Question

the following question has two parts. answer part a first, and then part b.
part a which of the following states the most important claim on which the argument in \soda’s a problem but …\ is based?

part b which of these excerpts from \soda’s a problem but …\ best supports the answer to part a?

part a - the ban that bloomberg proposed includes so many problems that it would have been impossible to enact.

part a - bloomberg attempts to address a real problem but has overstepped his authority in trying to eliminate people’s choices.

part a - soda is known to be bad for health and a contributor to obesity, but it is a legal substance and should be available to consumers.

part a - the government should stop when dangerous situations that affect innocent people are legal, but drinking too much soda is not dangerous.

part b - sodas bad for you, especially in large quantities. the evidence against it mounts on a semi - regular basis.

part b - bloomberg is … interfering in a basic, private transaction involving a perfectly legal substance.

part b - the inherent contradictions … were a good part of why earlier this week a judge stopped the new rules from being implemented.

part b - that still leaves the question of whether governments or their leaders can begin dictating the look of an individual’s meal …

Explanation:

For Part A, the core argument of "Soda's a Problem but ..." centers on balancing public health concerns with personal choice and government overreach. The claim that Bloomberg addressed a real problem but overstepped authority captures the key tension of the argument. For Part B, the excerpt that references interfering in a private transaction with a legal substance directly supports the Part A claim about overstepping authority by highlighting the overreach into personal choices regarding a legal product.

Answer:

Part A - Bloomberg attempts to address a real problem but has overstepped his authority in trying to eliminate people's choices.
Part B - Bloomberg is ... interfering in a basic, private transaction involving a perfectly legal substance.