It’s just another tax, Mr. Bloomberg!
To ban or not to ban sugar drinks of a large size is all over the
news and on the social networks with both sides having their say. Americans are raised on sugar starting with
baby formula, then refined grain products in the form of sandwich bread and
pasta, followed by prepackaged foods with more sugar, more refined grains and
high fructose corn syrup, energy drinks, sweetened fruit juices, baked goods,
pizza, sweet tea and soda. Banning large
size soda isn’t going to put a dent in America’s love affair with sugar.
But, I think both sides are missing the point---by arguing the merits
of its effect on obesity they are missing the bigger, more dire picture. The debate should not be over the benefits of
the ban, the debate should be over legality, the constitutionality of the ban
itself. As my brave, Scottish immigrant mother
would say if she were still alive today, it’s
gall some people have, to do what they think is best for me. It’s I alone who will do that and no one
else. That intervention, or should I say intrusion, has
to stop somewhere and I say, stop it here!
Send elected government officials and the misguided members of the
Supreme Court a clear message. As a
citizen of the republic of the United States, it is I, and I alone, who will make the
decisions as to how I spend my hard earned income in the consumer market. You will not force me to buy health
insurance, you will not limit my food choices by telling me what is good or bad
for me based on the standards of other government regulators, nor will you
force me in the future to buy an American made automobile, or U.S. grain fed
beef or prohibit me from the purchase of table salt.
Although I am a strong advocate of ridding America of all added
sugar, my position is this. There is
nothing more important to the sustainability of life than the food we feed
ourselves. NO ONE should make that
choice for us. If we allow this ban to
take effect, what’s next, and next and next?
At some point, we may find ourselves shopping at the Agway for human
food right between the dog chow and bird seed.
And, by the way, Mr. Bloomberg, why don’t you call the related penalty
what it really is, according to the Supreme Court---a tax!
Buon Appetito e Buona Salute, Chef AngelaB
P.S. My
current book EAT SMART, AMERICA, AN ANTI-AGING DIET PRIMER $ 2.99 is available now for Kindle on
Amazon
and for
NOOK at Barnes & Noble
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