I realize there are people who never tire of bossing other people around and minding other people’s business, but I am of the opinion that such people should be kept far from me or any other sane person if not simply flogged and set on fire. And yet, YET, they continue to be elected to public office.
The Center for Consumer Freedom: New York Considers Legislation to Ban Salt in Restaurants
Not content with just trying to tax soft drinks, New York’s nanny-state politicians are also considering legislation to prohibit the use of salt in the preparation of restaurant food. Assemblyman Felix Ortiz introduced this absurdist bill on March 5. Ortiz is one of New York’s more strident food cops, having already introduced strict restaurant menu labeling proposals in the past. He is also following in the steps of fellow food nanny Mayor Michael Bloomberg who went so far as to compare salt to carcinogenic asbestos.
The Blue Owl likes when I tell you he sent me something, so please take note that this story was sent to me by the Blue Owl.
Take note: this bill isn’t simply about allowing restaurants to put salt on the table, but prohibits the use of salt in the preparation of food. There is absolutely no way that this bill can pass.
Salt is a critical element in the preparation of innumerable recipes. It’s used EVERYWHERE. When I make ice-cream, I even use salt. It helps with the chemistry of the custards. It is a natural preservative and it’s one of the ways a number of people get iodine in their diet. (Iodine is essential to thyroid health.) Salt can, in some cases, be used to reduce cooking time. I imagine some things simply cannot be made without salt.
Even though there’s no way this can pass (today) it’s outrageous to me that anyone would even propose it. Aside from being absurd, it’s such a clear invasion of our personal rights that anyone claiming to support our rights as such must be guilty of rationalization on a spectacular scale. It’s preposterous, fantastic, ridiculous, outrageous, and ludicrous. And yet, here Mr. Felix Ortiz is suggesting it to us with a straight face.
The bill is NY State Leg. Bill A10129. You can search for the status, text, summary, and sponsor’s memorandum outlining justifications for the bill at the NY state legislature’s Website here: http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menuf.cgi but ONLY if you use Internet Explorer – the search form doesn’t work in other browsers.
Here’s the important, banning bit:
“No owner or operator of a restaurant in this state shall use salt in any form in the preparation of any food for consumption by customers of such restaurant, including food prepared to be consumed on the premises of such restaurant or off of such premises.”
The ban on restaurant use of salt is absolute: No restaurant preparing food for consumption on or off the premises may use any salt whatsoever. Each use of salt is a separate violation, and each violation is subject to a $1,000.00 fine.
The bill does not define “use”, so presumably any quantity of salt will violate the ban. The bill does not define “salt,” so presumably use of any number of a whole slew of ionic compounds could violate the ban. Such compounds include sodium diacetate (used to give crisps a “salt and vinegar” flavor), monosodium glutemate (MSG), and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). It also doesn’t define “restaurant”, so any place that prepares food for consumption may be under its purview, including bakeries and butcher shops.
~Q
That explains why I couldn’t find it. I was using Firefox and Chrome last night!
Thanks for getting that.
Felix Ortiz has joined the ranks of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Health Czar Thomas Farley who have declared war on sugar, cigarettes, trans-fats, calorie counts . . . and also salt.
Sign the petition today to protect your right to make your own food choices.
MyFoodMyChoice.org