While not a local issue, New York City’s proposed ban on sugary soft drinks larger than 16 ounces is worth noting. Bans and proposals in one part of the country seem to have a way of catching the fancy of small groups of activists in others, which can result on curbs on liberty before the public at large knows what has happened or has an opportunity to respond.

The question is not whether such calorie bombs are healthy—it’s about who decides.

This proposal comes from NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a multi-billionaire who likes to make decisions and tell others what to do. What he lacks is the respect of the rights of others to make their own decisions.

Bloomberg left the Democratic Party to become a Republican, then left the Republican Party to become an independent. He favors liberty for the rich in the form of tax breaks for big businesses and free trade policies, but not for the man in the street. He holds left-leaning social views, raised property taxes to help balance NYC’s budget, strengthened cell phone bans in schools and formed the Mayors Against Illegal Guns organization to push his strong anti-self defense views. He says “criminals who carry illegal loaded guns” should serve serious time behind bars, and he backs policies that make it difficult to purchase a gun and impossible to obtain a concealed carry permit — which make a criminal out of anyone in his fiefdom who chooses to keep and bear arms.

It’s a dictatorial mindset. We depend on our government to protect our health and safety in many ways, but there should be limits on government power.

That’s why the proposed soft drink ban is worth noting.

America is only the land of the free if the people keep it that way.