Policy

Soda Jerk Michael Bloomberg Strikes Again (Nanny of the Month, May 2012)

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May 2012 offered up an embarrassment of riches for Nanny of the Month.

Among the strongest contenders were the buttinsky pols in Fort Lee, New Jersey, who banned texting while walking (what's next, chewing gum?). And then there's the Los Angeles City Council, which pushed an ineffective-yet-annoying ban on plastic bag with the help of testimony by former Seinfeld and current Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Louis-Dreyfus gave an impassioned speech against the bags as "outrageously expensive" (we thought for a minute she was talking about the laugh lines in her short-lived series, Watching Ellie).

But there's only one nanny of the month and for May 2012, it's got to be New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has proposed limiting the serving size of sugary beverages such as soda pop to 16 ounces or less. The ban would cover restaurants, movie theaters, street vendors, ball parks, and a plethora of other places. In the past, Bloomberg has banned smoking, trans fat, school bake sales, and more. So it's not exactly surprising that he's focusing on cup size now. But it's still appalling.

About 90 seconds.

"Nanny of the Month" is written and produced by Ted Balaker. Opening animation by Meredith Bragg.

Watch previous "Nanny of the Month" episodes here.

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