We know what's good for you

The New York City Board of Health and Imperial Mayor Michael Bloomberg have voted to ban trans fats from all restaurants in the city, effective next July. This is the logical next step for Bloomberg, who already banned smoking from bars and restaurants during his first term. Obviously, he knows what's best for you and your lifestyle, and believes that you are incapable of making life choices for yourself, so he is going to do it for you.

From the article:

"Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who banned smoking in bars and restaurants during his first term, is somewhat health-obsessed".

I never would have guessed.

No one is arguing that trans fats are not harmful; they are. This is a very slippery slope, however, as there are so many things in life that can be harmful to one's health, such as drinking more than 2 alcoholic drinks a day, extreme sports, and listening to Rosie O'Donnell on "The View". Okay, that last one hasn't been proven, but I suspect that it is. My point is, do we need the government to police every aspect of your life to remove every last bit of risk? How can a free society make value judgments for its citizens without losing the "free" part? I don't think that a ban is necessary, given that food manufacturers and restaurants were already moving in this direction on their own, in response to consumer pressure, which is as it should be.

Do I like smoking in bars and restaurants? No. Do I like eating trans fats? No. Do I like making my own decision about these matters, without the government deciding them for me? Hell, yes. If someone wants to have a cigar bar, where everyone that goes there wants to be around cigar smoke, they should be able to do so. If someone wants to go to Sal's Pizzeria and get the Brooklyn Special, which contains trans fats, they should get what they want. I am fully capable of choosing whether or not I want to patronize these places, without some nanny telling me how irresponsible I'm being.

I'm starting to think that there's going to be no "New York" left in New York by the time Bloomberg is out of office.