Nanny Statism Isn’t Just Bad Policy, It’s Bad Politics

A while back I posted on a tax on soda consumption proposed by New York Governor Patterson which was aimed at curving the consumption of soda to save people from making themselves fat. I ridiculed this tax for a number of reasons (taxes should be strictly about revenue and not bullying people into living a certain way), and in general the policy was extremely unpopular. Patterson eventually admitted defeat on the idea with a “live to fight another day” statement.
But it’s interesting to note just how true “live to fight another day” was for Patterson. Before introducing his plan in December, Paterson’s approval rating was 51%. Today it stands at 26%, the lowest for a New York Governor ever (and there have been some pretty crummy New York Governors).
Memo for politicians: Americans are tired of being told how to live. Fix the roads. Maintain the bridges. Promote sound national security policy. And leave us to live our lives as we please. That’s called “freedom.”