All this on "Fareed Zakaria GPS" Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET.
On "Fareed Zakaria GPS" this week: U.S. politics, journalist Nicholas Kristof on his unprecedented access to rural Iran; and a rare bright spot in the eurozone - Estonia’s President Toomas Hendrik Ilves explains how his country is the only one in the eurozone with a budget surplus.
Also: Michael Bloomberg. What should America do about obesity? The New York City mayor explains why he’s taking matters into his own hands, starting with the size of soda cups in theaters.
BLOOMBERG: I don’t think that we should restrict you from drinking full sugared drinks. I do think we have an obligation to explain to you that that is not good for your health. And one of the ways to explain is we’re going to require that restaurants and movie theaters, if you want to drink more than 16 ounces, they sell it to you, but they sell it to you in multiple containers, that no container should be bigger than 16 ounces.
ZAKARIA: But you’re regulating business. There are a lot of ... Republicans who say this is the nanny state.
BLOOMBERG: Time out. They just say that. ... Let’s assume there’s a building with asbestos in it. Do you really think what they mean is we should let you go into that building and send your kids into that school with asbestos in the air? I don’t think so. We regulate and protect the health of lots of people in lots of different ways.
– All that, plus Bloomberg weighs in on politics, the economy and the ongoing Rio+20 summit.
Watch more in the video above and from these excerpts from the show:
Bloomberg on the economy:
Bloomberg’s political ideology
Bloomberg on Obama
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Bloomberg has gone further off his rocker. Moron.
why?
Yes, indeed, Bloomberg does the right thing to knock some sense into some people.
Should Obama be rfe-elected maybe he will appoint Bloomberg as our food czar. I am sure there are those who would welcome this.
Ask Bloomberg why he's such and idiot.
vonhettingen – I don't THINK so! He's a drama queen. Remember the Hurricane that threatened NY last year when he emptied the streets – stopped transport and everything shut down?
It wasn't so much a storm as a whimper.
Face it – he's a control freak who is taking over people's lives and he EXPECTS to be re-elected? He's a laughing stock!
Would he have been a hero in your eyes had the storm been as bad as expected?
If his brilliant and simple solution to eliminate obesity does not fully eliminate obesity in the U.S., I wonder if he might consider the amazing obesity cure surfaced a year or two ago, which suggested letting school children out early from school so they can go home and exercise. I did not hear of this plan being implemented, but perhaps if this simple plan were to merge with Bloomberg's outstanding cure, maybe the two will eliminate our country's obesity problem. I just hope the obese do not think of drinking two 16oz sugary sodas instead of one 32oz sugary soda.
erotome
Children go home and play computer games.
They do not exercise.
Children exercise at school.
Don Michael has spoken!! All us lesser mortals need to bow to his superior wisdom and not bother him with such petty annoyances. When you are the ordained one of the New York media, the trifling concerns of the unwashed are like the bites of gnats. The cries of the peons are like farts in the wind. New Yorkers should unite and stop their grumbling. King Michael has more pressing business ahead. His next project is to impose this city's new motto: "IMPERIOUS REX"
or is that IMPERIOUS Bloomberg, I get confused.
Same thing!
Mikey sees HIS lifestyle as the only lifestyle.
That's why he's in his 3rd term despite New Yorkers vote for 2 year term limits.
He's special, don't you see?
Both thumbs up to Mayor Bloomberg. As simple common sense as this policy requires a lot of political courage nowadays.
I am glad Bloomberg has solved our obesity problem. And such a simple solution! What a guy!
Thumbs up to Mayor Bloomberg. It takes a huge political knowledge to do that. While medically his policy will make a difference, legally it is doubtful at best. After soda size, will he be able to regular hamburger size or fat content? It is a noble effort but not likely accepted by the "my body is my business except woman's bodies" conservatives.
Ahhh Mícheál, Mícheál me boy, there is allegedly but one God and you ain't him boy-o. But I think if he should hear of you comin then he will gladdly get off his golden throne and step aside for the likes of you. Have another Guinness me lad but mind it tisn't 16 ounce.
