Government

Daily Beast Contributor: Bloomberg Should Limit ‘Sick’ Burgers After Soda

Michael Tomasky of the Daily Beast Argues Bloomberg Should Limit Cheeseburgers After Soda

(Photo: AP)

Michael Bloomberg’s so-called “soda ban,” under which New Yorkers cannot legally obtain a sugary soda larger than 16 fluid ounces in a restaurant, has drawn nation-wide ridicule.

These are the same people, conservatives have noted, who are outraged when a third party is concerned about aborting the unborn baby in a woman’s uterus– but somehow, seem to have no qualms about regulating how much sugar you gulp down your esophagus.

On MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Mika Brzezinski wholeheartedly embraced the measure, while sipping on what appeared to be a large Starbucks that– while at this time falls outside the jurisdiction of Bloomberg’s edicts– still gave off a “good for me but not for thee” vibe, in the words of Mediaite.

(Related: Jon Stewart Slams Bloomberg’s Soda Ban)

Now, a Daily Beast contributor is approaching the issue from a wholly different perspective: embracing it “wholeheartedly,” while arguing that it may not go far enough.

Michael Tomasky writes:

There’s only one way to say something like this, and it’s loud and proud and without apology: I wholeheartedly support Mike Bloomberg’s war on sugar. It’s unassailable as policy. Refined sugar is without question the worst foodstuff in the world for human health, and high-fructose corn syrup is little better. We are a fat country getting fatter and fatter, and these mountains of refined sugar that people ingest are a big part of the reason. The costs to the health-care system are enormous, so the public interest here is ridiculously obvious. Obesity is a killer. Are we to do nothing, in the name of the “liberty” that entitles millions of people to kill themselves however they please, whatever their diabetes treatments costs their insurers? We have this “liberty” business completely backward in this country, and if Bloomberg can start rebalancing individual freedom and the public good, God bless him, I say.

[...]

Of course, change [in Americans' weight] occurred nowhere else as it did at the movies. I recall the looks I used to get from those confused youngsters behind the counter when they asked me, roughly, “Wouldn’t you like to get a tub of popcorn three times larger for an extra 25 cents?” and I barked, “No, definitely not! And don’t even ask about the soda.” They were a symbol of that age of grotesquerie and excess, those 40-ounce sodas, every bit as much as gas-guzzling SUVs. And they’re indefensible. Completely empty calories. At least potato chips have potatoes. Snickers has nuts. But soda pop has refined sugar. Or corn syrup. There is nothing useful about them. And they have helped to create a crisis. [Emphasis added]

And it is well-documented that the administration never wants to let a good crisis “go to waste.”  Moreover, perhaps Tomasky wouldn‘t be so concerned about the cost of an unknown New Yorker’s medical treatment, if the government hadn’t interjected itself into the industry?

Michael Tomasky of the Daily Beast Argues Bloomberg Should Limit Cheeseburgers After Soda

(Photo: AP)

Tomasky continues by declaring that “this talk of ‘freedom’ is absurd,” since Americans will still be able to buy the sodas elsewhere, or order multiple drinks if they feel “they will perish unless they have 32 ounces of Mountain Dew Code Red,” before ironically advocating:

Are bacon-cheeseburgers next? As a practical matter, no. Sodas are an easy target because there is nothing, nothing, nutritionally redeeming about them. But might there come a day when the New York City Department of Health mandates that burgers be limited to, say, four ounces? Indeed there might. And why not? Eight- and ten-ounce burgers are sick things.

We have a health crisis in this country. A country with half of its adults living in a condition of obesity is a sick country, quite literally, spending probably not billions but trillions on the associated illnesses and maladies. Under such conditions, the state has every right to take action on behalf of the common good…

One day, if the country comes to its senses, we’ll reverse the obesity trend and, just as we now chuckle at the prevalence of smoking on Mad Men, we’ll say, “Can you believe people used to peddle this treacle in 64-ounce doses?” We will not only have done something about obesity. We’ll have won an important victory over Libertarianism Gone Wild, a far bigger threat to society than even Sunkist Orange. [Emphasis added]

Is it any wonder that people are leaving New York in record numbers?

Comments (112)

1 2 3
  • Constructionist
    Posted on June 4, 2012 at 12:32am

    @JZS
    When all other logical arguments fail, and your ideological position is indefensible, wrap yourself in the warm embrace of syntax and assumed erudition.

