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I think the underlying issue is that the Mayor understands that the way the system is set up, the cards are stacked against the average person, and stacked way way way against poor people, particularly poor urban people of color. He is trying to do what he can to make a difference based on the limited levers he can pull. He cannot ban soda, but he can limit the size. He cannot ban fried foods, but he did take out the transfats..and on and on.
I think a Mayor who displays sheer, unmitigated disregard for his constituents simply wouldn't care what people do, what they eat, and tell his constituents, directly or indirectly: I don't care, drink 800 ounces of soda, smoke yourself into lung cancer at 50, and eat yourself into a heartattack at the age of 40. Our Mayor is choosing to actively make a difference...how you can allege then a disregard for his constituents is beyond me.
I understand that you greatly detest the Mayor, but your dislike of him is illogical and makes no sense based on the reasons you give. He disregards his constituents but then does what he can to help them make healthier choices? That doesn't make sense.
SobroGuy, do you honestly way down deep inside actually believe that Bloomie really gives a crap about our health?
When Bloomie passed the law that fast food restaurants should post calorie counts, that was the best idea ever and I'm not a fan of his. If the calorie count doesn't include calories with a big ol' giant soda then they should just revise the calorie posts. This sobro guy and a bunch of other people don't get the point other people are making. No one is saying the ban itself is wrong per se, it's about being dictated, that's all. wasn't he going to raise the sales tax at one time on these types of beverages? make the poor poorer. Just because someone can't afford filet mignon doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to afford a bottle of coke either. Looks like that tax got thrown out the window. If you ask me, all he should do is just make sure that any of these fatty food establishments must provide calorie counts, that's it.
boy would i love to take a peek into his fridge and pantry.
"[...] suggests that changing children’s eating and drinking habits isn’t simply a matter of educating them about nutrition and healthy foods. It also requires changing their environment, so that healthier alternatives become both accessible and convenient. “Children and adolescents will readily change their beverage habits if other products are available,” says Ludwig. “As long as we maintain environments of sugar-sweetened beverages where they are ubiquitous, and heavily marketed, it shouldn’t surprise us that they are drinking a lot of them. But if we create an environment that makes alternatives easy and convenient, they will drink those instead.”
That is essentially the idea driving New York’s controversial ban on large sized-sugary beverages. If jumbo-sized cups aren’t available, then the thinking goes, residents might not consume as many sugary drinks as they currently do."
Makossa I think Bloomberg genuinely cares for NYC and wants to take it to the next level, and leave his mark on it. He sees alot of the major problems and proposes his own solutions, where most Mayors or elected officials do nothing...which would you prefer a do nothing Mayor or someone who at least tries to implement change?
And I completely agree with Mobilevisitor's above post...that's exactly what the restriction is about.
...someone who at least tries to implement change?
Well, you know, there are ways to implement change that don't come across like plain, unvarnished telling people what to do. And there are different kinds of change. Appointing a new schools chancellor didn't have to involve a completely unqualified personal friend like Kathy Black, for example.
You're talking about positive changes; the Mayor is just pushing everyone around. There's a difference between the two!
Well, you know, there are ways to implement change that don't come across like plain, unvarnished telling people what to do. And there are different kinds of change. Appointing a new schools chancellor didn't have to involve a completely unqualified personal friend like Kathy Black, for example.
You're talking about positive changes; the Mayor is just pushing everyone around. There's a difference between the two!
Didn't read the entire thread but it seems as though this is a visceral issue for a lot of people. I really don't understand how this is a terrible thing.
Fred at the end of the day, we have had too many Mayors which do nothing, and don't have the guts to tackle major issues. When was the last time we had a Mayor actually TRY and change/improve the public school system in any real way? Decades? Maybe more?
I don't fault him for trying..that's why we hired him remember? His policies are not all perfect, not all popular, and not all as successful and the change we ideally want. Why would we expect everyone to be happy or expect perfection???? He tried, and did not succeed in many cases, and tried and succeeded in other initiatives.. THATS LIFE.
But for all the Bloomberg haters, we can go back to Mayors who do nothing and simply pander to unions, race-bait, and let the boroughs languish.....2013 is coming sooner than you think and you can all be happy!
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