Nanny State: NYC Mayor Bloomberg's Sugar Soda Ban Sails Through His Self-Appointed Dept. Of Health, Despite Massive Public Opposition

As if there were ever any doubt... The New York City Board of Health has approved a ban on the sale of sugar sodas in containers larger than 16 ounces at the city's restaurants, fast food joints, delis, arenas, movie theaters and even street food carts. The new law, which takes effect March 12, 2013, was championed by Nanny Michael Bloomberg, whose obsession as NYC's billionaire Mayor is stamping out civil rights and insuring that legislation supplants adults' rights to make their own choices.

Who cares about the city's 10% unemployment rate, folks' homes being repossessed or the fact that one in six New York state residents live in poverty... when there are fat people in the city?

The Board of Health's members are all appointed personally by the Mayor... with the vote a telling 8-0. Eliot Hoff with New Yorkers for Beverage Choices noted, "By imposing this ban, the board has shown no regard for public opinion or consequences to businesses." And once more, Bloomberg has created legislation attacking a 100% legal activity/choice. Any business that goes against the Nanny State will be fined $200.

U.S. News & World Report commented: "America has tried the experiment with prohibition before. It didn't work. That lesson seems to be lost on Bloomberg. Where will it end? The food police seem more intent on growing state authority than anything else. Depriving us of the right to make choices is the order of the day, in a sort of Orwellian fashion."

Meanwhile, a poll last week revealed 60% of New Yorkers believe the plan is crap.

This, of course, is Bloomberg's latest public policy destined to turn New York City into the land of the suppressed. Previous Nanny meddling includes: blocking sugar sodas from vending machines in schools and city-owned buildings (the NYC school chancellor vetoed that absurd referendum); a ban on smoking in city parks—uh, outdoors (which ludicrously includes Times Square); calorie counts on menus in chain restaurants, and eradication of trans-fats in city restaurants.

While the latter two are perhaps constructive, let's remember the legislation the Mayor attempted to steamroll through City Council that failed: massive tolls on the Brooklyn Bridge; his "National Salt Reduction Initiative," which attempted to mandate less sodium in restaurant receipes; and vulgar ads appearing on subways with images showing fat being poured from a soda can (they were banned by the city, along with Bloomie's call for foul visuals on cigarette packs showing amputated appendages and black lungs).

Unfortunately, there's more in store. Giddy with his latest success, Bloomie is twiddling his thumbs over the next invasion into personal privacy: He's pushing public hospitals to hide baby formula behind locked doors so that new mothers will breast feed. When will it end? Easy answer: The day this meddling bombastically egotistical man's third term comes to an end, in November 2013. I am counting the days. *

Editor's note: It's relevant to share that I have not had sugar soda in more than 25 years. This is about individual choices being legislated by a bored billionaire with too much power.