Remember Freedom?

ABC News is among those discussing this:

ABC News’ Ben Forer and Olivia Katrandjian report:

The soft drink industry is fighting back against New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed ban on large sugary drinks, by running an eye-catching, full-page ad in Sunday’s New York Times with an image of the mayor as a nanny.

The ad reads, “Bye Bye Venti: Nanny Bloomberg has taken his strange obsession with what you eat one step further. He now wants to make it illegal to serve ‘sugary drinks’ bigger than 16 oz. What’s next? Limits on the width of a pizza slice, size of a hamburger or amount of cream cheese on your bagel?”

Above and below the photo-shopped image of Bloomberg are the taglines: “You only thought you lived in the land of the free,” and “New Yorkers need a mayor, not a nanny.”

The Center for Consumer Freedom, which is behind the ad, refers to Bloomberg as the “Great Dictator” on its website.

Bloomberg’s plan, which is part of an effort to curb obesity, would make it illegal for food service establishments such as restaurants, street vendors, sports venues and movie theaters to serve sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces.

The ban would apply to both bottled soda and fountain drinks containing more than 25 calories per eight ounces. It would not include alcohol, fruit juices, diet soda or any beverage that is at least half milk. Grocery stores and convenience stores would be exempt.

According to Bloomberg, New York City spends $4 billion a year on health care for overweight residents, and sugary drinks are the most significant factor in the increasing number of obese or overweight New Yorkers.

The consumer rights groups are correct, so far as they go. Clearly, this is the nanny state run amok, but now the question comes that very few people want to even address…. At what point did the stuff cross the line?

As a nation we sat idly by and watched this nonsense for decades, all the while our freedoms slipping away one by one. Why are we even pretending to worry about this now?

Our founders considered that the government which governs least governs best.  This was in fact a foundational principle.  Clearly, we have gone well beyond that to the point where there is no limitation on government power.  Ask yourself; “Is there an area of my life that government doesn’t control?” The answer of course, is “no.”  A bit euphemistic, but consider that your toilet is federally regulated. So is the toilet paper paper. So, for that matter, is the water in the bowl. Why, you can’t go to the bathroom without the Federal government sticking its nose into the process!

Similarly, when better than half of your income is going to government at some level…. (actually, it it far worse when you consider that better than half the money you spend on things, even absent direct taxes, go to taxes or unfunded mandates on businesses you buy from.., and usually pass on to the consumer in the form of higher prices, it’s more than that, even) I’d say there’s a lot I can’t do because of government… a lot of freedom has been lost right at the off.

Certainly, the current plans surrounding health care are a net loss for the cause of freedom. So to is the “environmental” movement, when given the force of government. These are just a couple of examples, of the all-inclusive list of things the government thinks it should have control over…These are things that affect your daily life.  The founders understood all of this intuitively. They knew very well that government had to be limited in scope. Those limits placed on our Federal government by the founders are all but run over now.

Were we directed from Washington when to sow and when to reap, we should soon want
bread. – Thomas Jefferson

The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second
down with the chains of the constitution so the second will not become the legalized
version of the first. – Thomas Jefferson

Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have … The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases.
– Thomas Jefferson

So again, I ask the question; at what point did the government cross the line?

I suggest it was the first freedom lost.  And think about how that happened; we thought it was a good idea at the time.  We thought would provide us a little security.  Franklin spoke to that;

Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
~Benjamin Franklin

And, may I add, that other than in the shortest of terms, we won’t get it, either.

This issue speaks to the entire government health care takeover. Look at the mayor’s logic. He’s suggesting that because the government is spending backs number of dollars on health care, that gives him the right to make a law Banning that which current science thinks is costing the government healthcare system money. At what point does it stop? The fact is it doesn’t. As Jefferson points out the natural tendency is for government growth. I point to health care is an example, not as the whole enchilada.  It is merely one of the myriad of places where government control has grown far too much for our good, and certainly irrespective of the concept of freedom.

We’re coming up on the Fourth of July, pretty quick. A little over a month’s time away. Isn’t it time we started remembering and respecting the principles that we were founded on? Certainly, our supposed “leaders” have lost their way. Perhaps it’s time we lost our current crop of “leaders”, hmmm?