Kevin McCarthy Doesn't Want the Government's Marshmallow Roasting Advice

The new House majority leader is picking a fight with the Obama administration over marshmallows.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who was installed as Eric Cantor's replacement a month ago, took the U.S. Forest Service to task on Thursday for devoting a 700-word blog post to the timeless tradition of marshmallow roasting.

"I don’t know if you caught this, but last Friday the Forest Service published an article about how to roast marshmallows," McCarthy wrote in a memo to House Republicans that also detailed the chamber's legislative agenda for the month. "Tips included using a roasting stick of at least 30 inches in length and substituting fruit for the chocolate and slices of angel food cake for graham crackers."

"This perfectly captures what is wrong with our government," McCarthy concluded.

Hard-earned tax dollars supporting bureaucrats who can’t pass up an opportunity to tell us how to live our lives. For the things that government is supposed to do – like confront terrorist groups – we don’t have a strategy, but for things Americans are supposed to be able to do for themselves – like figuring out the best ingredients for s’mores – government bureaucrats have that figured out.

Our government today lacks common sense and competency. And the American people know it."

The government routinely publishes information on topics that are not exactly life-or-death. In recent weeks, the Health and Human Services Department has sent out documents offering safety tips for getting a tattoo, and the Food and Drug Administration put out a back-to-school advisory on preparing a student's lunchbox.

And in the Forest Service's defense, its blog post included a number of safety precautions for marshmallow roasting, along with some pretty tasty tips:

You can also get a little inventive and move away from s’mores.

Grab a small bag of chocolate or peanut butter chips – or a combination of the two. Take a banana and slice one side open, exposing the fruit but leaving the peel intact. Slice the banana, add a few chocolate chips then top with tiny marshmallows. Or substitute the chips for blueberries from the local farmer’s market. Place the banana in aluminum foil and wrap tightly. Place the foil-wrapped fruit next to but not on the flames. Wait five to 10 minutes or enough time for the chips and marshmallows to melt. Open and enjoy with a spoon.

The blog post in question was first flagged by The Blaze last week.

(Image via  Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock.com)