The war on bake sales

He failed in his fights against al Qaieda, the Taliban, unemployment and deficits, so now Obama lowered his sights.

A child nutrition bill on its way to President Barack Obama — and championed by the first lady — gives the government power to limit school bake sales and other fundraisers that health advocates say sometimes replace wholesome meals in the lunchroom. . . .

"This could be a real train wreck for school districts," Lucy Gettman of the National School Boards Association said Friday, a day after the House cleared the bill. "The federal government should not be in the business of regulating this kind of activity at the local level."

The legislation, part of first lady Michelle Obama's campaign to stem childhood obesity, provides more meals at school for needy kids, including dinner, and directs the Agriculture Department to write guidelines to make those meals healthier. The legislation would apply to all foods sold in schools during regular class hours, including in the cafeteria line, vending machines and at fundraisers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101203/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_bake_sales

Putting aside the issue of whether public schools are the appropriate parties to be handed federally funded responsibility for feeding our children their breakfasts, lunchs and dinners in an institutional communal cafeteria setting, it is obviously over intrusive for the federal government to regulate the frequency of or "even ban bake sales". They really should have more important things to worry about in Washington, D.C.

And, the logic behind the proposed regulations and bans of library cookie sales and band pizza sales is ridiculous:

"These fundraisers are happening all the time," Wootan said. "It's a pizza sale one day, doughnuts the next... It's endless. This is really about supporting parental choice. Most parents don't want their kids to use their lunch money to buy junk food. They expect they'll use their lunch money to buy a balanced school meal."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101203/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_bake_sales

Got that? In order to "support parental choice" of those who don't want their kids eating "doughnuts", we're going to preclude all parents from choosing to allow their kids to participate in school bake sales (and the activities they fund).

I guess "free choice" in Obama-world is the freedom to follow the mandates of the busy bodies and bureaucrats.