No Surprise Here: More Dems Than Repubs Like Mayor Bloomberg's Soda Ban

Is anybody surprised that Democratic voters are more than twice as likely as Republicans to back New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's nanny plan to ban super-sized sugary drinks in the Big Apple? This, according to a new poll for The Hill.

Overall, the national survey found that more people in both parties oppose the mayors idea than endorse it. But Republicans go all-out against it, with 79 percent of voters saying it's bad, bad -- to just 15 percent who like it.

Of Democrats polled, 40 percent said they like Independent Mayor Bloombergs call for restrictions on large sugary beverages; 47 percent oppose it.

These results were part of a broader survey that reveals a national split over the role governments should take in regulating food and beverages for health reasons. Looking at the complete picture, 40 percent of voters say governments should do less when it comes to intervening in the eating and drinking choices of Americans.

Why these results aren't a huge surprise is that Democrats traditionally go soft on government regulations. They see benefit in them. And they like first lady Michele Obama's major cause, her war on childhood obesity. What's not to like, you ask?

Just this:

The Obamacare law includes numerous food regulations. Buried on page 1,209, for instance, it details that "the Secretary [of health and human services] shall establish by regulation standards for determining and disclosing the nutrient content for standard menu items that come in different flavors, varieties, or combinations, but which are listed as a single menu item, such as soft drinks, ice cream, pizza, doughnuts, or children's combination meals. ... "

Once the law is fully implemented, watch overall government spending on health care soar. It is already giving elected officials greater justification to limit individuals' choices about what they eat or drink.

You can't separate public health financing from public health nannying. Public officials won't mind their own business about what you eat, drink, and otherwise put into your body as long as it's their business to pay to keep those bodies healthy.

We've got to convince Democratic voters that the decisions they're so OK with their government making will affect them too, in some very onerous ways.

In the meantime, read "Legislators, When You Hear Those Nanny Notions From Up North, Cover Your Ears."
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