An Important Story That Got Lost In The Mix...

Amid the cacophony of uber-important news stories such as the Michael Jackson trial, Tom Cruise's battle with the voices in his head, and the runaway zombie's new haircut, an important story in Connecticut received very little attention.

Governor Jodi Rell (R), who took office after her predecessor, Gov. John Rowland (R) got busted for taking bribes and resigned, decided that it was in her state's best interest to veto a bill that would have banned junk food from the state's public schools.

The bill, which passed through Connecticut's Democrat-controlled state legislature by wide (but unfortunately not veto-proof) margins would've not only removed most sodas and other junk foods from schools, but also added 20 minutes of recess a day to the curriculum.

You might wonder why Gov. Rell passed on the chance to keep her state's children from being exposed to garbage that only serves to make them fat and teaches them the wrong lessons about nutrition.

You might wonder, that is, until you read the following:

The controversial bill was one of the most heavily lobbied of the entire 2005 General Assembly. Williams estimated that giant soda companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, along with major vending corporations, spent about $250,000 on the lobbying to block the legislation.

Now I know what you're saying: A Republican favoring giant companies over everyday citizens seems totally implausible, but I'm here to tell you that this shit is actually happening...

Thanks to Gov. Rell's veto, Connecticut's children can continue to eat junk food and become obese like so many children in America, driving up healthcare costs and incidence of all sorts of diseases later in life.

One of Gov. Rell's reasons for vetoing the bill is so ridiculous, I actually laughed out loud when I read it:

"I am also disturbed that the bill undermines the control and responsibility of parents with school-age children," Rell said.

Um, FYI, kid's parents don't go to school with them. And if any parents would've actually been disappointed by a ban on junk food, let them give it to their kids at home...

I think the lesson here is that most Republicans, even ones with a resonably sensible track record, will gladly side against the well-being of their constituents if large sums of corporate money are involved...
- posted by Brian @ 3:29 PM