Problem
During Mayor Michael Bloomberg's tenure as mayor of New York City, he attempted to regulate the consumption of soda by New York City residents. He did this by proposing an amendment to health codes of New York City - the amendment banned the sale of sugary drinks over 16 oz in food service establishments (all restaurants, fast-food establishments, delis, movie theaters, sports stadiums and food carts). His controversial decision was ultimately deemed illegal by the courts, but it spurred much debate over whether or not the local, state, or national governments had the right to regulate consumer's consumption of any sort of food or liquid, regardless of health benefits.
Read the following news articles:
• NY Daily News - Keep Hammering Big Sugar
• CNN - Banning Large Sodas is Legal & Smart
• CBS News - Soda ban would lead customers to consume more
• New York Times - 60% of New Yorkers Oppose Ban
Using the sources provided, the documents above, and your knowledge of US history - respond to the prompt:
The US Constitution and legal system are often thought of as "living documents" - meaning that they are systems that are continuously evolving & changing. How does the prohibition and temperance movement of the early 1900's, as well as the Bloomberg soda ban, illustrate the notion that the US Constitution & legal systems of the United States are "living documents"?
a) Explain the debate over prohibition
b) Explain the debate over the Bloomberg soda ban
Explain how these debates & examples of US history support the idea of the US Constitution & legal systems of the United States as a set of documents that are actually "living documents"