Well... it's not like this is a surprise.
The Senate Finance Committee today is hearing proposals on how to pay for President Obama's proposed universal health care plan, which is expected to cost more than $1 trillion. Among the proposals, as Consumer Affairs reports: A three-cent tax on sodas as well as other sugary drinks, including energy and sports drinks like Gatorade. Diet sodas would be exempt.
"While many factors promote weight gain, soft drinks are the only food or beverage that has been shown to increase the risk of overweight and obesity, which, in turn, increase the risk of diabetes, stroke, and many other health problems," Michael Jacobson of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which is pushing the idea, said in his testimony. "Soft drinks are nutritionally worthless…[and] are directly related to weight gain, partly because beverages are more conducive to weight gain than solid foods."
Previously on "As the Government Bans":
You came for the drugs, and I said nothing, because I had no drugs.
You came for the cigarettes, and I said something, because I saw where this was going.
You came for my food, and I am getting really pissed off.
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Due up in 2012: Ban on trans fat
In the batting circle in 2016: Ban on large portions of food
Clean up in 2024: Ban on "unhealthy" food
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The "in" thing right now is for cities to ban smoking in public places. This is because "innocent" people (who choose to go to the restaurant or work at the restaurant) have to breathe the second hand smoke.
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A sin tax is the first step to bannage.
8 comments:
This is another stupid situation where the government will now RELY on people to make poor choices.
It's a real Catch-22.
Just like the cigarette tax, the government will need people to take up a habit in order to keep the tax money rolling in.
I wouldn't mind these taxes if the money raised were going directly towards offsetting the harm done by the taxed item (e.g. Cigarette tax revenue will go towards paying for the lung cancer treatments of Medicaid recepients). In that sense, it would be like a usage tax, like a toll road.
But...that's not what's happening. The three-cent soda tax will go towards a whole host of things completely unrelated to pop drinking.
I am against even the idea of an offset tax. What if the tax money only went to fat people Medicaid, would it be OK?
Is it fair that I have to pay a tax on my soda so that some fat slob who doesn't even try to stay in shape gets money for treatment?
Riddle me this: They aren't going to tax diet soda, yet it is (usually) only overweight people that drink diet soda... so the population of people that are fat won't have to pay the tax.
Govt. regulations of our lives will be just a successful as govt. regulation of business. They will do it, but it won't work.
I saw this on the news this morning. I don't drink soda..but my family goes through it like water and like so many other things the price on 12 pack has just gone through the roof. I just don't think raising taxes is the answer. How bout instead cutting out frivilous law suits unnecessary procedures and quacks
Thanks for dropping by! I am always happy to visit a new blog!
Ookami, Are you against the trillion-dollar health plan or are you just against paying for it this way?
Maybe they should put the Halliburton guys in charge of raising the money needed. They're pretty inventive.
Well two things: I am against the government going on their crusades to "fix" the world one product at a time.
I am also against the idea of a trillion-dollar health care plan.
However maybe we can manufacture a war with a health care rich nation and just take the health care from the people...
Ireland is the new America
I am def against the smoking in public places--I don't smoke and I do not want to be around others who smoke. I REALLY appreciate the government stepping in and banning people from forcing me to inhale their toxins.
I wish we could do something about people who smell bad too.
I personally am overweight and love me a good soda now and again--and if it was taxed more, I would buy less. Easy enough. I'm a one-can a day person, but is my one can a day habit really hurting anyone? They would def need to put higher taxes on all Little Debbie products, frozen pizzas, bbq wings from any restaurant, and the stuffed chicken at Olive Garden----there is a LOT of unhealthy things out there. If it's a way to both help stop people from eating unhealthy AND to make money for the country, so be it.
Maybe double-tax hoho's, cause I def want to feel more of a reason not to buy them!
I think the choice needs to be left to the people. I don't need the government to tell me not to eat too much or not to smoke or not to do drugs. I have myself to tell me not to do it.
Everyone should realize that they have the choice to stop drinking soda or to not go to a restaurant that has lots of smokers or not to eat all your foods fried. I don't believe the government's role is to make those choices for me. I want to make them for myself.
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