Ever heard of Bruce Vladeck?
Dr. Bruce C. Vladeck that is?
He’s one of a chosen few health experts hand-selected by the patron saint of Nannydom, Dear Leader Michael Bloomberg, to serve on his noble Nanny Squad, AKA the New York City Board of Health.
You see, Vladeck, who, like I said, was hand-selected by Bloomberg, will more than likely vote Yea when his now infamous large soda ban comes to the floor.
Oh, Vladeck’s also considering a ban on large bags of popcorn.
Yep, popcorn.
“The popcorn isn’t a whole lot better than the soda,” declared Vladeck, whose not exactly, how shall we say it, the sveltest of characters, in a June 12 public health meeting.
You weren’t expecting this? Think Bloomberg and his fellow fat fighters just dream up a few random things to ban–and stop there? This is all part of Bloomberg’s well-intentioned but anti-freedom plan to tackle the obesity problem. And the smoking in public places problem. And the feeding the homeless problem.
You didn’t know these were problems? Well, they’re both illegal now, thanks to Bloomberg.
More bans will follow. Bans that, maybe by design, will be so crazy they make the soda ban seem…not so crazy. That’s that slippery slope thing.
When I first read the headline about the Nanny Squad’s potential desire to ban large bags of popcorn, I first thought it was an Onion article. Sadly, it wasn’t.
Worse, other members of the board, including Joel Forman, are considering a ban on large milk and coffee drinks, too. Probably things like peach milk shakes and iced Frappuccinos.
If guys such as Vladeck get their way, and they very well might–because obesity is a legitimate problem and even absurd solutions to legit problems in today’s ban-happy USA get passed–a couple going to a movie theater would have to pay more money to buy two overpriced popcorns instead of one big one.
By the way: Two medium bags of popcorn, which would still (hopefully) be legal in Bloomberg Land, likely contain MORE popcorn than one large bag.
Yes, Vladeck’s ban could actually make popcorn lovers poorer AND fatter!
Speaking of people who are kinda fat…
