New York State assembly speaker: We might have to pass a law to block Bloomberg's dumb soda ban

In a sane world, there’d be no soda ban for the state legislature to undo. In a sane-ish world, you’d at least need the city council to enact a soda ban before it took effect. In the insane world in which we live, though, Mayor McCheese here and his health board can start controlling portion sizes in America’s biggest city on their own say-so, with a majority vote by state legislators needed simply to get us back to the status quo.

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That’s the bad news. The good news is that if even true blue New York Democrats like Sheldon Silver are suddenly citing “1984,” the backlash to Bloomy’s nannyism is well and truly under way:

State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver yesterday said he’s considering a plan to thwart Mayor Bloomberg’s attack on sugary drinks.

“We may be getting too close to Big Brother,” a clearly bothered Silver told The Post, adding that he’s considering legislation at the state level to stop the mayor’s plan to limit the size of sodas and other sugar-laden drinks sold in the city.

“I just think we ought to step back and look at the freedoms that we have been given in this country and reflect on them,’’ Silver said.

Even better than that is Bloomberg’s response, which conveniently puts one of the Democrats’ strongest contenders for the 2016 nomination on the hot seat:

On Friday, Bloomberg said he expected New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, to back his plan. Asked about Silver’s threat, Bloomberg crisply responded that “I don’t think that’s going to happen.

“I assume the governor is going to veto it.”…

“Nobody is taking away any of your rights,” Bloomberg said later in the broadcast. “This way, we’re just telling you ‘That’s a lot of soda.'”

Yeah, really? Andrew Cuomo, who’s been wooing the left by supporting gay marriage in NYS and wooing the center by getting serious about spending, is going to go to bat for the sort of cretinous dietary meddling that’s earned Bloomy the contempt of voters across the board this week? Jon Stewart beat up on him for it last night, as you’ll see below, and today none other than the New York Times dropped a disapproving editorial on him. Even Ronald McDonald is kicking him while he’s down. The only people who seem to be on his side are Bill Clinton and, of course, the editorial board of the right-wing New York Post. Wait, what?

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Two clips for you here, the first from “The Daily Show” and the other, via Mediaite, of the “Red Eye” gang piling on. In lieu of an exit question, read Holman Jenkins on the deeper reason why you’re suddenly seeing more of a push to regulate people’s diets. When the state has to pay for your health coverage, don’t be surprised if it takes a greater interest in your health. Big government begets bigger government.

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Ed Morrissey 12:40 PM | December 16, 2024
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