Bloombergs ban on supersize sodas - Political views

[Deleted]

Hey MMO-champs

First a little about myself, I am a Danish high school student, so I am not completely up to date on the whole debate. Yet I have chosen to write an essay about it in social studies. I am interested in hearing about your views on governmental interference with public health.

If you support the ban, do you think there is a limit for governmental interference?

If you are against, then why are you agaisnt?

I'm looking forward to hearing your opinions on the subject

EDIT: In Denmark we have sugar taxes (extra taxes on unhealthy procducts to support our free healthcare system and help funding the treatment for life style related diseases)

[Kujako]

Don't think we really need a new thread for this. What can be said that has not been posted already?

[Libram]

What can be said that has not been posted already?

What you just said right there. Oh and now me!

[Kalyyn]

The ban flies in the face of both personal liberty and capitalism. It's literally the mayor telling the city "You don't know how to make your own decisions, so I'm going to tell you how to live."

[Deleted]

Don't think we really need a new thread for this. What can be said that has not been posted already?

Thanks for the constructive post, yeah I know it has been posted, but can you see past that and either be helpful or just avoid posting stuff like this?

[Rukentuts]

I'm against it because bans on legal products don't work. I think a tax per fl. oz. would be more effective at getting results.

[smelltheglove]

I'm against it because bans on legal products don't work. I think a tax per fl. oz. would be more effective at getting results.

that way the tax can help pay for the subsidies that create them! awesome! personally id prefer to cut the subsidies that make production with HFCS so damned lucrative, that would probably go a long way by itself

[Deleted]

The ban flies in the face of both personal liberty and capitalism. It's literally the mayor telling the city "You don't know how to make your own decisions, so I'm going to tell you how to live."

Well, what if someone argued that life style related disease cost the government loads of money each year and people chosing this isn't just affecting them selves only?

[Rukentuts]

that way the tax can help pay for the subsidies that create them! awesome! personally id prefer to cut the subsidies that make production with HFCS so damned lucrative, that would probably go a long way by itself

Corn is used in almost everything. If you cut subsidies food prices will go up. This is the last thing the country needs right now.

[Kujako]

Corn is used in almost everything. If you cut subsidies food prices will go up. This is the last thing the country needs right now.

Or people would be forced to grow actual food, rather then corn that just gets turned into junk. Right now, only 1% of farm subsidies go towards fruit and veg.

[Naxere]

I think Bill Maher, a guy I generally despise, sums it up pretty well:

“We just don’t want, I mean, we don’t want to be a nanny state like this,” he continued Tuesday. “I mean, you know, I don’t know what Mayor Bloomberg has in mind, but there’s something wrong about the seventh richest man in the world sitting in bed at night thinking, ‘You know what people shouldn’t do? Drink too much Sprite. Let’s make that a law.’ That makes me want to join the Tea Party and marry Ann Coulter, you know, and that’s not where I want to be.”

[Deleted]

If we had IRN-BRU tax in Scotland we'd fucking riot.

[Stede]

"Government Interference in Public Health" is an oxymoron. Only the government can really do anything with regards to public health.

I really don't want to write your report for you, but Bloomberg's ban is a bit comical. Ban all sugary sodas over 16oz. You can still get refills. You can still get diet soda - which we're finding out can also have negative effects (even though I drink it religiously). The worst part about it is that in America, soda is sold as either a 12oz can or a 20oz plastic bottle. And the bottle is probably the most popular.

Now, not long ago, all large soda manufacturers began clearly labelling the total calorie content on their soda containers with a noticeable badge on the label. Personally, I think that starting down the path of banning something is a bit extreme. We don't even ban cigarrettes. I think it would be far more effective if Bloomberg worked on th deeper, root causes of obesity - one of which is mandating that restaurants provide nutritional information (calories, protein, carbs, fat) on everything they serve. It sounds like a pain in the ass, but we've gotten to the point , I think, where it's necessary. THEN, allow folks to make their own, informed decisions.

[Rukentuts]

Or people would be forced to grow actual food, rather then corn that just gets turned into junk. Right now, only 1% of farm subsidies go towards fruit and veg.

Not all corn is turned into HFCS. Most is actually used in livestock feed. Therefore the price of meat could actually rise with a corn subsidy end.

[Catta]

The ban flies in the face of both personal liberty and capitalism. It's literally the mayor telling the city "You don't know how to make your own decisions, so I'm going to tell you how to live."

Can you get supersized coke zero?

[Flatspriest]

Well, what if someone argued that life style related disease cost the government loads of money each year and people chosing this isn't just affecting them selves only?

The thing is, it does not cost the government one cent since they get all of their money from the tax payers who they are now trying to tell what they can and cannot have. That means the government is just trying to not give the money back to the same people who paid it in in the first place. Bloomberg is acting just like others have in the past. We know these past people as dictators.

[TyrianFC]

The general public has proven that they are not capable, in the collective sense, to make adequate dietary decisions for themselves. This is evidenced by the amount of overweight and obese people - and related further health problems stemming from said conditions.

I think Bloomberg is ahead of his time and should be commended on trying to bring this in. Im not surprised people are kicking and screaming. I think in the future we will see things like this (and more) become more and more common.

I support the discussion that stems from his prosposal. The very discussion itself is productive, even if nothing comes of it. Id also support some sort of soda regulation as a test trial. This is a relatively simple area to start some kind of trial.

I agree that there could be a fine line somewhere with regards to how far to go and how fast to go there - but the GENERAL SENTIMENT is definetely a courageous and very bold move in the right direction.

The biggest opposition to this, like cigarettes, clean fuel and pro global warming players - is the mega mega mega rich corporations who exude tremendous power with near limitless resources to fund their argument. Just look at how successful the 'there is no global warming' campaign was to create confusion and cynicism among the public, funded by some unbelievably rich oil/coal companies.

[Kujako]

Not all corn is turned into HFCS. Most is actually used in livestock feed. Therefore the price of meat could actually rise with a corn subsidy end.

Or they could go back to feeding livestock grass, which would improve their health, reduce ecoli and make it so they dont have to spend money washing the meat in ammonia to make it safe to eat.

They could also devote some of the funds to regulating the costs of meat as they do with dairy. It's all solvable, and I dislike the amount of money we give to agri-corporations to make us less healthy as a nation.

Besides, grass feed cows taste beter, as does soda with real sugar (the later is a viscosity thing).

[Cjeska]

Bloomberg is just a busybody who thinks that his position gives him the power to be a leader ("mini dictator") who can force his views upon the commoners so they can live their lifes according to his design, rather than allowing him to simply represent the people. He is a member of the self-proclaimed elite that made is their business to mind your business. Tell them to gtfo, even if their ideas don't affect you, because someday they will come up with some other bullshit that definately will.

[smokeydown]

Well, what if someone argued that life style related disease cost the government loads of money each year and people chosing this isn't just affecting them selves only?

Maybe they should fine/tax people for being overweight, they are costing the government/tax payer more money.