I was extremely pleased when I learned that there is still at least one judge presiding on the bench who had enough innate common sense to overturn New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s, about to be implemented, ban on soft drinks which happen to be larger than 16 ounces. Yes, Big Gulp has received a stay of execution; at least in the Big Apple!
New York Supreme Court Justice Milton Tingling gets two big thumbs up from me for his finding that the proposed regulations, are “fraught with arbitrary and capricious consequences.”
Well who didn’t know that? And why didn’t the good mayor recognize that to begin with?
Justice Tingling went on to say that the regulation is “laden with exceptions based on economic and political concerns.” Who would have ever imagined that a politician would be likely to offer up regulations which would grant exceptions to favored economic and political interests? Wonder of wonders!
Politics as usual aside, and of much more concern to me, is the impact which regulations of this sort have on our ever diminishing personal freedoms and the sustenance of our ability to exercise individual responsibility.
I’m proud to say that I’m the father of two sons. My wife and I raised them into adulthood and quite frankly, they both have turned out nicely. Thank you for asking.
When it came time to teach them the fundamentals of exercising and accepting responsibility for themselves and their actions, we were wise enough to recognize that meant that the boys would have to learn to make decisions for themselves. If we had continued to make all of the decisions for them they would have learned to accept dependency, while learning nothing of personal responsibility.
Back to Mayor Bloomberg and his dreams for a better world through soft drink prohibition. For his part, Bloomberg pledges to fight on. He believes that “We have a responsibility as human beings to do something, to save each other.”
Unfortunately, the “We” to which Mayor Bloomberg is referring does not include people like your neighbors, close friends, or family members. No, in my most humble opinion, the “We” to which Bloomberg and Company refer to is Government; and that’s the one with a great big capital G.
This really isn’t rocket science, nor is it Political Science 101. It comes down to a simple principle which we all know to be true. If you don’t use it, you lose it.
Each and every time that Government with a capital G mandates new regulations which usurp the responsibility which each of us have for making decisions regarding our personal behavior, our freedom and ability to maintain the responsibility for making our own decisions is slowly, but most assuredly eroded away.
Imagine yourself on a playground. Personal Responsibility and Dependency are sitting on opposite sides of the see-saw. Bloomberg and like-minded advocates of Big Government are sitting over there with Dependency.
Fortunately for all of us, yesterday Justice Tingling stepped up and decided to sit along side of Personal Responsibility.
OM
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Photos from Iipolitics.com and politico.com
O·PIN·ION·AT·ED MIS·CEL·LA·NY 
Do you really think that you’ve heard the end of this? Well do you? One day this will bite New Yorkers square in the ass, as a raise in health care insurance premium because of excess caffeine/sugar intake. Mark my words,and bring me back a Super Duper Giant Gargantuan Gulp with sugar free/ caffeine free Dr. Pepper, please!
Heard the last of this? Absolutely not. Never said it. Never thought it. Our government has worked tirelessly for the past 50 or so years to create an entitlement society and they have largely succeeded.
Please be careful about what you say, we don’t want to be labeled as a caffeine sympathizers! The Red Scare will pale in comparison to the Big Gulp Panic!
So would this be considered a ban ban?
I so easily become confused when the subject turns to double (and perhaps, triple) negatives.
I enjoyed this post. So few people are willing to stand up to this insanity – hooray for Justice Tingling. I will sit my large, Big Gulp-inspired arse right next to him on the Personal Responsibility side of that seesaw!