    Report Post » Constructionist  
    • ProbIemSoIver
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 1:22am

      I would love to debate this Idiotic contributor, Michael Tomasky.

      It is this simple.

      A person that concerns himself in my personal affairs, offends me.

      A person that goes out of his way to enforce his ideologies on me, is an enemy.

      Let this brilliant man (Arron Russo) explain to an indoctrinated progressive moron ( You – Michael Tomasky ) why I, or any other freedom-loving American, gives a Cr@p what you or Bloomingidiot thinks.
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RewUP-Fdhqk

      Report Post » ProbIemSoIver  
    • Ruler4You
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 1:49am

      What’s the point in all of this pussyfooting around? He just needs to come up with a ‘state’ approved menu every month and ONLY that food will be served in the city or you get fined.

      Report Post » Ruler4You  
    • KICKILLEGALSOUT
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 2:18am

      More hypocrisy from the pile of Democrap. Such hypocrites to revive a new form of prohibition on Americans. Are they going to ban beers larger than a certain size too? Beer makes you fat, Beer also has alcohol which can lead to ruined lives in many ways.

      Report Post » KICKILLEGALSOUT  
    • Dr Vel
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 3:02am

      Where are all these commies coming from anyway. They are getting more numerous and worse than cockroaches.

      Report Post »  
    • Baddoggy
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 7:11am

      I think we should limit all water to any politician that thinks this way to ZERO. The reason? They are a blight to society!!!!

      Report Post » Baddoggy  
    • MCDAVE
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 8:28am

      Get the government out of heath care..Heath care is an individual responsibility….get the Lawyers out of heath care as well, and it will be affordable again..Then the government will have no need to tell you how to eat .

      Report Post »  
    • MCDAVE
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 8:36am

      Soda is just the beginning ,when you ask the government to take care of you,you deserve what you get…As for me,they don’t pay my way ,so they can stay out of my life and I’ll do as I please

      Report Post »  
    • Duey2000
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 1:00pm

      @Kickillegalsout, you make a very good point! I bet that if people had their alcohol limited they would be in the streets in droves! I would be interested to see how many alcohol related illness, accidents, deaths, etc there are in New York compared to Obesity.

      Report Post »  
    • Yeah_Buddy
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 2:37pm

      Don’t blame me or my family because fat people migrate to New York. Its probably genetics and ethnic diet. Same in California. We’re skinny so let me have a coke and a smile and stfu.

      Report Post »  
  • Cosmos102
    Posted on June 4, 2012 at 12:25am

    Kids used to play outside…unsupervised! Ride their bikes in the street. Visit their friends who lived in different neighborhoods, on their bicycles. Kids used to be responsible enough to start babysitting small children by the age of 10 or 12. They walked or biked home from school. Then the Liberals started with their “danger” warnings. “Wear Helmets while riding… Children are being kidnapped off the streets…. Roller skates and skate boards can cause loss of life or serious injury”. Then Women’s Lib started up. “Women aren’t fulfilled unless they work outside the home.” WHAT did they think would happen??? Parents are doing everything the Liberal MSM has been preaching to them for 30 years, and guess what? It has, among other things, made us FAT. You can’t have it both ways, Libs. Either shut your Pie Holes and stay out of everyone’s lives, or accept the consequences.

    Report Post » Cosmos102  
    • KingDork
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 1:42am

      Yup, the “evil unhealthy” foods been around for a very very long time and the real cause of overweight kids is the lack of freedom they had to have fun. Over in cali i recall being outside all the time playing till they enforce the nazi helmet laws and other restrictions where it was almost illegal to be outside playing… then we switched to video games.

      Report Post » KingDork  
    • spikebu
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 4:08am

      My neighbor from two streets away made a point of stopping to tell me how happy it made her to see my kids playing outside. That was back in the late 90′s. I’m now about the age she was when she told me this. No children play on our street. Ever. There are children on our street, they just don’t come out.

      Report Post »  
    • ADNIL
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 8:07am

      I’m old and can remember when school playgrounds were packed with kids on the weekends, and kids on bicycles were everywhere, and the parks were full of kids playing ball and frisbee, and in the winter, any hill of any size was a sliding party every weekend. Now these places are empty.

      when I was a kid I played outside all day until the streetlights came on (my curfew) but only AFTER I completed my CHORES. Kids do not have chores anymore, nor do they play outside.

