Gay Bay Overrides Mayor, Bans Happy Meals

It's rare that I can praise something San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom has done, but he got it right when he vetoed the Happy Meal ban in San Francisco.  However, the Board of Supervisors continue with their beclowning of themselves and overrode his veto.  Thus, you will no longer be able to get a traditional McDonald's Happy Meal in the Gay Bay starting in December of next year:

If restaurants want to offer toys as incentives, the meals must meet new nutrition standards, officials said.

Under the new regulations, food and beverages must contain fewer than 600 calories, and less than 35 percent of the total calories would be allowed to come from fat. The meal must contain half a cup of fruit and three-fourths a cup of vegetables, and offer less than 640 milligrams of sodium and less than 0.5 milligrams of trans fat. Breakfast will have the option of offering half cups of fruit or vegetables.

Mayor Gavin Newsom vetoed the "healthy meal ordinance," but the Board of Supervisors had enough votes -- 8 out of 11 --to override that veto Tuesday, as expected.

"From the Institutes of Medicine to the World Health Organization, we know that reducing the consumption of junk food by kids could spare the health of millions and save billions of dollars to our overstrapped public health system," said Supervisor Eric Mar, sponsor of the legislation.

"That's why pediatricians, educators, parents, community health advocates, and thousands of individuals lined up to support this ordinance," Mar added.

When he vetoed the measure, Newsom said, "Parents, not politicians, should decide what their children eat, especially when it comes to spending their own money."

"Despite its good intentions, I cannot support this unwise and unprecedented governmental intrusion into parental responsibilities and private choices."

Wouldn't it be something if the McDonald's franchisees were to issue a response announcing that they'll close all their San Francisco restaurants and lay off the staff on the same day the Happy Meal ban goes into effect? Could be quite a Mexican stand-off between the restaurants and the Board.  Won't happen, but it would certainly make a point.