Bloomberg's Not Afraid to Tax Your Fat Ass

The junk food industry is going to war against the Bloomberg administration's big public health push, spending $1 million on an ad campaign asking New Yorkers, "When did the Big Apple become Big Brother?" But Bloomberg isn't sweating the industry's measly million in ads, and defended his hands-on approach to health yesterday, telling reporters, "A little impetus from the government really does improve the public health of the average person. If you want to drink sugared drinks, you're going to have a weight problem, and maybe government should tax it to keep you from doing it." And if taxes don't persuade you to put down the Big Gulp, maybe a little trip to Room 101 will do the trick.

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By John Del Signore in News on October 2, 2009 2:46 PM

Comments [rss]

gothamguy

The power to tax is not to be used as a punishment or control device. Taxation is to pay the debts of a government. If you are going to be a patronizing d-bag Mr. Bloomberg, at least have the respect to lie about your intentions.

Sir Bonkers

If people actually care about their health, they'll do something about it. Taxing junk food will not ultimately deter someone from eating it.

Improving the bike lane infrastructure would probably yield more healthy people.

NannyState

Fine. Use the soda tax to improve the biking infrastructure.

Mr. Shankly

How about we cut the corn subsidies on the front end to jack the price up to true cost?

Noreaster76

Screw cutting them, let's completely abolish them. If we ever see the day that farm subsidies are abolished, I will dance in the streets.