All of the discussion above is ripped from the pages of "DUH! A Journal of the Obvious."
Potatoes. Some whole/natural fat. Salt. None of those three things are bad for you....in moderation. In fact, all three are a valid part of a decent diet (seriously, potatoes -- a source of easy calories, that can be grown in cooler climates, are legitimately responsible for population growth and stability in northern europe since the Columbian exchange). But we have known the rule since the Oracle at Delphi: nothing in excess.
And Americans as a whole eat french fried potatoes to excess.
As I've gotten older, I've found that an occasional order of fries -- size small -- is more than enough. Hell, for one, after about 3-5 minutes, the typical fry loses it's fresh-out-of-the fryer luster. But those first 10-12 fries, especially if fried in beef fat or duck fat, are glorious. A good, real-deal english chip, crispy outside and fluffy inside, amazing. So, cool. Enjoy them. Every once in a while. That's not what we do. We eat an estimated 17 lbs of fries per person per year, and trust me, some folks are doing the work to keep that average up while others hardly eat fries.
Food dyes aren't what's killing us (even though they're not good for us). French fries cooked in seed oils aren't what's killing us. Eating too much shitty food, including those things, is what's killing us. Eat whole foods. Eat a relatively balanced diet, including real vegetables and fruit. But....where's the profit in that? And it should be obvious by now, the only motive for any policy we have is profit, and particularly profit to the favored (those who have cozied up to the regime). Look at any policy, see who benefits, and you'll realize that not only are they not looking out for you, they intend only to make money off of you, damn what it does to you.