Little things mean a lot. One, they add up. Two, they often express something big, like love between a married couple — or a bully’s determination to control your every move.
In the case of New York City’s impending ban on Big Soda, the something big is Big Brother’s claim of a right to regulate or outlaw everything that might somehow, someday harm somebody. Never mind how indirect or trivial the alleged harm may be. And never mind that such regulation inflicts far more grievous harm to the individual’s own ability to judge what is good for himself, and to act on that judgment in co-operation with others.
Mayor Bloomberg’s new nanny law prohibits restaurants, bars, and other food-serving establishments from selling sodas in containers of more than 16 ounces. That includes carafes served to tables of four, eight or ten. It includes two-liter bottles of soda that New Yorkers might want to order with their pizza. The law is stupid and tyrannical, and a vicious precedent.
Bold, fizzy action is called for. New Yorkers should defy the prohibition. Set up a test case, with the city imposing a fine on one or more businesses for continuing to sell large doses of carbonation. This would allow, then, the Institute for Justice, the ACLU or some other freedom-minded organization help fight the fine and the law in court.
And let there be protests in front of City Hall, peaceful and principled, with Big Soda served to all.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
6 replies on “A Big Gulp of Tyranny”
What has happened to DEMOCRACY!? Are there no patriots left here? F Mayor Blumberg get rid of the bum!
Oh no I did not know his net worth was only 25 billion dollars, I THINK HE SHOULD JUST CHILL, and enjoy life, he is not like so many people the prez has destroyed financially.
“The law is stupid and tyrannical, and a vicious precedent.”
Yes, it is the intentional use of highly uncertain, complex science to micromanage human behavior. And it is the subordination of all other values and goods in society to “health.” This is also the desolation of science.
PS There were two quotes up yesterday in the sidebar, which I did not capture in time. Does anyone remember what they were? There was a face with the longer quote, who I thought might be Sowell, but the name was not included.
So a New York Dominoes could not deliver pizza and a liter Coke to Vermont. And a Connecticut Pizza Hut could not do the same to a New York resident. Which is making commerce irregular. Which is one of the few times that the feral government is actually required to step in. So of course, they aren’t.
Drik, your comment makes no sense.
The law applies only to New York City; how (or why) would a NYC Dommino’s Pizza deliver to Vermont? Or NY Pizza hit to Ct.?
I agree the law is asinine. And to Linda, his term is up; and his successor-whomever it is,, will probably be even more off the wall.
Most likely a flaming liberal/socialist
I agree, the law is a violation of rights, but I would like to clarify one thing: It pertains only to carbonated drinks sweetened with sugars, not to “diet” soft drinks.