Our newly minted U.S. Senator Thom Tillis has found himself at the center of a viral video today, thanks to his comments at a policy forum that he'd be OK with cutting government regulations that might require restaurant employees to wash their hands after using the bathroom.
He said so in the course of speaking out against what he believes to be an over-regulated American society. He said he'd be fine with allowing restaurants to opt out of such regulations, provided they post a sign saying that their employees don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom. That, he added, would allow market forces to dictate the matter rather than government, as such restaurants would quickly go out of business for lack of customers.
It's in keeping with his small-government political philosophy. But even with the context, it still sounds awful weird for anybody to speak up against rules forcing handwashing by restaurant workers. (It appears he's talking about Section 2-301.14(B) of the N.C. Food Code Manual, if you care to get technical about it). It's pretty understandable that the host of the chat, held earlier this week at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, takes a humorous jab at him by winding up their chat with, "Well, I'm not sure I'm going to shake your hand..." before thanking him for his time and -- yes -- shaking his hand.
Thanks for your thoughts on that, Thom. If it's all the same, we'll stick with the mandatory hand-washing rules. We're pretty sure restaurants can survive them.
--Eric Frazier
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13 comments:
What "small government philosophy"?
So here's another example of the newspaper cherry-picking the humorous analogy which was used to illustrate the point of the argument and reporting it like a straight story, while refusing to report on the substance of the story.
Your headline is a lie, by the way. Tillis didn't propose killing handwashing rules for restaurants.
Can you guys do your jobs as journalists rather than partisans for once?
I see that Sen. Tillis is actually in favor of restaurant employees washing their hands, but he never explains how a government health regulation damages the operation of any restaurant. It seems a benign and beneficial regulation, and I don't know what it has to do with freedom.
I also wonder whether the Senator's mom required him to wash his hands before meals when he was growing up. Was that a restriction on his freedom?
Ok, let's think about this: Requiring them to wash their hands equals over-regulation. Requiring them to post a sign if they don't require hand washing...that's ok. Why is one over-regulation and the other isn't? Both involve government mandates
Mr. Burkins,
Let's think about this. Cindy Smith works at McDonald's. Cindy goes to the restroom and doesn't wash her hands. Explain in detail how - and by whom - Cindy's violation is going to be discovered, and what punishment is to be meted out.
Mr. Frazier, you're free to jump in and answer as well.
It sounds even weirder that the observer would do an article on this comment.
Oh heck who are we kidding, they are like the spider just waiting for the democrats to pull the web and attack.
So he made a mistake, what about the many mistakes made by all the other elected officials who are ignored.
Thanks NC and the rest of the taker states from the South who elected this idiot.
I would recommend not shaking his hand though!
The Republican Party-The New Confederacy!
Congrats-you will never win in the states with the large populations and who give their money to your taker states!
In other words, you are firm in the south hands for ever-but will never win in the Majority of the country. That's why the republicans with the money and actually run the party will never select Gomer Pyle for the republican candidate.
You get are old people who go there to die and we get your young people who are needing to get out of Mayberry.
No president for you!
I so love shakes. It is very refreshing in the mouth especially when it so cold.Thanks for sharing your article. I love it.
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Now we know the reason for the sudden popularity of the fist bump in lieu of a handshake.
Tip for today: Hand sanitizer
Yes. Kill the regulation. I WANT to consume feces and urine from another person
LOL, the Observer picking on the unintelligent...Tillis is a joke, and shame on NC for electing such a dud, but.....
John Edwwards did absolutely nothing for this state, except bring embarassment to himself, the voters and his sick wife, yet the Observer couldn't put the effort to see if the "rumors" were true. The National Enquirer had to bring this cockroach to the light of day.
Tony Rand used his position in state power for years to accrue lots of goodies for himself and family, yet the Observer was silent, as he most powerful man in the legislator, quietly yieled his gavel under such rumors.
Pat Cannon and Mayor candiate, Michael Barnes formed a lighting company to milk the taxpayers, yet not a peep from the Observer.
Mike Easley committed multiple felonies while in office, yet the Observer sat silent for years whil the taxpayers supported this creep and his wife.
If you want to talk about stupid start with the school board (Dr Leake and her talk about "her" peoples), and move your way to the city/county councils.
My God, we live in bizzaro world.
Why the surprise? Why the excitement?
This is simply an expression of the well-known GOP philosophy (or ideological stonewall) proposing that any regulation is "bad"...and any Free-Market results are "good".
Common sense sacrificed at the altar of "Small Government"
Remember -- generally we get the kind of government representation we vote for...in this case, "it serves us right"!
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