Jun 9, 2013 2 min read

I am writing in response to Bracken Burns’ letter, which appeared in the May 31 edition of the Observer-Reporter.

Surely you jest, Mr. Burns! How about a little common sense? The “fat cat,” as you refer to him, is a businessman who employs people. I haven’t ever seen a poor person endorse a paycheck. If the “fat cat” has to close stores, that equates to jobs lost, lost taxes and lost revenue for the communities in which his stores are located. A half-million dollars is not much annual profit for one franchised store, let alone a chain of stores.

Those who consume fast food daily will never resort to a healthy lifestyle should one Five Guys close or 10 of them. They will move on to some other restaurant when they do become obese or sick and will blame it on the companies that sell the food they chose to eat. Where is individual accountability and responsibility?

The people the “fat cat” employs are taxpayers. The people who own the company I work for are well off, they pay me a decent wage and even though I chose to use my husband’s health insurance, our small company does offer health coverage.

I, not being obese, thoroughly enjoy a Five Guys burger with fries every once in a while. I must say they are tasty and of good quality. It is not the government’s job to tell me or anyone else for that matter what I can eat or drink. It is up to the individual to make common sense choices based on his/her family history or genetic makeup and the information that is available to the public.

Let’s take a look at where Greece is now. Then there’s the lessons a little closer to home in Washington County, in which the county is short on judges and the city of Washington couldn’t keep a police chief. Could it be that the horrific policies of yesteryear have finally caught up?!

Kelly L. Homan

McDonald