      When I worked in the public schools, up until two years ago, I used to ask the kids I worked with after Christmas vacation what they got for presents. “Did you get a sled, or skates, or jumprope, or skiis, or snowshoes, or snow-building toys?“ Without exception the answers I received were something like ”No, I got 4 new video games, 6 movies, a cell phone, and a Wii”. All inside stuff and mostly electronics. It just is not the same. Inactive kids grow up to be inactive adults.

      Report Post »  
  • love the kids
    Posted on June 4, 2012 at 12:21am

    Let’s do this, pass the law, but with a stipulation that if in 2 years time, if the obesity problem hasn’t improved, the law automatically goes away, there is no chance to renew it.
    I’m willing to take a bet right now that overweight will be a bigger problem in 2 years than it is now.
    You know why, more Govt. assistance means less activity. It is simple, you could follow a graph that shows that the more govt. assists people, the heavier Americans become. So by that info, we need to cut the amount of Govt. assistance to people to make them lighter.
    Now I know one of Soro‘s employees with a stupid screen name will write back and tell me i’m ignorant or racist or something, but they need to put up a chart with the Govt. assistance and peoples weight.

    Report Post »  
    • spikebu
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 4:24am

      What on God‘s Green Earth makes you believe once they’ve passed a law, they’d give it up? It’s dangerously close to Pelosi saying we had to pass the bill in order to know what was in it. Let‘s let them pass a law so they can learn it’s wrong? I’m still scraping my chin off the floor.

      Report Post »  
    • GhostOfJefferson
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 8:00am

      Extremely bad idea. Once a law is passed, it never, ever goes away. Further, “let’s do this”, um…no. There is no authority at all for some petty tyrant to decree that I cannot ingest a legal product in any quantity I want. “Just do this” sets the precedent that should never be set, even if it does magically somehow sunset.

      Report Post » GhostOfJefferson  
  • 120pages
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 11:41pm

    How about no sugared sodas “bought” with food stamps?

    Report Post »  
    • jonboy1903
      Posted on June 3, 2012 at 11:54pm

      Right, I saw a woman in a full length leather coat that musta cost a grand wipe out an ebt card and pay for her food and get out a wad of cash for smokes and drove off in an Escalade on 24 inch rims.

      Report Post » jonboy1903  
    • jzs
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 12:00am

      The Blaze says, “These are the same people, conservatives have noted, that are outraged when a third party is…”

      Blaze, the grammatically correct expression is, “WHO are outraged” not “THAT are outraged.” No, it’s fine, thanks aren’t necessary. Easy mistake to make. People writing for other fringe websites make the same mistake all the time. Editors of right wing sites aren’t expected to be hoity toity English majors.

      Report Post » jzs  
    • Dale
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 12:04am

      jzs;

      Just where do you get your information?

      Report Post » Dale  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 12:09am

      @Dale
      “jzs; Just where do you get your information?”

      Some people read tea leaves….. JZS reads the poop he leaves as he crawls to his out-house.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • The_Almighty_Creestof
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 12:28am

      I saw a man/woman (I really could not tell which) go through a drive-thru liquor store today…in one of those battery powered scooters.

      I do not know if they paid with EBT, and I do not know if what “it” got was larger than 16ozs…but the cans/bottles that kept being passed through the window and put in the basket at the drivers feet, were many.

      It completely disgusted me.

      Report Post »  
    • drattastic
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 12:51am

      @JZS
      Dude do you ever tire of being a douche bag ?

      Lets also regulate how many strokes you can take during sex , wouldn’t want to wear out the old tally wacker .That‘s the people’s business too (did I miss spell “tally wacker” JZS ?)

      Lets also limit how many alcoholic beverages one can consume in any given day . Does this infuriate you JZS.

      Why not regulate how much gay midget porn one can look at ,now I know JZS is in a panic.

      Hey JZS how about you and your government get the hell out of people’s lives.

      Report Post » drattastic  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 2:44am

      drattastic

      Me thinks the bag you mention is a used prophylactic

      Report Post » Stoic one  
    • jzs
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 10:29am

      drattastic, you’re confused. Despite all the talk about small government, the Republicans are the ones concerned about what happens in people’s bedrooms or in their cervixes.

