I guess we don’t have to worry about who wins the presidential election after all. Democracy is safe and the judicial branch is on the job. The greatest threat to our freedom – in the form of vegan food warriors trying to shut down dining options for the next generation – has been defeated. (With a hat tip to Poor Richard)

Children in California will still be able to get toys with their Happy Meals.

A San Francisco judge has dismissed a proposed class-action lawsuit that sought to stop McDonald’s Corp. from using toys to market its meals to children in the Golden State. The suit had been filed in late 2010 by Monet Parham, a California mother of two, and The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group based in Washington, D.C.

The suit had claimed that the world’s biggest hamburger chain was violating consumer protection laws and exploiting children’s vulnerability by using toys to lure them to eat nutritionally unbalanced meals that can lead to obesity. The lawsuit did not seek damages.

I still eat at McDonald’s sometimes. (What can I say? I like the dollar menu and the chicken nuggets are a good deal.) And the idea that a cheap little plastic toy which most kids in the age of Playstations and X-Box games likely won’t even play with was somehow going to sway them to the dark side was just preposterous on its face. Having found one good judge, we can all rest easy tonight.

Of course, that doesn’t answer the big question of which fast food joint you should patronize. Even better than McDonald’s and Burger King, I like the ham and cheese and beef and cheese sandwiches at Arby’s. Yes, I understand that some of you are up in arms over the fact that Arby’s apparently isn’t going to advertise with Rush. Boo Hoo. I’m sorry, but I’ve got a lot more to worry about in life than that. If the food is good and it’s the right price, I’m eating it. Who they choose to advertise with is their business. I’m not buying my sandwiches based on their advertising policy.

Of course, I still watch movies with subversive liberal messages too, so I guess I’m just a bad American. Pffffft.