If you do it yourself instead of government doing it for you, was it really done?

Media grudgingly admits people could just cut down on sugary drinks on their own

By Dan Calabrese ——Bio and Archives--March 20, 2013

American Politics, News | CFP Comments | Reader Friendly | Subscribe | Email Us

Their default presumption about everything is that government must do something, which is why the media - in this case, ABC's Katie Moisse - presents the aside as such an afterthought. Oh no! Sugary drinks kill 25,000! What should government do?

Singh and colleagues spent five years putting the pieces together. Using data from national health surveys around the world, the team tied sugar-sweetened beverages to 133,000 deaths from diabetes, 44,000 deaths from cardiovascular diseases and 6,000 deaths from cancer in 2010. The study adds to mounting evidence that sugar-sweetened beverages, loaded with calories that carry little nutritional value, are a public health hazard. “I think our findings should really impel policymakers to make effective policies to reduce sugary beverage consumption since it causes a significant number of deaths,” said Singh, adding that she thinks “cause” is an appropriate word despite the limitations of the association study.

Do these people really think that government can bring about any outcome it wants just by having the right policies in place? Or are there actually limits to what government can achieve in the pursuit of societal utopia? Then again, could it be that an even simpler answer might present itself? Moisse dares to go where few journalists have gone before, however tepidly:

In the meantime, Americans can take steps on their own to cut sugary drinks and shed pounds. “It may not be easy at first, but your body will thank you,” said ABC News’ chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser. “Study after study links intake of sugary drinks to poor health effects.”

On their own? Without the government implementing "effective policies" to goad them into it? How is that possible? In a rational world, Moisse's piece would have been mostly about what people can do on their own, with scarcely a mention of what government could, would or should do. But you go to war with the media you have, not with the media you wish you had. Ah well. This devoted fan of Caffeine Free Diet Coke notes that my drink of choice has no calories and no sugar, and you can save the shrieking about aspartame. Neither that hysteria nor any government policy is going to make me do anything, unless I decide I want to do it. Just like you.

Support Canada Free Press

View Comments

Dan Calabrese——Bio and Archives

Dan Calabrese’s column is distributed by HermanCain.com, which can be found at HermanCain

Follow all of Dan’s work, including his series of Christian spiritual warfare novels, by liking his page on Facebook.

If you do it yourself instead of government doing it for you, was it really done?

Media grudgingly admits people could just cut down on sugary drinks on their own

VIEW Comments