France’s Food Laws, Creativity, and Combat

So, just this month, France passed a landmark piece of legislation which bans supermarkets from simply throwing out food which has passed, or is approaching, its “best used by” date. Keep in mind, this is not always the same as the expiration date for food. Food within the “best by” date is often times still edible, but may not be as fresh, aesthetically pleasing, or favorable, whereas “expired” food is likely moldy, rotting, and maybe even poisonous. It’s important to understand this distinction, because the French law only applies to the “best by” standard.

Under this law, France has imposed actual criminal penalties for non-compliance. A supermarket which fails to find a suitable way to donate (not dispose of) their foodstuffs will face stiff fines or up to two years of prison (although who would actually be imprisoned remains a mystery…would they imprison the entire staff? Or just the manager? It’s unclear).

The amount of food-waste which occurs globally is shameful in a world which is also beset with so much hunger. However, the idea that you can force people to behave in a moral manner is one of the more fanciful illusions which the Left has been promising for some time now, and this is representative of the lengths to which they will go in order to achieve their world Utopia.

Since the gentleman behind the French law, Arash Derambarsh, has already stated his intent to extend it to the EU and world in general, how long can we expect to wait before the logic and practice is applied to other areas?

But you already know this. That’s why you’re conservative (or at least, among the Right-leaning thinkers). But how do we combat such thinking? Well, if you haven’t checked out Dwight Longenecker’s piece about being a creative conservative, then get over there; his approach is sorely lacking in our public discourse.

If you look at the current and perspective presidential field for the Republican side, you can say many things about it, but you cannot say that it is simply the same, tired and worn-out bag of tricks. There are plenty of candidates, at the national and local levels, who are articulating difference, not just opposition.

I find myself much more often in the combative column of the political discourse, and that is something I would have liked Longenecker to acknowledge a little more–the idea that there are times for which a dig-in-and-fight stance does need to take place. This is why, more than any other factor, candidates like Rand Paul and Ted Cruz poll so well so early; they are fighters! And for a lot of us on the Right, we just want to get in a couple of good, stick-it-to-‘em licks–then we’ll settle down and get to the nitty-gritty of solutions.

However, if you do get to that nitty-gritty stuff, you will see that even Cruz and Paul have wildly different approaches from one another as to how they would set things straight in this country–and both are even more wildly different from what the Left wants to do.

So how do we prevent laws like the one France just instituted from becoming a reality here? I would say you must first decide whether you agree with the result or goal. If you don’t, then fight it! If you do, then find that creative solution Longenecker advocates. Otherwise you’re just banging your head on the wall.