report calls for an experimental 20% tax on all sugary soft drinks

Originally Posted by danielf

Well, a bigger state may be leftist, but I'm simply not convinced that that 'the left' is more nannying than 'the right'.

Nanny away, Dave:


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20515918



http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...-david-cameron

The metropolitan elite running the parliamentary party is far from 'proper' right wing IMO, though you could possibly excuse them for trying to tackle a widely acknowledged and serious public health issue - alcohol death rates teeter about the 10,000 per year mark, which is a significant number.

"Unhealthy" food, on the other hand? Not in the same ball park, I suggest.

Also the idea of having a block on internet porn on by default is certainly rather nannying and not a leftest policy really.

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Chris

The metropolitan elite running the parliamentary party is far from 'proper' right wing IMO, though you could possibly excuse them for trying to tackle a widely acknowledged and serious public health issue - alcohol death rates teeter about the 10,000 per year mark, which is a significant number.

"Unhealthy" food, on the other hand? Not in the same ball park, I suggest.

Are we going for full circularity as in "It's not a right-wing policy, so the person proclaiming it isn't right-wing", or are we admitting that your distinction of left and right is a bit of a caricature that doesn't do justice to the political reality?

[mertle]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

To get back to the topic I'm wondering what they think of low calorie fizzy drinks using sweeteners.Do they regard them as being bad for us too?

they should do thats the cause of what I found they more guilty than sugar for obesity. We wont get tax on sugar free and nothing on ordinary suger drink. I hope the government tell them sling there hook. Its bad advice with absolute no proof. Part me say let them do it then year on go oh my god it did not work or made things worse why that.

Like say anything bad in significant volumes. Same with paranioa on salt remove salt from diet is bad. Yes theyre is some abuse salt intake.

How many times these so called idiots advice this advise that. Down the road oh hang on chocolate not evil it can reduce this or that health.

There comes crux. simple rule eat anything you like but in moderation.

Problem is these lobbyist dont want know the real reason that its the man made stuff in our food and drinks are the issue. Hell this is Big business to ignore all this chemicals in food.

Originally Posted by danielf

Are we going for full circularity as in "It's not a right-wing policy, so the person proclaiming it isn't right-wing", or are we admitting that your distinction of left and right is a bit of a caricature that doesn't do justice to the political reality?

Well we're certainly not going for a false dilemma.

What defines left- and right-wing then? Is there something in the nature of a policy's supporters that causes the policy to be defined as one thing or another? Or does support for a particular policy cause the supporter to be identified with left or right? Beyond that, is it black and white, or is there a sliding scale of greys?

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Chris

Well we're certainly not going for a false dilemma.

What defines left- and right-wing then? Is there something in the nature of a policy's supporters that causes the policy to be defined as one thing or another? Or does support for a particular policy cause the supporter to be identified with left or right? Beyond that, is it black and white, or is there a sliding scale of greys?

Well, my point, which I made earlier in this thread, is that you run into trouble when you try and define the political spectrum in one dimension, as you appear to be doing. The political compass in said thread rightly has two dimensions: left-right and authoritarian-libertarian. The reality is that both left and right wing can be libertarian and authoritarian, but they tend to differ with respect to the things they are authoritarian and libertarian about. You have left-wing and right-wing dictatorships and the right-wing dictatorships aren't characterized by a small state and the celebration of civil liberties.

I'm a left-wing libertarian, meaning that I believe in progressive taxation. I also think that an unfettered market economy will run out of control, so I tend to favour government control in that respect. I belief there should be a safety net, for people who can't provide for themselves. However, I also think that the government has bo business snooping on people or telling them what to do. Does that make me right-wing or liberal/libertarian?