Senator says restaurant employees shouldn’t be required to wash their hands

[bono_212]

Once we’re done debating whether children should be vaccinated, we can move on to other pressing public health questions, such as whether eateries can force their employees to wash their hands after they use the bathroom.

At least one freshman U.S. senator thinks, “nah.” Because freedom.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), at the end of an appearance Monday at the Bipartisan Policy Center, volunteered a story about “his bias when it comes to regulatory reform.”

Tillis said he was at a Starbucks in 2010 talking to a woman about regulations and where businesses should be allowed to opt out. His coffee companion challenged him, asking whether employees there should be required to wash their hands.

“As a matter of fact I think this is one where I think I can illustrate the point,” he recalled telling her. “I don’t have any problem with Starbucks if they choose to opt out of this policy as long as they post a sign that says we don’t require our employees to wash their hands after leaving the restroom. The market will take care of that. It’s one example.” (Is requiring a sign not a regulation?)

Tillis, who told the story with his right hand raised for emphasis, concluded that in his example most businesses who posted signs telling customers their food workers didn’t have to wash their hands would likely go out of business. Ah, the free market!

Closing the event, Bipartisan Policy Center President Jason Grumet said, “I’m not sure if I’m going to shake your hand…” (But then he did.)

Just so you know, in describing why handwashing is required, the FDA says, “Proper handwashing reduces the spread of fecal-oral pathogens from the hands of a food employee to foods.”

If Tillis’s career in politics doesn’t work out, may we politely suggest he pursue anything but food service.

Updated at 5:30 p.m.: An Associated Press reporter caught up with Tillis on Capitol Hill, and the senator did not back down from his belief that businesses should “get to make that decision versus government.”

Senator says restaurant employees shouldn’t be required to wash their hands - The Washington Post


I'm done.

 

[mikal]

I mean, if his goal was to come across as edgy he failed. Instead he just looks like a fucking idiot.


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[bono_212]

My thought is that his goal was to get people to know his name. To what end, I don't know.

 

[mikal]

Ah that makes sense. Well hopefully the Republican Party saves some of these blunders for2016.


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[BVS]

Ah that makes sense. Well hopefully the Republican Party saves some of these blunders for2016.


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It's like they're almost purposely doubling down on everything that will make them lose in 2016.

If I were a Democrat running for president, I would just sit back, be quiet and wait till the month before and then campaign.

 

[cobl04]

Well that is taking libertarianism to a whole new extreme.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I only had to read the title to know this guy is a Republican...

 

[LemonMelon]

The moment he claimed the free market would sort everything out, I knew what I was getting into.

 

[Hewson]

My thought is that his goal was to get people to know his name. To what end, I don't know.

Hopefully so his constituents will know who to vote against next time he's up for re-election.

 

[DaveC]

"Tillis, who told the story with his right hand raised for emphasis"

Part of me wants to make a comment about how my brain pictures this guy holding said arm out and up at about a 45-degree angle, but then again that analogy doesn't really work for libertarians who are this batshit crazy intense.

 

[Galeongirl]

Yeah, how about we don't do this and not fuck up basic hygiene?

 

[gump]

It reminds me of this:

 

[corianderstem]

Oh boy, maybe we could get measles AND e coli in the same restaurant! Yay!

 

[Hewson]

Oh boy, maybe we could get measles AND e coli in the same restaurant! Yay!

Kind of like a surf and turf special.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Well that is taking libertarianism to a whole new extreme.

I think this is actually pretty mild for libertarian standards ...

 

[Kieran McConville]

Seriously? This is what brings FYM back from the dead? Yowza.

I know, I know, start my own awesome thread. One day maybe.

 

[DaveC]

I like to think that the magic of Left Shark helped out a little.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

this is a pretty shitty idea and i think his party should wash their hands of the guy for even suggesting this.

 

[Dfit00]

Most restaurant employees don't wash their hands anyway.

I have seen Burger King employees preparing double whoppers without gloves either.

 

[BVS]

Most restaurant employees don't wash their hands anyway.

I have seen Burger King employees preparing double whoppers without gloves either.

That is an impossible statement to backup.

Honestly, I'm not a big fan of gloves, I'd prefer a washed hand over latex dust in my food.


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[Yahweh]

Most restaurant employees don't wash their hands anyway.

I have seen Burger King employees preparing double whoppers without gloves either.

If that was true I just would not go back to that specific location. Yes their is proven good and bad locations of every fast food chain and yes some of them don't use proper hygiene but eventually you will find a spot that does.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

this is a pretty shitty idea and i think his party should wash their hands of the guy for even suggesting this.

Not at all. Leave him on full display for others to see. In the off chance that Hillary does not run in 2016, suddenly the GOP becomes a very formidable opponent. Possibly even a Tea Party candidate getting the nom. That scares me more than anything in this world at this moment. So therefore i applaud guys like this making statements like that. With both of my washed hands.

 

[IWasBored]

Most restaurant employees don't wash their hands anyway.

I have seen Burger King employees preparing double whoppers without gloves either.

statement 2 does nothing, absolutely nothing to prove statement 1.

Most restaurant employees" = the people at your local Burger King?

I don't know what "most" restaurant employees do. But I do know that if my local subway doesn't wipe mayo off their knives before reusing them to cut another sandwich, it doesn't mean that most deli employees don't clean their cutlery between customers.

The idea of a double whopper makes me a little nauseous, and Mikal nailed it with the fail at being edgy post from comment 1.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

 

[DaveC]

Poppy!

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Not at all. Leave him on full display for others to see. In the off chance that Hillary does not run in 2016, suddenly the GOP becomes a very formidable opponent. Possibly even a Tea Party candidate getting the nom. That scares me more than anything in this world at this moment. So therefore i applaud guys like this making statements like that. With both of my washed hands.

i was making a joke about people using bathrooms and not washing their hands

I don't know what "most" restaurant employees do. But I do know that if my local subway doesn't wipe mayo off their knives before reusing them to cut another sandwich, it doesn't mean that most deli employees don't clean their cutlery between customers.

ugh, i know. it's such a huge pet peeve of mine because i mean...wiping it off takes two seconds. this is all fresh in my mind because i just went there last week to get a sub for me and someone else, other person likes an obscene amount of mayo on their sub. they made their first so i got residual mayo...eww. it's not fear of germs on my part, i just hate mayo.

i've always wondered about those signs though, what happens if you, a customer, sees an employee walk out of the bathroom (when you know they actually used a toilet, they didn't just go in to change their clothes or something) and they don't wash their hands? if you wanted to complain about it, what would actually happen? when i worked in fast food we had those signs up too, but i don't remember there being any vague threat about what would happen if it was found out you weren't washing your hands.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I'd like to take this a step further: restaurant employees shouldn't be allowed to wash their hands.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

i was making a joke about people using bathrooms and not washing their hands

 

[bobsaget77]

I'd like to take this a step further: restaurant employees shouldn't be allowed to wash their hands.

I agree wholeheartedly! Also, it should be illegal to have all this pest control BS. Like, why would a restaurant need an exterminator? It actually makes the food more unsafe if you ask me. I would feel more safe eating food that I know isn't being poisoned by these pest traps that pollute the air.


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[BVS]

I like roach eggs in my burger.


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