Today the nation's major beverage distributors agreed to stop selling certain sodas and drinks to help combat child obesity. Apparently, school districts have begun restricting these types of drinks and the soda companies are taking preemptive action. The William J. Clinton Foundation announced the deal and according to ex-president Clinton, "This is a bold step forward in the struggle to help 35 million young people lead healthier lives. This one policy can add years and years and years to the lives of a very large number of young people."
Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, has this to say about the deal, "The soft drink industry has decided that it won't wait to be pushed. It jumped in... It may be the soft drink industry, but they made a very hard decision." Hard decision? Really? Let’s read further.
John Sicher, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, which compiles extensive data on the beverage industry, said the agreement would have no impact on the $63 billion beverage industry's bottom line.
"The sale of sugar-carbonated sodas in schools is a tiny, tiny part of their overall volume," said Sicher. "Financially, on the big companies, it will have virtually no impact."
Uh huh. How difficult could the decision have been to replace soda with politically-correct beverages when it won't cost sales or profits?
Well, at least the beverage companies get good press - for the moment - from liberal interests and the liberals can shout that "a bold step forward" has been made in the fight against fat kids.
You can read the whole article here.
