When Councilman Mitch Englander discovered that his daughter was unable to find any beverage other than sugar-packed sodas in a city park vending machine, he was motivated to introduce a motion to ban them.
So today he's pitching his plan to the Arts, Parks, Health and Aging Committee of the City Council to ban sodas from city park and library vending machines.
“As a father, and a longtime board member of the American Diabetes Association, the health of our children has long been a concern for me,” said Englander. “Providing healthier beverages in city vending machines is an easy way to make headway in the battle against diabetes and childhood obesity.”
He plans to demonstrate to the committee how much sugar is in sodas by emptying out 22 packets of sugar – representing the amount of sugar in each 20 ounce drink.
In 2002, the Los Angeles Unified School District banned the selling of sodas in all school cafeterias and campus vending machines.
In New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is seeking to ban large-size sugary beverages. His proposal places a 16-ounce limit on bottled drinks and fountain beverages sold at city restaurants, movie theaters, sports venues and street carts. It affects drinks that have more than 25 calories per 8 ounces.
Following in the footsteps of New York City, Cambridge, MA, is considering limiting the size of sodas and sugar-sweetened beverages in city restaurants. The Cambridge mayor proposed the idea at the council’s meeting Monday night, because of the health risks caused by consuming too much soda.
“We need to move Mayor Bloomberg’s effort beyond the five boroughs to all 50 states. Junk drinks are a leading cause of an obesity and excess weight crisis that affects nearly one of every three kids in the United States and half of all kids in poor, rural areas,” Robert Ross of the California Endowment, a health foundation, told the Los Angeles Times.
However, Glen Whitman, an economist at Cal State Northridge who questions government's role in shaping and restricting individual choices for adults and children told the Huffington Post, "The idea of the state stepping in and treating adults essentially as children and trying to protect them for their own good, as opposed to the good of others, that's been with us for as long as we've been around, as long as we've had governments."
(NaturalNews) Do you ever wonder things like "Who is actually gullible enough to think that Vitaminwater is healthy?" Although that question may seem demeaning or even arrogant, it turns out that the Coca-Cola company (which owns the Vitaminwater brand) is essentially asking that exact question. How so? In response to a recent lawsuit against Coca-Cola filed by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), Coke's attorneys replied in court briefings that, "...no consumer could reasonably be misled into thinking vitaminwater was a healthy beverage."
What's next, metering the amount of caffiene in sodas? Seems the city has more pressing problems for our neophyte councilman, such as a budget shortfall, poor street maintenance, and layoffs of critical personnel. Are sugary drinks and foods the next frontier for Captain Mitch? It seems to be anti-Republican to legislate additional ordinances and government intervention. Does he understand that his proposed ordinance will deprive work for our hardworking dentists in CD 12? Surely Mr. Englander can focus on more pressing issues with less caloric content, such as pushing for an entertainment center (jon creator) adjacent to the new Orange Line extension? How about forcing Time-Warner to provide up to date technology and services? I appreciate that he wants to protect his daughter from sugary drinks, but is this really a city-wide issue of great import?
Get out of my house and take care of my city. Chatsworth doesn't even have a downtown! How about some beautification project to turn a section f Chatsworth into a quaint spot to shop and hang out. We have nowhere. Thankfully we are surrounded by beauty but the town needs attention. So once more, stay out of my house and do something for the people of Chatsworth. I am sure there are any willing to help.
So what money is being spent to address these issues that don't even exist?
When traveling to a park, you should not expect the city to have provided vending machines with bottled water just to quench your thirst. You should learn to plan ahead and bring your own bottled water if you are not thirsty enough to drink out of a water fountain (already provided for you with our tax dollars). On a two-three hour hike or trail ride or outing...yes you bring your own water. Teach children to be responsible for themselves and not to complain if someone else drank all the bottled water out of some vending machine you do not have to use in the first place. Common sense!
This is just further example of this City being so F%^&ed up, so lets see, the ill (truly or not) will soon be unable to get medical marijuan legally (happy gangs!), illegal alien drivers without licenses (and how do they get INSURANCE even? They lie to DMV or Ins. Cos.) get to avoid car impound, illegal alien gangsters dont get reported to ICE, trees get trimmed every 35 years - unless they die & need replacing 1st, sidewalks are a jumbled obsticle course, biz taxes are outrageous in LA, now Englander is saying, go to the store if you want a soda!? Huh, oooh kay, but remember youhave to carry it home without a BAG, every try carriny a cold dew covered soda in a PAPER bag....oh I 4got "It's for the children..."
If you think this policy is nanny government, then you obviously have no clue what it's like to live everyday of your life in a food desert.. Think about the little kids that don't have a ice cube's chance in hell to find a healthy meal/snack/beverage/whatever in their community.