      Report Post » jzs  
  • Dale
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 11:25pm

    “Are we to do nothing, in the name of the “liberty” that entitles millions of people to kill themselves however they please, whatever their diabetes treatments costs their insurers? We have this “liberty” business completely backward in this country, and if Bloomberg can start rebalancing individual freedom and the public good, God bless him, I say.” Michael Tomasky

    Mr. Tomasky is obviously a public school product. 1) he does not understand ‘liberty’. Where is liberty when you are refused choice (particularly by those claiming choice is all important). Since when are these progressives concerned about saving insurance companies money? When a society is concerned about ‘the public good’, there is no ‘personal freedom’.

    Further, it would be interesting to determine when, in these progressives’ estimation, we (as a country) maintained the optimum/desired weight. Can they cite a date? It should be easy, then, to calculate the ‘average’ daily caloric intake. Then they can restrict our caloric intake to that magic number; notwithstanding that recently a blaze article discussed larger American skull size presumably from a varied and abundant dietary array. It is further interesting to note that in any discussion of ‘obesity’, the environment, and social justice; progressives marginalize, ignore, or malign individual rights. Michael (take your pick) keep your nose out of my business, and I will maintain my God-given rights – thank you, very much.

    Report Post » Dale  
    • booger71
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 12:46am

      I told my anti smoking zealot friends that next they would be next on the list of nanny state Nazis, I was right.

      Report Post » booger71  
    • spikebu
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 3:40am

      I would like to ask Mr. Tomasky where us thin people fit in his ideology? I require a lot of calories. When I was younger, I thought it was because I was very physically active. I’m nearly 50 now. I weigh 3 lbs more than when I was in HS. I’ve had 3 babies. I require a lot of calories. It’s genetic. My baseline weight is 106 now and my physical activity is household cleaning and picking up poop from 5 Labs. That would be Labrador Retrievers. Not lab samples.

      Report Post »  
  • phrogdriver
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 11:24pm

    The sad thing is, everybody with an IQ above room temperature knows this will do nothing to solve the alleged “Obesity problem”.

    And when it doesn’t, the “solution” will be more ridiculous Progressive measures like this one.

    It’s like gun control – it never works, and when it doesn’t work, the explanation is that we don’t have enough gun control.

    How do you argue with that kind of “logic”?

    Report Post » phrogdriver  
    • DEFCON4
      Posted on June 3, 2012 at 11:49pm

      DRIVER , The sad thing this is=is this kind of Logic!

      Report Post » DEFCON4  
    • bpodlesnik
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 6:34am

      Yeah, while I agree that obesity is a serious problem. And there probably a lot of people in this country should put down the Big Mac and Coke and pick up an apple and water, this law would absolutely do nothing. Trying to force them to drink a smaller portion of pop (unless your at a grocery market or whatever the exception was) is just not going to work. You can‘t take away someone’s free will to buy whatever they want.

      Report Post » bpodlesnik  
  • needmoinfo
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 11:22pm

    The new world order thinks there are way too many people. Too many babies and too many elderly living too long. Obamacare will be rationed so they aren’t paying the medical bills for the obese. So why are they complaining if the obese are killing themselves off early. Isn’t this what they want?

    Report Post »  
  • Constructionist
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 11:10pm

    I believe that all New Yorkers should only be allowed to eat free range carrots and carbon-neutral moisture droplets gathered from the high cheek bones of ostensible Native Americans. If they complain, they should be punished by their union masters and billionaire overlords. Here’s to you New York! Enjoy the bed you’ve made.

    Report Post » Constructionist  
    • armyofnibiru
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 1:47am

      and i keep flushing those sugar ladent nugets down the drain, shame on me.

      Report Post »  
  • needmoinfo
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 11:08pm

    Print me a tee shirt “Make mine a double”. What do I want with my order “A four pack of cola”.
    Size of the container will make no difference. Will drink the same amount.

    Report Post »  
    • CatB
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 12:49am

      Are they going to limit the size of steaks .. or lobster and butter you can have? No it is never what would effect them … it is what the ‘little people” do, eat, drink. … etc.

      Report Post »  
  • cemerius
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 11:01pm

    When will we be able to write off on our taxes Gym memberships?? Will our premiums be reduced with all of this “good for us” legislation????

