Mayor Bloomberg and the Nanny Staters strike in NYC

I'd much rather have Magoo
than Bloomberg.

Mayor Bloomberg and his compatriots of nannies are at it again with yet another attempt at meddling in the lives of ordinary Americans. He wants to ban soft drinks over the size of 16 ounces, which he claims will help fight our obesity epidemic, within the municipality of New York.  The measure still has to pass the Health Board, but considering they are all appointees of the mayor, and likely share his paternalistic sentiments; the measure could very well pass.  Ignoring how this is the very much an example of socialism outside of an economic concept; one needn't think very long and hard how absurd this entire measure is and how it will do nothing whatsoever.

First off this is only a ban on soft drink sizes larger than 16 ounces, which means it will likely have no affect on overall consumption. There is nothing stopping an individual drinking 32 ounces of soda in a single sitting if they want outside of convenience stores, movies, or games (even at there if someone was so inclined as to buy multiple beverages instead of a single one).  A lot of things make a person fat, not just soda consumption; but for the sake of argument lets assume that soda is the primary reason, and not just one of many, that contributes to our rising obesity.  The simple reality is that those individuals are consuming multiple beverages a day, be it large 32 ounce big gulps from 7-11 or 8 cans they bought at the store.  But we all know this, save for the leaders of New York City, so there isn't a real need to hash this out.

Secondly, the law does nothing to address the many other calorie, and potentially weight gaining, laden items such as milk, alcohol, juice, or diet soda.  Some of these items are even worse for you from a health standpoint. Yet, the law will not ban someone from chugging 20 ounces of booze, milk, or fruit flavored fructose corn syrup mixed with water.

 It doesn't take much thought to come to the conclusion that this law will have no effect on obesity. The law is nothing more than another checklist for the feel good brigade and to satisfy the need for paternalists to tell others how to live.  It's not surprise the New York city has helped contribute to the negative migration rate of New York State this last decade and an economic loss of $ 45 billion over that period.