Becker on the trans fat ban
December 21st, 2006
Opinion, Uncategorized
In answer to Posner’s position, Becker takes a contrary position - also hard to argue with.
If we “collectively” feel that our government needs to oversee rather obtuse (but real) health care issues, we should weigh the real resource costs. Adding staff to the Public Health Departments (NYC, Chicago, and now Philadelphia) has both a financial and resource cost that may be better directed to more serious concerns. Rather, allow the restaurant associations, trade groups, or other non-governmental oversight organizations (who ever might rate restaurants) to urge the move away from trans fat and allow the consumer to make the ultimate choice. This would be far more effective rather than an administratively enforced ban. The mechanism exists to make some significant inroad into the “concern”.
Where no such possible mechanism exists is in basic food supply safety. Here, more formal oversight into supply chain security, testing methods, etc. requires a governmental agency approach. Cracks in the supply chain that might allow for significant biological or chemical contamination - something I do not want and cannot possibly be informed about - need to be identified and addressed. I’ll worry about trans fat, preferably without E. coli.
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