    Report Post » cemerius  
  • RebelPatriot
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:52pm

    I just can’t wait to see New Yorkers running around with two litre bottles of Coke and Mountain Dew in their hands.

    Report Post »  
  • MAMMY_NUNN
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:52pm

    My observations have been the most obese people are the one’s who drink diet drinks and not the regular beverages.

    Report Post »  
  • RebelPatriot
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:50pm

    Where in the laws of the state of New York or City of New York is itlegal to limit the size of container American citizens can purchase a soft drink?

    People if this doesn’t concern you, you don’t understand what One world government has to offer in the near future.

    soon we want be able to make any decisions for our selves, because big brother government will be making those decisions and you will be left to conform to their direction.

    This is much more serious than we believe and if New Yorkers will allow this to happen. Many other dietary issues will be taken of the table to make you conform to big brother’s ideal human.

    Report Post »  
    • Eleutheria
      Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:59pm

      I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in being an ideal human.

      Report Post » Eleutheria  
    • jonboy1903
      Posted on June 3, 2012 at 11:56pm

      Look up the movie Brazil by Terry Gilliam. It is where we a re headed. A sick, government over your shoulder and always clamring for more taxes to be paid on everything.

      Report Post » jonboy1903  
  • needmoinfo
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:47pm

    You don’t know how much ice is in the soda. You don’t know if they are going to sip it all day or toss it if it gets warm. You don’t know if when they bought a foot long sub or double whopper or quarter pounder if they are going to save half for later. Or even share it. You don’t know how many people will eat that cheese cake or pizza. Or who might hog most of it. How do you choose which businesses you wish to ruin. After all one man‘s big drink is another man’s jumbo candy bar. I want my Christmas fudge and marshmallow peeps. So back off. Can‘t believe this is in anybody’s job description. Guess their inbox is empty.

    Report Post »  
    • joxercat
      Posted on June 3, 2012 at 11:12pm

      Very well said. I buy a larger soda many times so I can share it with my kids or hubby. We do that a lot at the movies. Many times I will throw the remainder out.

      Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:46pm

    One more case of leftist extremist insanity across the board.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • dcraw21b
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:45pm

    Can’t stand this guy, the whole city… sorry if you live there. Communism is taking over. It always starts at the large cities. Then it trickles down from there, to the smaller cities and towns and villages. SO INSANE!!! Glad I don’t live near this moron. Regulation out the waazoo… Guess I’ll stay in the sticks.

    Report Post » dcraw21b  
    • lynnissmart
      Posted on June 4, 2012 at 8:19am

      Most New Yorkers despise this man and laugh at him…..period….he is disgraceful…….period!!!

      Report Post »  
  • sooner12
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:43pm

    Tomasky needs to go soak in a tub of fat to make him feel goooood all over.

    Report Post »  
  • drenfroe
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:39pm

    Control, control, control

    Report Post »  
  • rickc34
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:35pm

    Hey how about limiting stupid politicians in New York and California to please anyone want a burned druggy Govenor? He come on take Jerry please . Him and Bloomberg would get along just fine .

    Report Post »  
  • Dougral Supports Israel
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:33pm

    This is a war that Bloomberg is destined to lose. Eating is one of the most basic and personal things we do. Turning large burgers and sodas into a forbidden fruit will only make them more attractive. I don’t live in NYC but if my locality pulled this I would fire up my grill and cook the biggest, baddest and most delicious fat-filled bacon, cheese burgers I have ever eaten. They would taste all the better knowing that I was defying the “almighty” State.

    Report Post »  
  • yetibunker
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:28pm

    no you can’t have my light bulbs, you can’t have my soda, you can’t have my big car. f you!

    Report Post » yetibunker  
  • TRONINTHEMORNING
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:27pm

    The evil lib army loses in the end. Yay! I’m thankfully, confident about that. God will sort ‘em out.

    Report Post »  
  • yetibunker
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:26pm

    stop trying to run everyone’s life all of you big gov liberal ********!

    Report Post » yetibunker  
  • Mutiny
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:24pm

    If they get away with the soda one, everything will be regulated.

    Report Post » Mutiny  
    • phrogdriver
      Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:47pm

      Canyou name one thing in America today that ISN’T regulated?

      I can’t.

      Report Post » phrogdriver  
  • lexington_green
    Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:16pm

    liberals: bringing tyranny to your door one little step at a time.

    Report Post » lexington_green  
1 2 3

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love