>It makes it sound like we could just cut food production across the board and prevent obesity.

that would actually work.

anyway, let's continue with your automobile parable. I think you're actually spot on with the quality argument. it was necessary to increase safety in passenger vehicles by state intervention (Euro NCAP), and alike the state, in my opinion, needs to chip in if consumers can't control their eating behaviour (just like there always will be irresponsible drivers out there). I'm actually a die hard libertarian, but it is hard to argue that imposing some sort of "fat tax" wouldn't actually reduce obesity (especially since obesity is higher in low income households)

heck - we got the smokers to feel terrible about themselves, I bet we can do the same to fat people... /rant