Awkwafina. (Photo: YouTube)

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's regulations against large soda cups in restaurants may have been blocked by the courts, but local hip-hop artist Awkwafina is putting him on notice anyway.

"Hey Mayor Mike Bloomberg, help me understand!" she declares in a video released today. "Our giant margaritas are going to get banned. Are going to get banned ... Please don't take my freedom, my giant margarita."

It's worth noting that the rules, if implemented, would not affect alcoholic beverages.

Watch below:

Awkwafina

(Photo: Wikimedia)

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, one of the nation's biggest proponents of government-sponsored health initiatives, may have a new policy idea thanks to a caller on his weekly radio show: a weight-loss competition similar to The Biggest Loser television series.

"People love the programs that you have instituted," the caller declared. "I think if you did something where it would be 'New York City, Biggest Loser,' the boroughs' 'Biggest Loser.' Put the boroughs in competition with each other, and you have it on the website."

Mr. Bloomberg responded to the caller--who hailed from outside the five boroughs over in Long Island, it should be noted--and her suggestion very positively

"Love to do it, it's a great idea. Let's see if we can't do some of that stuff," Mr. Bloomberg said, launching into a broader defense of his various initiatives. “The competition thing is a great idea, I'm going to talk to a couple people about that."

Disapproval. Disgust. (Photo: Getty)

Earlier this week, Mayor Michael Bloomberg dismissed Mississippi--the state that recently passed an "anti-Bloomberg bill" to ban localities from requiring displayed calorie counts or restricting soda cup sizes in restaurants--as a "farce" with its efforts to block any importation of New York City's  health initiatives. And, on his weekly WOR radio show this morning, Mr. Bloomberg took his argument to the next level by pointing to the Magnolia State's obesity rate and the life expectancy of its citizens.

"You've got to love it," the mayor exclaimed. "In the state with the highest rate of obesity, they passed a law that says you can't do anything about it. Life expectancy in that part of the country is 20 years lower than it is in our part of the country. Thank about that! The average person lives 20 years less and they pass laws to keep ... from making that better? If you wrote a book about it--if you wrote a movie--nobody would produce the movie. It would be so inconceivable, it would be ridiculous."

Nevertheless, Mr. Bloomberg said he wasn't going to lose any sleep over the matter, describing opposing opinions as merely part of the "democratic process."

"Look, you can't have it both ways," he explained. "If you want democracy, then you're going to have fits and starts. You're going to have lots of input. You're going to have dissenting views. ... You're going to take two [steps] forward, one back.  That comes with the democratic process. If you had a dictatorship, you wouldn't have had that, but I don't think that'd be a better form of government."

(Photo: CBSnews.com)

Earlier this week, lawmakers in Mississippi overwhelmingly passed an "anti-Bloomberg bill" to stop local communities from copying two of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's signature public health initiatives--limiting portion sizes or forcing restaurants to post calorie counts. Needless to say, Mr. Bloomberg was highly critical of the legislation when he was asked about the bill this morning in an interview on CBS.

"You know, Saturday Night Live couldn't write this stuff," Mr. Bloomberg exclaimed. "How can somebody try and pass a law that deliberately says we can't improve the lives of our citizens? It's just farce. Nobody would believe it if you wrote it in the book."

Mr. Bloomberg proceeded to tout his efforts to improve public health.

"Go out in the street and ask anybody, would they roll back the smoking ban? Would they roll back getting lead paint out of classrooms? I don't think any of these things would get rolled back," he argued. "The fact of the matter is, in New York City, people live over two years longer than the average across America and over three years longer than they did when we came into office ten years ago."

However, Mr. Bloomberg did jokingly note one positive aspect from Mississippi's bill, which is expected to be signed by the governor."

"I'm happy I'm famous," he said.

(Photo: Getty)

Mayor Michael Bloomberg may be one of the world's biggest proponents of government action to promote public health, but Hizzoner has his limits. In his weekly radio appearance on John Gambling's radio show, the mayor was asked whether he would consider ordering mandatory gym memberships and he admitted that's taking things too far.

