ANYONE GOOD AT A COUNTERCLAIM

Need HELP ON THE "INTRODUCE THE COUNTERCLAIM"

CLAIM FROM THE TEXT " The overall health of citizens is something that should be taken seriously, but it is not Bloomberg's place to dictate what people choose to put on their bodies

When you introduce the counterclaim, talk about why people believe it – do not talk about if it is wrong or right. Start off introducing the counterclaim with phrases such as: The opposing view is that….

Introduce the counterclaim

Some swear on coke, while others desire Pepsi; Michael Bloomberg, however, would not approve of either. A controversial issue has riveted the streets of New York: Michael Bloomberg's proposed soda ban. This proposed affair has left New Yorkers questioning whether it would be beneficial for individuals or utterly irrelevant to a growing obesity concern. Many proponents of the ban argue that this restriction would help resolve the rising obesity issue. Mayor Bloomberg believes that the soda ban is the most significant step any city has ever taken to curb obesity (Grynbaum). Furthermore, New York Times columnist Michael Grynbaum argues that Americans need regulation and limits on what they are ingesting to help decrease their calorie intake (Grynbaum).

Bloomberg gained support for the soda ban from the New York City's Board of Health, who voted almost unanimously in favour of the plan. Unless blocked by a judge, the federal government will put the project into place through national legislation. With this new soda ban in place, any establishment that receives a letter grade from the health department would be prohibited from selling sweetened drinks larger than sixteen ounces. However, the ban would not include any diet soda, glasses that are at least half milk, or a drink that is at least seventy percent juice. Establishments that violate these regulations will be forced to pay a two hundred dollar fine (Grynbaum).

Proponents for the soda ban would base the foundation of their argument on "education." Bloomberg attributed this "sugar" ban to a new way of educating the masses. "Limiting the serving size forces people to consider how much they're ingesting." (Neistat) According to Bloomberg, "some people just aren't responsible enough to feed themselves." (Neistat) Proponents of the soda ban correlate people's "irresponsible ways" to data collected, which shows that 58 percent of New York City's adults are obese. Approximately 5,800 people pass away each year in New York City because of obesity (Neistat).

Works Cited

Grynbaum, Michael. "Health Panel Approves Restriction on Sale of Large Sugar Drinks." The New York Times. N.p., 13 2012. Web. 29 Oct 2012.

Neistat, Casey. "'Soda Ban Explained'." The New York Times. N.p., 9 2012. Web. 29 Oct 2012.