Latest Idiocy from Los Angeles City Council

Thumbing its nose at property rights, the Los Angeles City Council has just passed an ordinance requiring big-box stores like Home Depot to build shelters for the day-laborers (virtually all illegal aliens) who congregate on their premises.  Recently, the City Council passed an ordinance banning new fast food restaurants in predominantly-minority South Central Los Angeles, enforcing what Slate’s Will Saletan has called “Food Apartheid.”  Although the ban was passed in the name of fighting obesity, it may well increase obesity, since the junk food sold in convenience stores is often much less nutritious than a Big Mac or Quarter Pounder.  (I actually lost ten pounds while working (and eating) at McDonalds).

In Virginia, there is something called the “Dillon Rule” that bars city councils and county governments from imposing regulations without authorization from the state legislature.  Too bad nothing like that exists in California.