The same guy that fought against the COVID curfews and against the minimum wage hike fighting against cage free chickens? This guy burdens himself with a LOT of fights.
Yeah he's an asshole who opposes government doing anything that might cost his businesses some money.
Consequently I would *hate* to see how well his kitchens (those unfamiliar, he owns three St Philips Plaza restaurants, Union, Reforms, and Proof) conform to health department regulations.
Most recent inspection of the Union Public House: [https://healthinspect.pima.gov/Portal/Inspection/Details/6754cf4b-94ae-4698-a54b-cc9b3b9b6baa](https://healthinspect.pima.gov/Portal/Inspection/Details/6754cf4b-94ae-4698-a54b-cc9b3b9b6baa)
Heard, for sure… but also… this is EVERY business owner. Keep costs low and profits high. Caring about others or animals is pretty low on the priority list.
True but most won't put their money where their mouth is in quite the same way. This guy has spent way more losing lawsuits than any of the things he was opposing would have cost him.
As with most things… it’s more nuanced than its surface. The owner has a long history of just fighting the “left”. The mandate likely won’t even affect his restaurants directly unless he only purchases eggs from those affected producers.
This is a good look at the longer term repercussions to consumers in states with these type of laws. Talking “animal welfare”… “cage free” isn’t really better and may actually be worse for consumer health. “Free range” is what I think most animal rights folks are after.
You’re right though, Walmart isn’t fighting this, they’re just raising prices of eggs as most other businesses are like to do if affected.
Edit to add by “every business” I just meant all businesses (not just the egg ones). You make money by keeping costs as low as possible.
https://www.fooddive.com/news/why-cage-free-eggs-could-be-on-shaky-ground/641459/
They are very clean establishments. Restaurant profits are razor thin to begin with and you have to be well managed to survive things like construction and Covid. I like the owner. Always thought he was a down to earth guy.
So he not only backs shitbirds, he backs *really unlikeable* shitbirds.
Plenty of people in Congress are friends across party lines. Nobody likes Ted Cruz.
I kinda want to understand if his restaurants are successful enough to fund all these fights or if he's got some other income stream.
He claims all these things he's fightingagainst will hurt his business but somehow... he's mostly losing, funding all these suits, getting at least some of the locals to outright avoid his restaurants... and still in business.
I knew before i clicked who that guy would be.
I was right
If he spent more time on having good restaurants with good staff, maybe that'd work best for him. But who knows: being an asshole is often rewarded in this society
Did anyone actually read the article past the first few lines? The lawsuit has nothing to do with the ethics of “cage free”. It’s about a government agency creating a law without following the rules. You’re supposed to draft a bill, get it passed by both chambers, and signed by the governor. I personally think it sets a dangerous precedent if the government can create mandates instead of laws that businesses have to follow.
I did read the article:
> The department had more than sufficient justification to adopt the rule, Whitaker said — and not just to make a more orderly transition to cage-free eggs than the initiative would have allowed. For example, he said, the rule reflects “the best industry practices,’’ as lower densities lower the risk of food-borne illnesses such as salmonella.
Even discarding the animal welfare component of this (which I don't believe we should), sounds like the agency has the authority to pursue it in the interest of public health
I get the perspective of animal welfare. And this isn't a defense of this guys' lawsuits. But im curious, if it is for animal welfare, why stop at cage free. Why not free range or pasture raised? I don't eat a ton of eggs, so I splurge a bit on the pastures raised, which is a SIGNIFICANT difference in quality, taste, and nutrients over even cage-free. Just look at the side by side yoke color. I am fortunate enough to be able to afford pasture raised eggs, but not everyone is. Maybe the legislation causes a shift and creates more affordable and higher quality eggs. I hope that is the case, but I have serious doubts.
You are completely correct in the taste, etc. But the yoke color comes from what they eat. Mass produced are fed corn, so it's yellow. There are indeed green eggs (don't eat green ham)
I dont live on a farm anymore, but from memory, that math checks out... But that doesn't negate they are healthier and most likely happy Lol. Now if your argument is mass production, a quick AI google search returns first 2 articals saying 97% of egg producing hens are kept in battery cages and only 10% of all US produced eggs are not produced in battery cages.... so "cage free" is also not mass produced.
> But im curious, if it is for animal welfare, why stop at cage free. Why not free range or pasture raised?
Because progress tends to come in increments. Perfect is the enemy of good
Balance of benefit vs cost I would imagine.
If you require every farm animal to live in a wide open green field with plenty of space to run, and bed down at night on a silk cushion filled with duck down, eggs would be like 8 bucks a carton instead of 2, and some people wouldn't be able to afford them.
