In the Bay Area city of Richmond, there is a Soda Tax campaign in full swing. Supporters of the campaign have created art to represent their stance on Measure N, including the mural pictured above. Students have mixed reviews. Scroll down below to read their thoughts from last week's Do Now activity.
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Would you vote yes or no on a higher tax for sugary beverages and energy drinks? Tell us your thoughts, or take it a step further and make a creative representation of how you would vote on Measure N.
In the Bay Area city of Richmond, there is a Soda Tax campaign in full swing. Supporters of the campaign have created art to represent their stance on Measure N, including the mural pictured above.
City Councilman Jeff Ritter has proposed an increase in the cost of sodas to discourage young people from overloading on sugar, which can cause health problems. Local small businesses and restaurants argue that the tax will only hurt their profits, and raise the prices of grocery bills for families.
KQED California Report segment Richmond's Proposed Soda Tax Will Go To Voters - Aug. 6, 2012
When New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a ban on super-sized sodas and sugary drinks, he touched off a debate on government's role in preventing obesity. That same debate is now taking place in one California city that will ask voters to raise the tax on sugar-sweetened drinks
photo by Swanksalot/Flickr
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The “Nanny State” refers to either a protective, caring government OR a government that interferes in matters that should be private decisions. It depends upon your point of view. So should the government take care of us or mind its business?
Do Now #35 posed “the question of whether the government has a right to decide what's good or bad for us,” in relation to sin taxes – that is taxes levied on sins, such as smoking and gambling.
Now New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has proposed passing a law restricting restaurants, movie theaters and sports arenas from selling sugary sodas in sizes larger than 16 fluid ounces. In the same vein Richmond voters will decide in November whether to levy a soda tax. As KQED’s State of Health blogger writes
So when New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed limiting portion sizes on sugary drinks, I wasn’t surprised when opponents of the idea labeled it a “nanny state” tactic …………….and
The “nanny state” label has gone viral — 470,000 hits on Google when I search “bloomberg nanny state.”
Clearly the “Nanny State” is a loaded term, political shorthand, suggesting overprotection, nosiness, meddling in private lives. It becomes a debate about liberties.
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Follow @kqededspaceDo Now is a weekly activity for students to respond to current issues through the use KQED's award-winning online media resources and social media tools like Twitter.
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