In recent discussions about the current public health crisis in America, one issue that is often raised is the impact of fast food on the health of Americans. The health crisis has consequences ranging from rising health care costs to a drastic increase in childhood obesity. As a result, there is great controversy over what role the government should have in regulating the fast food industry. Some people argue that the government should have nothing to do with regulating restaurants. These people believe that the government does not have the authority to involve itself in every aspect of American life, and that what we eat should be no one's responsibility but ours. Others argue that because of the widespread impact on public health, the government has a responsibility to set some rules. They believe the government needs to take an active regulatory role, as fast food companies make poor decisions about what to put on their menus and how, if at all, to post nutritional information on their products. Such regulations, they argue, could include requiring menu variety and requiring restaurants to post additional nutritional information and food consumption warnings. One advocate for the government taking a more active role in regulation is John H. Banzhaf III, who testified to this effect. before Congress in June 2003. In his testimony, he outlined a number of specific changes that should be required of fast food restaurants. He has advocated forcing restaurants to post adequate nutritional content for both adults and children, requiring them to post warnings about the health risks of eating there and mandating that they modify their menus to include additional healthy options. He is... at the center of the card... and we must take responsibility for our actions. It is reasonable to assume that once we provide the right information, we will begin to take more responsibility and make better choices, and in response, fast food companies will adjust as needed. While some may argue that even this is too burdensome for the fast food industry, I argue that a balance needs to be struck between allowing the current state to continue unchecked and imposing improper and burdensome government regulations. Accordingly, the appropriate role of government is to ensure that consumers have all the information they need to make informed decisions. A labeling requirement would achieve this goal by imposing only a minimal burden on business owners and, most importantly, by leaving the final menu choices where they belong, in the hands of individual Americans..