to decent food stores.

This also has to do with areas of the country where it is harder to get out and play. Sure, people can find ways to exercise, but in places where the weather is pleasant, where there are safe parks and nice facilities, people get out more and consequently burn more calories.

Good weather and money spent on public facilities make a difference in managing weight, even if you aren't trying.

Taxing fast food won't change anything.

The story about the "unofficial" spokesman for Heart Attack Grill suffering a fatal heart attack sort of supports my argument. 9,800 calories in one burger? I didn't catch how much cholesterol is in it, but geeze that's a lot to eat! Another man (same situation) died from pneumonia or something. They serve a hot dog called a "Death Dog". If you're over 350 lbs you eat for free. Isn't that indirect murder?

Fast food is a plague, and the trend of serving high fat foods, extremely large portions, and complete disregard for nutritional content are costing us far more in healthcare costs than we could possibly be saving by low prices. Something is critically wrong in our food culture.

The original McD's burger was almost exactly the same size as the one they put in a kid's meal now. I remember Little Tavern death burgers that were essentially a two ounce patty of mystery meat on a dinner roll. I remember feeling ripped off because the servings were too small for the price they were charging. I remember getting the lowest-priced meal in the Toronto needle restarurant - $18 for six cheese ravioli in what seemed to be Cambell's tomato soup. Now you can get a massive mystery meat meal for about $5 and shorten your lifespan by a 5 months at the same time.

They charged me $45 per meal for a small plate of crappy food in the hospital - each meal cost that. Food and its value are not in congruence. The cost and nutrition are even further apart. Monsanto is working hard to destroy our entire food supply and unless you know how to grow your own food you may find yourself rather hungry in years to come. And Mitt Romney is still an idiot (unrelated subject, but a good way to end a post).