Michael Bloomberg’s decision to ban the sale of non-diet soda drinks over 16 ounces has drawn scorn and ridicule from pretty much all corners. (Even Richard Thaler, the influential behavioral economist and demon-figure among conservative opponents of nany state-ism, pleads, “a BAN is not a NUDGE. The opposite in fact. So don’t blame Bloomberg’s ban on large soda cups on us.”)
So is anybody happy about this? Why, yes — Doug Schoen is.
Schoen is a putatively Democratic pollster known primarily for flaying Democrats for being too left-wing and fond of big government. One might be surprised that Schoen, of all people, would approve of such a heavy-handed application of the state. But no, Schown is positively glowing in his appraisal:
This time, Bloomberg has wisely chosen to circumvent a messy process that could be derailed by lobbyists and special interest. “New York City is not about wringing your hands; it’s about doing something,” the Mayor correctly noted. Therefore, he is instead opting for a small, measured plan that can be implemented with minimal interference. …
Mayor Bloomberg has long led the way when it comes to public health policy.
Surprising! And no doubt completely unrelated to the fact that Bloomberg is Schoen’s client, a fact not disclosed anywhere in Schoen’s encomium to the soda ban.
