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Home Front: Culture Wars
Soda tax could close states' budget gaps, health advocacy group says
2009-10-04
The Center for Science in the Public Interest is lobbying for such taxes and has even suggested a national excise tax on sugary drinks to reduce consumption.
It's pretty much guaranteed that such a tax wouldn't close any kind of budget gap. It would put money into the boodle, which would then be pissed away in the form of contracts sent the way of the pols' supporters along with any other funds the pols could lay hands on, the while watching any deficit as a percentage of revenues expand at precisely the same rate it did before. One of these times when I get some free attention span I'm going to set this to mathematics, publish it as Pruitt's Law, get some major grant money, and spend the rest of my life on easy street. Or at least having more money to piss my way into debt at the same or greater percentage rate I'm going now.
Posted by:Fred

#12  Solution - tax soda using corn sucrose made by the pols pocketbook "Archer D. M"....
No tax on real sugar or diet...
Posted by: 3dc   2009-10-04 21:27  

#11  Taxing soda is like chasing a bubble around a linoleum floor. We are rapidly heading toward the situation that King George III was facing in the colonies. Taxation without representation.

This stupidity will just go to drive the Underground Economy. If the governments cannot get a consumer tax on soda, then they will go federal and tax the bottlers.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2009-10-04 15:00  

#10  Women and children will be harmed the most!!

There! Thought I'd give that cliche a shout-out and mention that others could do what me and the ole ball and chain wife do, brew more tea or make more Kool-Aid.
Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839   2009-10-04 11:24  

#9  I wonder if some of the more enterprising tribes will start selling Coke and Pepsi alongside the cigs? Yeah, the margins probably aren't that great, but a sale's a sale, right?
Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie   2009-10-04 10:28  

#8  When will the politicians learn that we are about taxed out and will go out of our way to not pay stupid ones?

I fear about the same time that the pitchforks and tar come out suddenly the lesson will be learned.
Posted by: DarthVader   2009-10-04 10:04  

#7  I bet a severe tax on health advocacy groups could go even further to close states' budget gaps.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2009-10-04 09:43  

#6  Glenmore, have you ever considered running for public offce?
Posted by: Besoeker in Duitsland   2009-10-04 08:43  

#5  Tax soda and consumption drops so demand for corn drops so corn sugar diverts to ethanol production so gasahol production increases so gas prices drop so driving increases so CO2 emissions increase so global warming increases. Oh, and increased driving means decreased walking and increased obesity. That all means we need more taxes on gas to re-modify behavior and to replace the revenues lost to decreased soda consumption.
Posted by: Glenmore   2009-10-04 08:38  

#4  Here's an idea for a tax ailing Illinois. How about a state lottery? Or a toll on highways?
Or a photo ID card and tax license for firearms?

.....Oh wait.
Posted by: Besoeker in Duitsland   2009-10-04 08:37  

#3  Look how 'wisely' the states spent the tobacco settlement monies. /sarc off

How about getting government on a tax and spending diet program? /rhet question
Posted by: Procopius2k   2009-10-04 06:52  

#2  Just enacted here in Illinois. Result.
Drop in sales(and previous tax revenue), folks near the border are buying out of state (loss of sales tax revenue, and gas tax revenue and tobacco tax revenue). Diet pop and bottled water subject to special tax in Chicago on top of the other taxes since they have no calories.
Halloween candy being smuggled from WI and IN into Illinois.
Women and minorities hit hardest.
Posted by: Chaiter Pelosi4314   2009-10-04 06:41  

#1  Since their objection is to "sugary" drinks, can I presume my Diet Coke will be tax-free?

And how will a tax that reduces consumption (and therefore progressively produces less money for the gummint) fix anybody's budget "gap"?

Besides, the last time I heard anything about a national excise tax, the money went to the feds. And this is supposed to help the states how, exactly?

Another excuse to force more of their nannyism on the proles. >:-(

A better idea would be to tax nannies - or those who act like nannies.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2009-10-04 00:36  

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