It's coming!

It had to come to this. Anyone with an independent mind would see that it had to come to this. No, not just yet, to be entirely fair and accurate, but the writing is on the wall.

According to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle, SF Mayor Gavin Newsom has decided that it would be right for the city to fine stores which sell sugary drinks. Further along in the article, it is reported that Congress is discussing an additional tax on soda pop and high sugar drinks as a means of offsetting proposed health care costs.

And that is, perhaps, the crux of the issue. You see, when the government covers our health care the government will begin to tell us what's healthy, and it will be sold to the taxpayers as protecting their investment as any responsible government should do. We will be told what not to eat and drink and should we exercise our free will option and eat and drink it anyway, we may be punished. Or as in this instance, Big Brother will effectively punish retailers who sell the bad stuff to us in what cannot be anything but an attempt to influence what goes on the shelves of their stores. Have it as you will, it is nothing but another intrusion upon our lifestyles.

Not that we ought not eat and drink healthy, but when health issues are kept private at least it would be on the shoulders of private citizens and private insurers to encourage healthy behaviors, rather than a government behemoth which must be obeyed. Freedom, for well or, ahem, ill, would be respected.