Why Was Bloomberg’s Soda Ban the Most Bitter Diet Pill to Swallow?
by Thomas Hoffman

With another holiday season upon us, the public is being exposed to a diverse array of holiday foods. We are also exposed to a diverse array of policies of how to handle holiday foods. With Halloween alone, there is the question of what do with the candy. We all know the categories, some people let their children keep all their candy, some allow their kids to only have several pieces, some people require their kids throw it all out or donate it.

What is the nature of this food controversy? Fear of obesity. Over sixteen years ago, the word “War on Obesity” was first introduced in American politics. When the “War on Obesity” first started, the government has served up a number of attempts to control what the public eats or drinks. Ever since First Lady Michelle Obama launched her “Let’s Move” campaign these attempts have escalated. The War on Obesity comes with a side of controversy, as many believe the government does not have the right to tell the public what to eat or drink.

There have been a number of controversial incidents on the battlefield of the War on Obesity. Jennifer Livingston got a taste of the War on Obesity when a viewer called her too fat to be on television. The Bloomberg administration passed legislation that enforces strict restrictions on bake sales. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act which was engineered by Michele Obama imposes strict restrictions on school lunches. In San Francisco, lawmakers tried to install a “Happy Meal Ban”, which would ban toys from being served with meals that exceeded a certain number of calories. In 2010 Governor Paterson tried and failed to impose a sin tax on soda.

Speaking of soda, that leads us to one of the more famous government intrusions, Bloomberg’s “large soda ban.” At the moment , the soda ban seems to be defeated thanks to Judge Milton A. Tingling. However, Mayor De Blasio has said he would try to get the law back on the table.

Of all these government intrusions, Mayor Bloomberg’s soda ban seems to have created the strongest backlash. Governor Phil Bryant of Mississippi passed an anti-Bloomberg law that stated the government could not impose bans similar to Bloomberg’s. Jon Stewart mocked Bloomberg by drinking a large soda on his show. A radio station played a spoof of the song “Bad Leroy” that replaced the words to mock Bloomberg’s law.

Personally, I could not be happier that Bloomberg’s law was defeated but I couldn’t be more surprised this was the incident that left such a sour taste in the public’s mouth. Why was this particular law the one that awoke the public to the dangers of the nanny state? Why was this the straw that broke the camel’s back? Why was this the incident that the media awarded so much attention to? Why was Bloomberg’s soda ban what inspired Governor Bryant but not Governor Patterson’s 2010 soda tax? Was it because this was the easiest to fight? Was it because the beverage companies fought this more? I am curious(and anxious) to see what the next battle of the War on Obesity will be over. I am even more curious to see how the public reacts.

Thomas Hoffman is a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College. He majored in Communication Arts, with a Concentration in Professional and Promotional Communication. He has received several awards for writing in The Mortimer Levit Writing Contest.
graphic via shutterstock.com