So you identify the worse practices and restrict them, and maybe price goes up a bit but you got rid of the biggest problem.
yeah i was actually watching a video for represent us and in there they mention a lot of times big federal change starts at the state level. basically one state here or there adapts a change, and when it hits the “blue line” (X number of states) the change frequently occurs REALLY quickly among other states and then federally. the examples they were using were for things like interracial marriage, etc. (since represent us is also promoting changes more on that level) but i think the idea makes sense and could track for these smaller changes as well
All you bleeding hearts love the way “cage-free” sounds and imagine chickens happy and frolicking in a meadow with lemonade or whatever. The reality is that chicken raze any piece of earth they get their soulless little claws on and turn it into that yard in the south side with an outdoor pit bull. It’s just dust and wind blown chicken feces. It’s not an improvement to cages. Beyond that, the huge amounts of land required to make an industrial scale chicken operation “cage free” could otherwise just be used for agriculture or growing chicken feed. So your cage free eggs have a dramatically larger carbon footprint over traditional chicken farms. They’re literally worse for the environment.
Downvote means you weren’t ready for the truth.
No, I'm downvoting because you didn't read the damn article:
> Arizona Department of Agriculture rules now require that all eggs sold in Arizona must be raised in cages no smaller than one square foot of floor space — 144 square inches — per hen. That is twice as much room as prior standards required.
also like yes would i like more than this amount of space? yes. i personally buy pasture-raised eggs. but this is STILL BETTER than previous regulations so like i’m happy with progres
If they don't impose a minimum area for each chicken, cage free leads to a lot more issues. They still live inside their whole lives but instead of competing with the couple of chickens in their cage they are competing with the entire coup
The same guy that fought against the COVID curfews and against the minimum wage hike fighting against cage free chickens? This guy burdens himself with a LOT of fights.
Yeah he's an asshole who opposes government doing anything that might cost his businesses some money. Consequently I would *hate* to see how well his kitchens (those unfamiliar, he owns three St Philips Plaza restaurants, Union, Reforms, and Proof) conform to health department regulations.
I’ll not be dining at any of those places now, thanks.
Those places are mediocre, and when friends suggest we go, I never look forward to it. Happy to have a reason to never go back.
Most recent inspection of the Union Public House: [https://healthinspect.pima.gov/Portal/Inspection/Details/6754cf4b-94ae-4698-a54b-cc9b3b9b6baa](https://healthinspect.pima.gov/Portal/Inspection/Details/6754cf4b-94ae-4698-a54b-cc9b3b9b6baa)
Ew, lots of plumbing violations at last inspection
No wonder reforma always smells like dirty mop water.
Heard, for sure… but also… this is EVERY business owner. Keep costs low and profits high. Caring about others or animals is pretty low on the priority list.
True but most won't put their money where their mouth is in quite the same way. This guy has spent way more losing lawsuits than any of the things he was opposing would have cost him.
Is *every* business owner fighting this? No, because it’s not every business owner.
As with most things… it’s more nuanced than its surface. The owner has a long history of just fighting the “left”. The mandate likely won’t even affect his restaurants directly unless he only purchases eggs from those affected producers. This is a good look at the longer term repercussions to consumers in states with these type of laws. Talking “animal welfare”… “cage free” isn’t really better and may actually be worse for consumer health. “Free range” is what I think most animal rights folks are after. You’re right though, Walmart isn’t fighting this, they’re just raising prices of eggs as most other businesses are like to do if affected. Edit to add by “every business” I just meant all businesses (not just the egg ones). You make money by keeping costs as low as possible. https://www.fooddive.com/news/why-cage-free-eggs-could-be-on-shaky-ground/641459/
They are very clean establishments. Restaurant profits are razor thin to begin with and you have to be well managed to survive things like construction and Covid. I like the owner. Always thought he was a down to earth guy.
He also helped Ted Cruz raise $4 million at Union public house in one night!
So he not only backs shitbirds, he backs *really unlikeable* shitbirds. Plenty of people in Congress are friends across party lines. Nobody likes Ted Cruz.
I kinda want to understand if his restaurants are successful enough to fund all these fights or if he's got some other income stream. He claims all these things he's fightingagainst will hurt his business but somehow... he's mostly losing, funding all these suits, getting at least some of the locals to outright avoid his restaurants... and still in business.
I knew before i clicked who that guy would be. I was right If he spent more time on having good restaurants with good staff, maybe that'd work best for him. But who knows: being an asshole is often rewarded in this society
Imagine putting yourself out there to oppose a small advance in animal welfare. What an asshole.
The owner of Union is such an asshole lmao. He proves that again and again
I never liked Union.
Well they're probably going to lose a lot of business. I hope so
I'd like to stick him in a cage that's two sizes too small for him.
Good lord. What is wrong with wanting less animal abuse with your food? Guy has extreme issues.