"Well, you have to be practical about what legally you can do and what people will do," said Mr. Bloomberg. "The nice thing about the soda thing is it's really just a suggestion. So, if you want to buy 32 ounces,  you just have to carry it back to your seat in two cups. And maybe that would convince you to only take one, but if you want two you can do it. I think government's job ... is to give you advice, not to force you do things."

Mr. Bloomberg did note, however, that the government does force behavior under certain circumstances. Nevertheless, he said forcing physical exercise "probably" crosses the line of acceptability.

"Although there are some things we try and force you to do," he continued. "If there's asbestos in the classroom or your  office building, we force you out. If you want to drink and drive, we try and stop you--although sometimes not as successfully as you'd like. ... I think some of these other things--calorie counts we've done in chain restaurants so you can see what you're eating--[are okay]. But when it comes to forcing you, ... the only thing the government can do practically--and I think should do--is education. Exercise is great for you, but how do you convince people to do it? And should you force them to do it? Probably not."

Only stores will carry these. (Photo: Getty)

Over the weekend, the New York Post chronicled some of the more unexpected side effects of the city's upcoming ban on large soda cup sizes at restaurants, including an end to 2-liter soda bottles with pizza deliveries. Although the Post's pizza-loving interviewees were dismayed by the rule, Mayor Michael Bloomberg strongly defended the beverage ban during a press conference today.

"When it comes to the pizza parlor, they cannot deliver more than 16 ounces in any one container. So if you want 32 ounces, they'll deliver 2," Mr. Bloomberg said, proceeding to tweak his questioner--the Post's David Seifman--over an earlier inquiry about the mayor's new education initiative. "If you want 64 ounces, I'll see whether your mathematical skills as a liberal arts major [are] adequate to be able to do that when I read your article."

Mr. Bloomberg also argued perhaps deliverymen's lives will be made better now that they won't have to lug heavy soda containers around.

"But it's hardly an imposition. The store doesn't have to charge any more," he said. "It may be easier for the delivery person. Rather [than] one big bulky bottle, to have the smaller bottles that fit in there. But, in any case, one of the things that everybody keeps missing [is] we're not banning anything. Other than saying you have to serve it in portions 16 ounces or less."

As the original Post article covered much more than just pizza and soda deliveries, Politicker asked Mr. Bloomberg if he was concerned about some of the other regulatory restrictions, like against the 32-ounce carafes that sometimes come with bottle service at bars and nightclubs. Needless to say, we were unable to get our question out before Mr. Bloomberg rejected it.

"I mean, if you're going to drink more than 16 ounces of alcohol with something in it, you're not going to make it out of the bar! Or maybe go out in a stretcher," he said, pointing to the health risks that come with obesity. "Think about the costs of somebody who comes down with diabetes, has to be treated, has to have limbs removed. And society is going to pay for that. Those are the real costs."

Mr. Bloomberg dismissively added, "This other stuff is just made up because somebody on Sunday wants to write a column and they can't find any news that day."

Rand Paul addressing the crowd.

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul is in New York City as part of his book tour for his upcoming  tome, Government Bullies: How Everyday Americans Are Being Harassed, Abused, and Imprisoned by the Feds.This evening he spoke before a couple hundred fans packed into the Rebel nightclub on 30th Street and he made the case for restraining the federal government while slipping in a dig or two at the local municipal one.

"The whole thing is about submission," Mr. Paul explained after a long rant about indefinite detention and security procedures at the Transportation Security Administration. "They want you to submit, they want you to listen, do what you're told. I think we've had it up to here in New York because you've got 'Nanny Bloomberg' for your Mayor."

The crowd booed and Mr. Paul went on to malign Mayor Michael Bloomberg's controversial plan to restrict the size of soda cups at restaurants and concession stands.

"He wants to say how big your drink is and now they want to stick their grubby fingers in your drink at the airport," he continued. "It's like, where's the limit, where's the end?"

After his speech, Mr. Paul said that the Republican Party needs to change its ways in response to a question about the Republican National Convention shutting out supporters of his father's presidential bid. He went on to argue that should the GOP actually "embrace" his father's movement, they might find themselves seriously competing for the U.S. Senate seats or for governor in New York.

"I think there is a movement afoot," he explained. "I've talked to others about the idea that it really should be the strategy of the Republican party not just to be inclusive, but to embrace the whole Libertarian-Republican message to see if we can become competitive in areas like New York."