While it may seem like a good idea to ban large-size soda beverages to limit sugar consumption... this does raise a important issue about where the line is to be drawn on government mandates and our personal freedom of choice. Lets say this proposal does go through in NY, well... what is to stop the government from imposing tighter regulations on other food items, or even other personal freedoms. Yes, obesity and diabetes are certainly very important public health issues that are linked to excess sugar consumption, but I think that the real way to prevent health care issues is proper education and other public outreach programs, and most importantly, by family practices. Now, if what we were eating was toxic or life threatening, and there was direct conclusive evidence that it was harmful for us, yes, I would want the government to step in for our own safety...but for soda, it is hard to see that something like this might actually go through. For every problem, there are multiple solutions. I think that restricting behavior might not be the best route. Why not subsidize or promote small businesses that are providing healthier beverage alternatives? For example, there are literally hundreds of specialty sodas that exist that are low in sugar and are healthy for you, why not serve these at restaurants? I don't know the specifics of the proposal, and what other interests are at play, but I would like to learn more about the issue. Also, I would be interested in knowing what other governments in the world have implemented similar programs/restrictions on food consumption or on other personal freedoms,and if they were effective at their goal to make people healthier. Also, i would want to know if the US has done something like this in the past for other goods sold, and what the outcomes were. If anyone has any follow up information, please reply.... thanks... SpecialtySodas.com
Management 101. Get the people to unify over a common, tedious issue. Well played.
Huh? Who is unified?
Michael Bloomberg might not have been compelled to issue this dictum if the President would have banned high fructose corn syrup during his first 3 1/2 years.
See food lobby rep. in your grocery aisle.
Ultimately it's a health issue, and since the government is, and will, pay for health disbursement through Obamacare,
I'm not one to fault Mr. Bloomberg for his concern.
The alternative is to revoke government funded healthcare.
It is also about quality of life. This could be a fuzzy area for free market advocates.
Wow. Way to lay down and let the government take control. Those are American taxpayer dollars not a cent belongs to the government. Open your eyes. Your own government is robbing you and seems you are giving them the consent to do so.
Some people think they can do whatever they want to but when they get sick because too much sugar they are crying to the government to help them through Medicare and Medicaid. The US government is nearly bankrupt to help so many moron like you because you eat so much sweet. If we don't want to let our government bankrupt we should let people who can't resist eating or drinking sugar too much die without help
Siboy, what about when they get sports related injuries form exercising? Should we regulate exercise too?
I have an idea, get the government out of the healthcare business and back to protecting our borders (which they don't even do anymore).
HFCS is not itself the problem. The problem is how much sugar people eat. Lots of studies have been done on this now. Unless you are diabetic, sugar is sugar and it does not matter whether you get it from corn, sugar cane, beets, cactus, maple trees, etc.
What happens when I want to split that large soda with the person I'm going to the movies with? It's frikkin expensive as HELL to go to the movies! For 3 people, I spent close to $50, and that was JUST ON THE TICKETS. Then on top of that was the cost of dinner at Denny's ($60) and then refreshments ($30). That's almost $50 per person, to go see a CRAPPY movie, listening to screeching children, and oh wait – I forgot the cost of parking! ($12)
Go screw yourself bloomberg – or start paying for my cokes!
Mayor Koch tried to limit the cost of a movie ticket in NYC and a lot of people thought he was nuts. My guess is that Bloomberg will cost you $20 a year in soda cups but ultimately save you thousands both directly and indirectly in healthcare costs. BTW, 16 oz is plenty to share with one other person. That's about the same sugar as a snicker bar.
That is a liberal for you...they know what is best for us.
Go any where in the world and see the people. In Just about all countries, the population is pretty much normally weighted to the size of their frames. Like the stupid chickens who gorge themselves on grasshopper infestations and then choke to death, Americans will eat and drink sugar water until their health is ruined and they are way past the point of no return.
You fail to mention that Americans are also much stronger (muscle mass) than the average citizen of most other countries. The point is, we are supposed to live in a free society. If I want to eat until I am obese, that is MY responsibility and I accept the dangers. It should be MY responsibility to pay my medical bills for any health issues that happen as a result. Liberty is a GREAT concept. You should try promoting it some time instead of trying to dictate how others should live their lives. Those "health issues" that liberals cry about being a burden on the taxpayer are only a burden because you have promoted the government as being responsible for people's medical bills. I could go on for hours about how the current system drives up healthcare costs more because of big pharmacuetical lobbyists and the medicare corruption than an extra 4 oz of soda, but it will fall on deaf ears because liberals think regulations and government are the answer to everything.
Spoken like a true clueless fat american: You fail to mention that Americans are also much stronger (muscle mass) than the average citizen of most other countries.
