Freedom, an American virtue, is being recalled. Regulations and bans on food and beverage products is everywhere. Yet, is that government’s job? Or is it simply the limitation of the free choice? Is any food or beverage safe from the government’s grasp? With the help of “Myths, Lies, and Complete Stupidity” by John Stossel, we can find the answers to these questions.
Today, everything is government run. Whether it is business or pleasure, the government has a voice in it. Up until recently, regulations like “the fat tax” or bans like “the salt ban” or like “the large soda cup ban” were unheard of and never even dreamed of. But what changed to make the government responsible for our food?
As human beings, we have the capability of free will and an understanding our own decision making process. Is the government stopping us from what we want to do? The freedom and will power to choose what is best for each person is no longer allowed. Whether it is the large soda cup ban in New York or the fat tax in Denmark, the government thinks it is their job to limit our choice of foods. It is not their job, they are pushing the boundaries and not letting people be who they are. Limiting each person from doing what they are evolved to do, think and decision make to choice what’s best for their life.
The proof to support that opinion that the government should not control our food lies in the details. In New York, any soda cup above 16 ounces is banned. But that doesn’t stop people from buying two or getting refills. Furthermore, the soda buyers can still but a two liter bottle of their favorite soda at the grocery store. By people being able to get the same amount of soda elsewhere or by other means, the soda ban is just stopping businesses who sell soda in cups to make a greater profit. This could eliminate small businesses as well. Making it hard for people like myself to fulfill their dreams and desires. Opening any small business will become harder—let alone nearly impossible—if the bans continue on this scale.
More proof that the government options won’t work and shouldn’t exist, lies in Denmark. The “fat tax”—imposed by Denmark—raised taxes on food above certain fat content. But people in Denmark found ways around the fat tax by buying the same products for cheaper prices, making them pay less tax. A single year later, the “fat tax” was recalled, proving that people will not change their ways. They did this by purchasing the same items but bought off brand instead. This lowered the tax that they had to pay for the fat they choose to consume. It wasn’t the government’s job to restrict people and force them to pay a tax on something they eat every day. People know what they are eating and still choose to eat it; no government tax can stop the people. Neither in Denmark nor in America.
This leads into the human “will power” again—focused on habit—and how it affects buying choices. Humans are creatures of habit. Everything we do can be found in a pattern or rhythm. When someone or something changes the balance or cycle, people can get very irritated. Look at the “Recall Walker campaign.” Wisconsinites didn’t like the change to their routine they had received and tried to recall a great governor. People in cases of food or beverage change, will “campaign a recall” by buying the same things for cheaper, or by finding the loop hole—buying the two liter bottle of soda—and get more money for their dollar.
The government should not control people and limit their freedom in food choices. To back this argument up, we saw that the “fat tax” recalled because the people found a loop hole. The “large soda cup ban” has more than one loop hole that people can be—and probably are—taking advantage of. Furthermore, the government is attempting to stop creatures of habit and of free will from being free. They are corrupting our freedom and limiting our free will, that is not right.