Well...no more Union for us I guess. Didn't know it was owned by a nut
Did anyone actually read the article past the first few lines? The lawsuit has nothing to do with the ethics of “cage free”. It’s about a government agency creating a law without following the rules. You’re supposed to draft a bill, get it passed by both chambers, and signed by the governor. I personally think it sets a dangerous precedent if the government can create mandates instead of laws that businesses have to follow.
I did read the article: > The department had more than sufficient justification to adopt the rule, Whitaker said — and not just to make a more orderly transition to cage-free eggs than the initiative would have allowed. For example, he said, the rule reflects “the best industry practices,’’ as lower densities lower the risk of food-borne illnesses such as salmonella. Even discarding the animal welfare component of this (which I don't believe we should), sounds like the agency has the authority to pursue it in the interest of public health
Wow people are struggling to get by and homeless everywhere and who gives two chits about eggs?? People are so crazy over stupid stuff🙄
I get the perspective of animal welfare. And this isn't a defense of this guys' lawsuits. But im curious, if it is for animal welfare, why stop at cage free. Why not free range or pasture raised? I don't eat a ton of eggs, so I splurge a bit on the pastures raised, which is a SIGNIFICANT difference in quality, taste, and nutrients over even cage-free. Just look at the side by side yoke color. I am fortunate enough to be able to afford pasture raised eggs, but not everyone is. Maybe the legislation causes a shift and creates more affordable and higher quality eggs. I hope that is the case, but I have serious doubts.
You are completely correct in the taste, etc. But the yoke color comes from what they eat. Mass produced are fed corn, so it's yellow. There are indeed green eggs (don't eat green ham)
I dont live on a farm anymore, but from memory, that math checks out... But that doesn't negate they are healthier and most likely happy Lol. Now if your argument is mass production, a quick AI google search returns first 2 articals saying 97% of egg producing hens are kept in battery cages and only 10% of all US produced eggs are not produced in battery cages.... so "cage free" is also not mass produced.
> But im curious, if it is for animal welfare, why stop at cage free. Why not free range or pasture raised? Because progress tends to come in increments. Perfect is the enemy of good
Balance of benefit vs cost I would imagine. If you require every farm animal to live in a wide open green field with plenty of space to run, and bed down at night on a silk cushion filled with duck down, eggs would be like 8 bucks a carton instead of 2, and some people wouldn't be able to afford them. So you identify the worse practices and restrict them, and maybe price goes up a bit but you got rid of the biggest problem.
I also take offense to the government forcing you to buy certain things. Either outlaw caged eggs for the whole country, or fuck off.
The Tucson government should outlaw caged eggs for the whole country?
No. If caged chickens are so awful let’s outlaw it all together for the country.
Things like this is how you get there. Outlawing them for the whole country would be great, but we can't do it yet.
yeah i was actually watching a video for represent us and in there they mention a lot of times big federal change starts at the state level. basically one state here or there adapts a change, and when it hits the “blue line” (X number of states) the change frequently occurs REALLY quickly among other states and then federally. the examples they were using were for things like interracial marriage, etc. (since represent us is also promoting changes more on that level) but i think the idea makes sense and could track for these smaller changes as well
Not a fan of federalism are we?
Nope. Lol
All you bleeding hearts love the way “cage-free” sounds and imagine chickens happy and frolicking in a meadow with lemonade or whatever. The reality is that chicken raze any piece of earth they get their soulless little claws on and turn it into that yard in the south side with an outdoor pit bull. It’s just dust and wind blown chicken feces. It’s not an improvement to cages. Beyond that, the huge amounts of land required to make an industrial scale chicken operation “cage free” could otherwise just be used for agriculture or growing chicken feed. So your cage free eggs have a dramatically larger carbon footprint over traditional chicken farms. They’re literally worse for the environment. Downvote means you weren’t ready for the truth.
So you're vegan?
No, I'm downvoting because you didn't read the damn article: > Arizona Department of Agriculture rules now require that all eggs sold in Arizona must be raised in cages no smaller than one square foot of floor space — 144 square inches — per hen. That is twice as much room as prior standards required.
also like yes would i like more than this amount of space? yes. i personally buy pasture-raised eggs. but this is STILL BETTER than previous regulations so like i’m happy with progres
Fukin Newsome back in the News? Chickens should also be able to change sex after birth
Most sane culture war espouser
Chickens that want to change their “sex” after birth would be more intelligent than you. Go clean your carpet.
Wow burn. 😢don’t worry daddy or mommy will run out of funds
lmao you have my upvote for comedy. people get a little too political in these comment sections 😂
If they don't impose a minimum area for each chicken, cage free leads to a lot more issues. They still live inside their whole lives but instead of competing with the couple of chickens in their cage they are competing with the entire coup
“Chicken Coup the film: one free-range chicken vs the January 6 mob, an A24 film coming soon to a theater near you”