Q: The point is, we are supposed to live in a free society. Society says I cant do cocaine tonight. what is the difference?
stop whining fatty
uh-oh, watch out! – here comes the 32oz. candy bar.
This has to be going against our rights somehow. It should not be up to anyone else what someone puts into theyre own body.
Bloomberg is nuts. A control freak. He wants a nanny state. He would like to appoint himself Grand Overseer of all things.
Agreed. If he gets reelected, the citizens of NYC don't deserve the responsibility of freedom.
"We regulate and protect the health of lots of people in lots of different ways." That is the problem. First, you can't do it. People will always get sick, have accidents and die, not matter how many laws you pass against it. Second, every little law that tries to "regulate and protect" takes away a little bit of freedom. Third, let's be honest and admit what's going on behind the scenes: these laws are to protect the profits of insurance companies.
Just wait till the government tells you that you have watched to much TV today and your car is too big.....
Seems crazy huh....? Just about as crazy as telling me 5 years ago that Size of drinks will be limited...
bloomburg is a stupid fvck. Now,since I dont want to miss any of the movie, I will buy 4- 16 ouncers...which will need the carry-tote...and I can now throw away 4 times as much cardboard into the trash (or floor...it's more fun)
Agreed. Bloomberg needs to be knocked off of his pedastal like another dictator I can think of.
I get it that this legislation seems like it is crossing a line, but I think that's the point. Bloomberg is trying to make a big public statement that raises people's awareness about sugar consumption. People are overweight and diabetic because they eat too much sugar and carbohydrates in general. There is a full day's supply of carbs in a super-sized soda. There is more sugar in the soda than a candy bar. Most people don't know what it does to their bodies.
"Most people don't know what it does to their bodies." ...and they don't care either.
Now, if you will excuse me, ima grab a smoke and beer, cuz those come in the sizes I want.
Now thats freedom of choice. Your "the man" Thomas Jefferson. Unfortunatly, you won't make many friends on this site talking about individual freedoms. lIberals don't believe in them. They only believe in "whats good for the masses", i.e.....Communism.
Maybe people don't care about being overweight. Being a gay man makes you more likely to contract HIV, but the liberals promote gays. Why is it people love to discriminate and belittle overweight people? Who are YOU to tell them how to eat, look, and what will make them happy?
Actually, Black women are the group most likely to contract HIV now...
Bloomberg, and his buddy Soros, are known Communists, who want to see the destruction of American freedoms in this country. What amazes me is how many liberal drones there are in New York that keep voteing this clown in. Pretty soon they will have no more freedoms left if they don't wake up and get people in that care about individual rights.
Bloomberg explained it very well, this is a regulation on business not on consumers. Most people truly are not going to drink more than 16 oz with their meal, if they really do want to it's no burden to purchase a second. Given the current pricing structure which stimulates sales of these super sized drinks the price for a 16 oz (which is currently inflated) should then come down in order for the marketer to encourage additional sales, the consumer wins all the way around.
"Most people truly are not going to drink more than 16 oz with their meal"
Then why regulate it....? there is no problem.
"this is a regulation on business not on consumers" Absolutely blind...this is insane logic.
" Given the current pricing structure which stimulates sales of these super sized drinks the price for a 16 oz (which is currently inflated) should then come down in order for the marketer to encourage additional sales, the consumer wins all the way around." ---–You complete dvmbass... now there will be ONE size....guess what the price will be?
It's over America... go watch some TV... nothing to see here.
I am just ready for a civil war. I hate liberals and their ironic logic.
So am I. What are we going to control next? Are we going to start controlling grocery stores as to how much fruit to sell people? Some fruits are also very high in sugar. What about diet sodas?
To compare one's choice to drink sugary drinks to the governments regulation of asbestos is a MASSIVE STRETCH at best.
My choice in avoiding asbestos, if it were not regulated, is very limited unless someone more powerful than I regulates it. For example choosing materials for a house to be built is limited for various reasons, my lack of expertise in building, lack of choice in purchasing differing supplies b/c they aren't readily available given the market. As it pertains to public buildings my inability to reasonably avoid asbestos in public buildings. As well as the fact that whole communities can become asbestos exposure areas, (i.e. it spreads http://www.ewg.org/sites/asbestos/facts/fact4.php ) and therefore a public health risk. So my personal choice in avoiding asbestos is automatically limited.
