More Nanny-State from Schwarzenegger

(Sacramento, California) Gov. Schwarzenegger signed legislation (SB1420) into law today to require chain restaurants to post calorie, fat, carbohydrate and sodium content on their menus. Diners must also be reminded of recommended daily limits. The number of languages in which the information must appear is unknown.

Ostensibly, the posting of nutritional information will allow people to make better dining choices and help stop the alleged obesity crisis. However, according to President Jot Condie of the California Restaurant Association, nobody knows whether the menu labeling requirement will have any effect on eating habits.

Great! Regulations are imposed forcing businesses to spend money to comply and it's all based on a guess. Of course, now that it's on the books, the reasoning behind the law is moot.

Restaurants need to be prepared, though, because when the Restaurant Menu Police visits, fines of $500 for each violation may be imposed.

One must wonder what's next? Limits on calories per sandwich? Rationing of high-calorie food? The U.S. is already drowning in costly regulation and it won't stop until the last breath of individual liberty disappears and everything is rationed.

But it's possible that I'm being too critical. Maybe it is written in the Constitution that the government is responsible for the content of restaurant menus.