Mockery and scorn for New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s bid to ban big sodas came swiftly, and now conservatives are pouring it on: Freshman Sen. Ted Cruz proposed a “Big Gulp Amendment” Friday to prohibit the federal government from following Mr. Bloomberg’s lead.
The Daily News reported that the Texas lawmaker and tea party favorite submitted the resolution as part of the Senate’s debate over a new budget, and calls for “prohibiting federal regulation of food and beverage size and quantity.”
The legislature is largely symbolic. Even if it was passed by a Democrat controlled Senate, it would not be binding on federal agencies. The federal government has no plans for such restrictions.
Mr. Cruz’s resolution is the latest in a string of recent public excoriations from conservatives of Mr. Bloomberg’s attempted ban, which was invalidated earlier this month by a state judge.
Mississippi Republican Gov. Phil Bryant signed into law on Monday an “anti-Bloomberg” measure that prohibits local governments from banning supersize sugary drinks.
And former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin used a 44-oz. Super Big Gulp drink from a 7-11 convenience store as a prop during her speech Saturday at the Conservative Political Action Conference to chide Mr. Bloomberg, to much fanfare.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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