However, with sugary drinks, all I have to do is not drink one, and reasonably be made aware of the risks by the government. Now I can see the government regulating food ingredients as they did with 'fat' in the 70's, but not whether I can have free refills.
The government has a responibility to INFORM the public of danger, but not to protect people from their own choices. America is FAR from the nation with the most liberty. We are a very very regulated serfdom.
Whats next, the number of cigarettes I can smoke a day. But wait, cigarette sales are not that big of problem for the health decline in the US and insurance rate increases since it does bring in good tax money that supports the social problems of today. Oh I forgot, jobs for the big farmer (not the little farmer since subsidies shut them up). And now I must mention the US Department of Agriculture. And also may I order two 16 ounce regular Cokes with that large super sized Burger and Fries that have 4000 calories. Evidently, politician people do not have anything to do while they are in office. I will go now. Oh, did I just hear gunfire from around the corner.
Anyone here seen Demolition Man ? Bloomberg is altogether totally wacked !
How do liberals cry that no one has the right to tell someone who they can make love to or marry.....no one should tell a woman she has to carry a child in her womb that got there because of her poor choices....but then they turn around and praise a moron who is saying people do not have the freedom or right to choose what size soft drink they consume?!
Now instead of 20 oz of Coke, I have to drink 32 oz because I have to buy two.
'How do liberals cry that no one has the right to tell someone who they can make love to or marry.....no one should tell a woman she has to carry a child in her womb that got there because of her poor choices....but then they turn around and praise a moron who is saying people do not have the freedom or right to choose what size soft drink they consume?!'
How do they do it? Hypocrisy to the level of insanity, of course...
I bet the alcohol lobbyists will ensure people aren't limited to the number of beers they can consume in a NYC pub! Bloomberg is a moron and anyone that supports this is also a moron. You POS don't deserve to live in a supposed free country because all you do is try to make it less free.
Large sugary drinks are banned but NY can still sell cigarettes. Think about it.
Don Michael has spoken!! All us lesser mortals need to bow to his superior wisdom and not bother him with such petty annoyances. When you are the ordained one of the New York media, the trifling concerns of the unwashed are like the bites of gnats. The cries of the peons are like farts in the wind. New Yorkers should unite and stop their grumbling. King Michael has more pressing business ahead. His next project is to impose this city's new motto: "IMPERIOUS REX"
or is that IMPERIOUS Bloomberg, I get so confused.
Good job New Yorkers. No fourth amendment rights and now this? Hope you are proud of yourselves.
It is the right thing to do. I had commented on the same in answer to a question weeks ago on a professional website. Govt has a role – not to tell you what to eat or drink but to educate on healthy lifestyles and enable citizens who cannot help themselves and the only way they can do that is to ensure that the manufacturers do not entice citizens to drink super size drinks or meals. Businesses ought to regulate themselves and not allow their greedy behaviour to kill fellow citizens. They have a responsibility and moral duty. It is called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). They should be working in partnership with the govt to make society better.
The poor chuckle heads in New York voted this guy into office. They are getting what they asked for. Wait till he banishes chewing gum and hamburgers and other food items. There is no end to his 'illogic'.
It would be more effective to do like Cigarettes and charge $1 more in taxes.
I'm a convervative republic but Bloomberg is right about the soda drinks. When people consume these jumbo drinks, they raise the cost of health care and lose the opportunity to address other problems like genetic and cancer research. This delay kills people.
When Mr. Bloomberg called guns a social issue I thought, does he mean hate? How do guns and immigration fit into the same category?
I liked the interview with Michael Bloomberg. But there is one thing he had wrong. Canada is the United States largest trading partner. It's something most Americans...and sad to say, most Canadians don't know. Just to set the record straight.
Any chance of an endorsement for Obama? How unsubtle is Fareed. Why dn't you just become a campaign manager for President Obama?
Bloomberg believes he is the one to take charge of our health being we know not how. How will Bloomberg know if the obese drink two 16oz sugary sodas instead of one 32oz? We will need governmen food detectives. Maybe TSA gropers who would like to earn a larger salary would be an intelligent choice for hirng? When government food experts learn obesity still exists after limiting the obese to 16oz surgary sodas one might wonder what next they have in store for us. If govenment gurus are going to eliminate obesity the obese will have to do more than not drink 32oz sugary sodas. Bloomberg may already be at his drawing board, he just might come up with more intelligent suggestions, or demands..
