There really isn't much to say about New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's truth defying appearance today on Meet the Press. He was in full defensive mode, telling a clearly baffled David Gregory that he's not trying to ban anything.
Huh? How about that drink BAN you insisted your pals on the Health Board pass? You know, the one that would have BANNED restaurants, grocery stores, food carts and sports stadiums from selling sugary drinks in sizes above 16-ounces. Remember that BAN with all the loopholes–the one the judge called capricious and arbitrary because it allowed convenience stores to sell huge sodas (GO BIG GULP!) and permitted Central Park's Shake Shack to sell it's iconic 800 calorie milk shake (thank God!).
When Gregory began channeling Ron Paul and asked about government intrusion into people's private lives, Bloomberg, unfazed, carefully explained to little Davey Gregory that if consumers want to consume more than 16-ounces, they're allowed (how kind), but must buy two, or three, or four bottles.
Further defending his first place-winning science fair experiment, the Mayor explained that when he gave his lab rats three small beverages, after consuming one drink the lab rats exhibited some self-reflection (patting their tummies, checking for wobbly arms, turning to the side to check how their tiny rat behinds look in their fur coats) then refused a second sugary drink. If however, he gave his lab rats a large bucket-sized serving of a sugary beverage, those furry little rats barreled through it without thinking.
Unfortunately for the Mayor and his little science experiment, New Yorkers aren't lab rats; they're humans and they have a built-in incentive to avoid overeating. It’s called "no one wants to look bad and die early."
Bloomberg should understand, that if that incentive doesn't work, neither will his weak drink ban.