NANNY-STATE WATCH!

From Eric Dondero:

If it's pre-sweetened coffee, it will be banned in all city buildings if Democrat Mayor Thomas Menino gets his way. Among his concerns, the Mayor is worried that city employees are getting too fat and running up health care costs for the municipal government.

From the BostonHerald.com "Mayor’s drink policy causes stir":

Menino’s executive order bans any non-diet soda, sweetened energy or sports drinks, pre-sweetened tea and coffee or sweetened water products. Milk must be skim or contain no more than 1 percent fat and juice must be 100 percent juice. The policy applies to cafeterias, vending machines and beverages served at meetings and city-run events where food is purchased with city money.

An industry spokesman uses a rather libertarian argument against the Mayor's ban. Continuing:

"It’s disturbing that the city is choosing to intrude into the lives of people by telling them what they can drink with regards to safe, non-alcoholic beverages,” said Chris Gindlesperger of the American Beverage Association, the soft drink industry’s lobbying arm. “The people of Boston are more than capable of deciding what to buy without government help.”