We brought up the fact that New York City, at least, has elected and reelected people like Mr. Bloomberg, whom he just castigated as "Nanny Bloomberg." Mr. Paul countered by focusing on the mayor's soda proposal.

"Well, I'm not sure if you put that on a poll and you asked people at large, 'Are you in favor of the mayor deciding how big your drink can be?' I'll bet he'd lose that in a landslide 75 percent," he said. "You're right, Bloomberg's not much of a libertarian, but I also think his stances are his doing because he has the position of power."

He added, "In fact, a good thing for the media to do would be to poll that question."

In fact, the media has polled the issue several times, and while Mr. Paul may have been a tad optimistic in the margin, a majority of New Yorkers have indicated they oppose the proposal. In spite of those numbers, it's expected to be enacted on September 13th.

(Photo: Getty)

“We may be getting too close to Big Brother,” a "clearly bothered" Speaker Shelly Silver told the New York Post about Mayor Michael Bloomberg's upcoming ban on large sodas at food establishments, but Mr. Bloomberg isn't quite sure he'll hold to that position.

"I don't think that's going to happen, I assume the governor would veto it so I'm not sure how much of that is made up," Mr. Bloomberg said this morning on the possibility of Mr. Silver introducing legislation to thwart his soda ban plan.

"Shelly's the kind of guy who really is trying to do what's right," he added, arguing Mr. Silver will see reason before abruptly switching to a philosophical defense of his own plan. "I think once he sits and looks at the issue and we get a chance to talk to him -- he's in favor of getting -- It is government's job not to ban things but to give you information and to sometimes keep you from using them."

Mr. Bloomberg broadly cited restrictions on asbestos, regulations designed to limit salmonella, and, as usual, his smoking ban to contend that the new soda rule doesn't really fit into "big brother" charges.

As the Post pointed out, however, legislation against the soda ban might not actually even be necessary for its critics. As Mr. Bloomberg is implementing this new policy through his administration rather than the City Council or State Legislature, the next mayor could simply undo his efforts in 2014 if desired. Many of the top candidates in the field have already expressed skepticism over the plan.

?

At Mayor Michael Bloomberg's press conference touting his efforts to stop the sale of large soft drinks in restaurants, one reporter in attendance brought up the interesting fact that his administration also supporting "National Donut Day" Friday and inquired as to whether that muddled the mayor's message on the issue.

Indeed, at 9:30 a.m. Friday morning, Entenmann's will be unveiling "Custom-made Entenmann's large donuts, 1-foot in diameter" at Madison Square Park at the same time they unveil a "Proclamation Letter by Mayor Michael Bloomberg."

"The work of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reflects the mayor's public health agenda," Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs said about the possible donut conflict. "The message is that we will do what we need in our official capacity to protect the health of New Yorkers."

"The celebratory events, the naming days in honor of individuals or items, or frivolities that are fun and [bring] exceptional joy are quite distinct from a public health agenda," she added.

Watch the exchange and decide for yourself below:

(Photo: Getty)

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's new proposal to ban soda servings over 16 ounces is generating plenty of controversy and discussion, and earlier today his administration pushed back hard on reporters asking whether this latest move could be labeled as part of Mr. Bloomberg's "nanny state" philosophy.

"New York City has life expectancy that's greater than the nation as a whole and it's increasing at a rate greater than the nation as a whole," said Dr. Thomas Farley, New York's Health Commissioner. "We think this is going to be very popular, as the other things we've done -- which were often initially controversial -- have been."

Howard Wolfson, the Deputy Mayor for Government Affairs, also chimed in to argue that while the soda restriction may face complaints now, it will inevitably be popular in the long run.

"When you look at the history of the some of the initiatives, ... they initially engendered a fair amount of criticism -- the smoking ban being principle among them," he said. "I remember back in those days it was seen as unpopular and there were politicians that opposed it."

Mr. Wolfson also contended that other cities and governments will move to copy New York in this regard.

"I think people looking back will see this as a great accomplishment for public health," he said. "I think this is going to start a nationwide movement towards this, a nationwide trend. ... I think it will prove to be very popular."