Cola Cops

The Governor of anywhere, but this time New York, thinks it’s a good idea to limit the sales of soda by size. The US Constitution says I have the right to freedom of speech, the right to peaceful assembly, the right to bear arms, the right to vote for our next President, but NOT the right to choose the size of a summer soda?

Proof that the law is urgently needed? There’s allegedly too much sugar in soda, allegedly as much as 8 ounces of sugar in a 42-ounce soda. The purported evidence, dramatically enhanced by pouring a full cup of sugar into an empty 42-ounce soda cup, may suggest that perhaps someone should encourage soda manufacturers to deal with a sugar issue, but legislating the size of soda a consumer purchases in a free marketplace? One newscaster actually admitted that it’s “too hard” to say no to her young children, especially when it’s really hot outside, even though she knows that soda is “really bad” for them. Hand them a bottle of ice-cold water and say no to other alternatives. If they are really thirsty and it’s really hot, they will really drink the water!

We put warnings on alcohol, cigarettes, and other consumables that may cause health concerns, but we go directly to supervising the soda dispensers?

I know for a fact that there’s too much sugar in lemonade, so the only viable option is to outlaw all the lemonade stands, rather than allow a consumer the choice whether to enjoy a cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day? I know for a fact that “real fruit drinks” add far too much sugar to make them taste sweeter, so the only viable option is to take all the fruit drinks off the shelves rather than allow the consumer to decide which drinks, how often, and how much? I know for a fact that there’s too much sugar in just about anything with a sweet taste, but where does it end? Why does a paternalistic governor’s failure to monitor his blood sugar become my problem? Is regulating his salt intake on the backs of consumers his next publicity ploy? After all, how much salt is too much salt on a pile of fries? And, there’s sugar in the catsup, governor.

Who is going to monitor the fast-food restaurants and store fronts 24/7 to keep consumers from committing condiment suicide?

Government governs best when it governs least, when the citizens are not just empowered, but actually determine the appropriate laws of the land. We have virulent crime, including a teen boy riding a bike who shot a father and his child in Los Angeles yesterday. Perhaps we could focus the cola cops on that crime arena, rather than patrolling the quick marts’ soda dispensers?