Just gimme a 6-pack of those! No, gimme two 6-packs!
if you want to drink more than 16 ounces, they sell it to you, but they sell it to you in multiple containers, that no container should be bigger than 16 ounces.
wait what? He didn't give an explanation on this.
It's one thing to discourage people from eating and drinking things that are bad for them, it's another thing to criminalize this. If you criminalize big sodas, you may as well criminalize all booze, and make in criminal to have an extra slice of pie.
People should check out the horrific nonsense he's trying to pull putting a ten story garbage dump right next to a kids playground and intersecting (and destroying) an established, vibrant community.
(Search "Residents for Sane Trash Solutions" for more on that gem.)
It seem's everyear freedom is taken away little by little. People are adults not kids. They don't need someone telling them what to eat or do?. Eating burgers and fries is not good for us,smoking is bad, soda is bad. how about drinking beer and booze? I wish he would put his effort into jobs and the homeless and economy. What a idiot. If people want change they have to stand and fight. There is no freedom anymore. The usa is going down the drain.
ohhh boo hoo! stop your crying people. America is OUT OF ITS MIND OBESE and the situation needs to be addressed. this helps get the process started. As for all you whiny nerds.... the Govt says you cant smoke pot and use cocaine...but you have no problem with this? same thing with smoking in resturants. Stop all your Glenn Beck style whining about freedoms.
Bloomberg makes a totally false analogy. The difference is that inhaling asbestos causes cancer, but drinking a 32oz soft drink does not cause obesity or diabetes. It's wrong to restrict access to products when there's no direct link that puts people in harms way...it's absolutely a Nanny State move.
Only in this country does a shameful man like this get to run around running his moth.
Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—
REVEALATION 3:9
Copy Paste into You Tube: DOOM 2012...........PART 1/2
Then look for the revelation video under videos.
Game over for all sinners.
How does one run a "moth'?
Bloomberg wants to protect people and protect their health, but he's going about it by micromanaging and failing to recognize the general principles he espouses, and he's not making it a matter of individual responsibility. What we really need are laws that make it illegal to get sick, to get injured or to die. After this has solved all our health problems and protected the public, then we need to recognize that the elderly are more susceptible to illness, injury and death, and pass laws against getting old.
Or, to put it another way, Bloomberg's ideas are un-American.
His comparison to a school with asbestos is a faulty argument. Schools are run by the government, so the government has a responsibilty to remove the danger. Large soft drinks are NOT produced by the government.
Now that Bloomberg has solved our obesiy problems what is next on his drawing board?
I agree with him that government can and should inform people about health issues. But he goes on to say one way to do that is to ban the product. Banning something is NOT informing. A public service announcement is informative. A warning label is informative.
BLOOMBERG: I don’t think that we should restrict you from drinking full sugared drinks. I do think we have an obligation to explain to you that that is not good for your health. And one of the ways to explain is we’re going to require that restaurants and movie theaters, if you want to drink more than 16 ounces, they sell it to you, but they sell it to you in multiple containers, that no container should be bigger than 16 ounces.
Ooookkk soooo what is the difference?? Sounds to me its about more money not trying to stop obesity.
its funny that we forget, that in the land of the free it is "we the people," who control what we drink and eat. Kiss Don Mícheál's ass another time.
And I have one more though on it.... In good old Erie we have the Blarney Stone to kiss, but in New York City tis Mícheál's ass we all must kiss.
Must have a cup company in his porfolio .. or a land fill business
"And one of the ways to explain is we’re going to require that restaurants and movie theaters, if you want to drink more than 16 ounces, they sell it to you, but they sell it to you in multiple containers, that no container should be bigger than 16 ounces."
If you Dont eat fat you wont be fat!
Junk In Junk out!
You are what you EAT and or DRINK!........................THINK ABOUT IT!
Mayor Bloomberg reminds me a Vladimir Putin. Like a typical limosine liberal, he believes that the vast majority of people are stupid, ignorant, lazy, undisciplined, are their own worst enemies; and make really bad choices. Therefore, HE, being the enlightened limosine liberal that he is, is going to restrict their freedoms so that they don't hurt themselves as much as if he didn't restrict their freedoms. This is a very dangerous path to go down given all governments' insatiable desire to control people and expand their power, which is why the Bill of Rights was created and is so important. Our founding fathers are rolling over in their graves.