One element of the economy hit particularly hard by the recession has been the restaurant industry.  Superchef Gordon Ramsey’s restaurants are in a “free fall.”  The industry as a whole is facing especially lean times as people eat more at home.

Following up on the popular “cash for clunkers,” the government has created a plan to save the restaurant industry while attacking America’s growing obesity problem.  It’s called “Rebates for Recipes.”  Under the program, individuals can take a meal to a restaurant.  If they order a new meal at the restaurant that has at least 20 percent fewer calories, the government will provide a rebate of between $3.50 and $4.50 (depending on the savings in calories) for any entre priced at $45 or less.  The restaurant is required to destroy the trade in meal (which must be edible at the time you enter the restaurant) by putting it down the disposal.  Presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs said, “there is no end to cross subsidies with catchy slogans that we can create.  And destroying perfectly good assets seems to be a proven way to improve the economic health of the nation.”

Senate sources say they expect the projected cost of the program to treble within a week.