Don't we have bigger issues to deal with than the size of some soft drink?

[troung]

I think Bloomberg is a piece of garbage. An anti-American piece of shit.

House Speaker John Boehner on Mayor Bloomberg’s soda ban proposal: ‘Are you kidding me?’
Boehner: 'Don't we have bigger issues to deal with than the size of some soft drink?'
Comments (43)
By Jonathan Lemire / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Friday, June 1, 2012, 1:15 PM


One of the most powerful politicians in Washington is not too sweet on Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to ban giant sugary drinks.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) scoffed at Bloomberg’s controversial proposal during a Friday news conference.

“I like Mayor Bloomberg, but are you kidding me?” said Boehner when asked about the plan, which has received national attention.

“C’mon, don’t we have bigger issues to deal with than the size of some soft drink that somebody buys?” Boehner asked.

Bloomberg, in his latest effort to make New Yorkers healthier, has suggested a ban on sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces.

Stores that receive letter grades from the city - from restaurants to bodegas - would no longer be able to sell jumbo-size drinks.

Bloomberg, now registered as an Independent, was a former Republican but his plan has received little support from GOP leaders on Capitol Hill.

"You can't make this stuff up, can you?” Paul Ryan (R-WI) said Thursday on CNBC.

"I gave up pop for Lent three years ago and I haven't had any since, but do what you want," Ryan said. "Do what you want with your life."

Bloomberg has argued that research shows that when people are given larger portions, they almost always consume more.

City officials supported the plan by touting the success of previous fights against trans fats and cigarettes.

Opponents, including soda makers, have slammed the proposal as evidence that the city government has become a “nanny state” with too much power over its citizens’ actions.

Read more: House Speaker John Boehner on Mayor Bloomberg

[dalem]

I don't know that he's "anti-American", but he sure is dumb and meddly.

-dale

[Chogy]

Is the consumption of gigantic quantities of high-fructose corn syrup by mostly the young a problem? Yes. Is the solution to pass laws and ban certain products? Hell no.

It's a standard feel-good thing to pontificate and propose laws that address social issues. "Look, look, we are concerned and we are doing something about it! I feel good. I feel... special."

Next on the list: I sense a law coming that bans fast food beyond a certain fat to protein/carbohydrate calorie ratio threshhold. "Those fries have a 63.77% f/pc load. Bring it down to less than 40% or it's a felony." Then, you'd have back-alley fry cooks making fries in a lard oil bath, loaded with salt, and the line would be long.

[bonehead]

Is the consumption of gigantic quantities of high-fructose corn syrup by mostly the young a problem? Yes. Is the solution to pass laws and ban certain products? Hell no.

It's a standard feel-good thing to pontificate and propose laws that address social issues. "Look, look, we are concerned and we are doing something about it! I feel good. I feel... special."

Next on the list: I sense a law coming that bans fast food beyond a certain fat to protein/carbohydrate calorie ratio threshhold. "Those fries have a 63.77% f/pc load. Bring it down to less than 40% or it's a felony." Then, you'd have back-alley fry cooks making fries in a lard oil bath, loaded with salt, and the line would be long.

Hell, they wouldn't need a new law. Just open up a decent fry place and the lines will form. Now days the fries are cooked in some crap oil and in no way can hold a candle to the fries of old. A handful of good fries beats a basket of crap fries any day.

[Double Edge]

I think Bloomberg is a piece of garbage. An anti-American piece of shit.

You know i've seen this sort of arbitrary behaviour from politicians in my country as well.

Drives you nuts at how non-sensical they seem and makes you question what their priorities are.

Why do they do it ?

best i can figure is they want the attention.

So why does Bloomberg want it.

Is he trying to woo mothers to vote for him in the next election.

They can't get their brats to stop so they want the state to make it go away.

[bonehead]

You know i've seen this sort of arbitrary behaviour from politicians in my country as well.

Drives you nuts at how non-sensical they seem and makes you question what their priorities are.

Why do they do it ?

best i can figure is they want the attention.

So why does Bloomberg want it.

Is he trying to woo mothers to vote for him in the next election.

They can't get their brats to stop so they want the state to make it go away.

What is irritating as hell is that the economy is issue #1 but the idiots in congress are so easily sidetracked by garbage such as this. Every time a congressman introduces anything that is not related to the economy or some emergency measure that congressman should get a swift kick in the crotch. I know there are female congressman too but many of those have bigger balls than the men.

[astralis]

bloomberg is mayor-- he has smaller issues than congress. yeah, it's silly; how do you define "sugary drinks".

if our nation wants to deal with this in a better matter, as a first step let's talk about eliminating agricultural subsidies for starters. something republicans should be able to get behind.

[dalem]

bloomberg is mayor-- he has smaller issues than congress. yeah, it's silly; how do you define "sugary drinks".

if our nation wants to deal with this in a better matter, as a first step let's talk about eliminating agricultural subsidies for starters. something republicans should be able to get behind.

Count me in.

Stop subsidizing corn and maybe it'll stop showing up in every damned thing we eat.

-dale

[Double Edge]

Will be interesting to see the replies this post gets.

if our nation wants to deal with this in a better matter, as a first step let's talk about eliminating agricultural subsidies for starters. something republicans should be able to get behind.

Never going to happen. You have less than 2% of your population making food for the rest of the country and then some for exports. You will not import food or be dependent on others.

Food is #1.

[astralis]

Never going to happen. You have less than 2% of your population making food for the rest of the country and then some for exports. You will not import food or be dependent on others.

Food is #1

the american farming industry has boomed in the last 5 years. it doesn't NEED subsidies to make food for the rest of the country and then...some...a lot of some...for exports.

[RollingWave]

Well, America's obesity issue is real obviously, but yeah Bloomberg's doing a serious overreach here.

But hey, a successful busniessmen doing whatever the hell he wants, isn't that what th GOP is for ? ;)

[Double Edge]

the american farming industry has boomed in the last 5 years. it doesn't NEED subsidies to make food for the rest of the country and then...some...a lot of some...for exports.

Do you underestimate the power of the agro/farmer lobby :)

[Doktor]

Do you underestimate the power of the agro/farmer lobby :)

But, you said they are only 2% ;)

[bigross86]

The Jews are even less and we have TONS more power

[Double Edge]

But, you said they are only 2% ;)

They've kept the subsidies to date, and i think they will be successful in continuing to do so.