The Fresca Rebellion

theodp writes "They can ban the Marlboros, tax the Cokes, and zone the Whoppers, says Slate's William Saletan on the subject of today's morality cops. But it's time to put the brakes on the paternalistic overreaching of the food police, Saletan argues, when they come after his editor's beloved Fresca ('there are concerns that diet beverages may increase calorie consumption by justifying consumption of other caloric foods'), which will have to be pried from his cold, dead hands. '40 states have enacted special taxes on soda or junk food. And the soda taxers are becoming ever bolder. Their latest manifesto is an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, co-authored by the health commissioner of New York City, the surgeon general of Arkansas, and several others. It declares soda fair game for government intervention (PDF) on the grounds that "market failures" in this area are causing "less-than-optimal production and consumption."' Where do we draw the line?"

Drink now, Citizen!

[SEWilco]

It declares soda fair game for government intervention (PDF) on the grounds that "market failures" in this area are causing "less-than-optimal production and consumption."

So the government thinks that soda companies are too important to fail? And they think that government soda five-year plans will certainly cause optimal production and consumption. I don't really want the government to ensure that I am consuming soda optimally.

Re:And yet they do nothing to discourage the car

[mcornelius]

In the southern US, there's also the additional weather factor. Walking/biking in Phoenix?!

Yeah because walking around Buffalo in January would be so much better!

Re:Good policy

[MightyYar]

what if 300 pound women is your thing?

We should keep Texas as a protected wildlife grazing reserve.

Re:Good policy

[JaredOfEuropa]

Imagine you and your wife looking fit as a fiddle, but with short tempers, twitchy eyebrows and a serious case of the munchies all day, because the government allows you to have only weak tea, raw carrot and soybean pudding?

Fix your own damn diet, and don't go looking for excuses to have it fixed for you and everybody else.

Re:taxes

[Afforess]

"First they came for the Marlboros, and I did not speak out; because I was not a smoker; Then they came for the Trans-Fats, and I did not speak out; because I liked healthier foods; Then they came for the Coke's & Pepsi's, and I did not speak out; because I was not a fan; Then they came for the Whoppers, and I did not speak out; because I was not a fast-food person; Then they came for my Fresca's; and there was no one left to speak out for me."

Re:Drink now, Citizen!

[couchslug]

"The economist's big idea is that the "invisible hand" of market forces will lead us to an ideal world."

The invisible hand of Wall Street just recently squeezed our collective invisible nuts quite smartly.

Regulate The Hand.

So then what?

[twoallbeefpatties]

Dumb liberal: Hey, health care costs are too high! It must be because we don't have a single-payer program!
Dumb conservative: No, our health care is the best in the world! It's just that Americans don't take care of themselves and drive up their own costs with the unhealthiness! We need to just encourage better behavior!
Dumb liberal: Okay then, let's put a tax on unhealthy goods to encourage better consumption!
Dumb conservative: What, are you crazy? You can't tell people what they can and can't eat! That's fascism!
Dumb liberal: All right, then if we can't tell people what to eat, then we'll have to deal with the consequences. It's time for a national health plan!
Dumb conservative: You're a socialist! Our health care will get better if we just start eating better!
Dumb liberal: Then let's encourage better food!
Dumb conservative: Communism!