There is no tax that the liberals don't love........none.

Just leave people alone!!!

There are several things that the mainstream thinks is bad for you that we know are not.

Do you want all of those taxed? Think about it.

QUOTE:
"Just leave people alone!!!"

AMEN - Leave us the h-e-double-toothpicks alone! All this research is bogus BS to try to make up more bogus excuses for taxes.

I reiterate: LEAVE. US. ALONE. Enough is enough is enough!!!

Obesity is a serious and complex problem that requires thoughtful and comprehensive solutions. But a tax on soda is simply the wrong approach. A tax will not teach healthy lifestyles. Education, exercise and balanced diets do that.

All calories count – regardless of their source. This is supported by science. Thus, beverages are no greater a contributor to obesity than any other caloric food or beverage. In fact, both West Virginia and Arkansas have excise taxes on beverages already in place, yet have among the 10 highest rates of obesity in the nation.

As we look for ways to improve healthcare, the focus should be on solutions that work. A tax on beverages won’t make a dent in paying for improved healthcare or addressing obesity.

And finally, the Americans Against Food Taxes coalition is a group of more than 68,000 individual petition signers, and hundreds of small and large business owners united in their opposition to a new tax on beverages.

For more information, visit the American Beverage Association at www.ameribev.org.

Beverage consumption will go down, the taxes you're counting on won't be there. You'll have to tax something else to pay for the healthcare that's needed for a bunch of people whose health hasn't improved one iota since they quit drinking soda.

Meanwhile, I'm buying stock in Kool-Aid!

Hi. In PA we already pay sales tax on soda. You would be speaking of additional tax maybe. Have a great day.

Instead of taxing soda, why don't we just stop subsidizing corn which in turn produces all the cheap high fructose corn syrup?

Ending the corn subsidy (indeed all agricultural subsidies should be ended) would also increase the price of animal feed, which would lead to more expensive dairy and meat - both things that people could stand to eat less of.

As always the solution is smaller government, less taxes, and less subsidy. Whenever the government interferes in the market catastrophe awaits.

We currently tax alcohol and cigarettes. We all know these are addictive. Regardless of what the American Beverage Association claims, sugary drinks are directly linked to our rise in obesity. We are now consuming up to 25% of our daily calories as liquids. Get real folks!

I support a tax on any food or drink that has more than 10% of its total calories coming from sugar of any origination unless it is natural like in some fruit juices. If the total sugar content goes beyond 20% of the total calories, the tax needs to be severe.

We are addicted to sugar, fat and salt and the food industry and the beverage industry know it. In fact, there are scientist looking for ways to increase the hedonic effect of food and drinks that effect our brains just as cocaine does.

Flavorings are being added to enhance the allure and meld with the sugar, etc. All the flavorings are coming from China and India by the boat load.

Personal responsibility is fine for all Libertarians and Conservative but the function of a democracy screams for the government to protect our citizens when the profit motive of corporations harms our health.

Someone has to pay for the diabetes, heart problems, and statins that the food and beverage industry is creating. Unhealthy foods and drinks are destroying the homeostasis of kids and many more young are now developing Type II diabetes before age 25. It is way beyond time for it to happen. Tax sugary drinks, now!

Cigarette taxes must have hit the point of diminished returns, so a new tax target is needed.

As usual taxation without representation, in actuality some people think by adding taxes is the cure for all illnesses, let’s be realistic folks, it has never worked, instead, let us use our brains and use teaching as the first line of defense, this generation is so hooked on every fad there is, kids are using household items to get high and most of them rebel against the good advise of parents, but parents be advise, it is our duty, that number one priority, should be our kids, and stop serving junk food. JAM

Oh, NC Dem, /pat,pat, how simple it would be if government were the answer. Let's tax EVERYthing!

Personal responsibility apparently means nothing in your world -- just think, if everyone took responsibility for their own actions and decisions, stopped buying and consuming, what's today's evil, oh yes, SOFT DRINKS, well, that would leave your precious government managed society out of a job.

Here's a thought: let's just outlaw HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) -- its increased usage as a main ingredient in processed food products coincides, not ironically, with the increase in obesity and diabetes. Hmmmm....

Stop taxing Americans at every turn. If government were really concerned about American's health we'd go back to grass fed beef as the norm. We would ban or severely limit the use of high fructose corn syrup. We would stop feeding poultry growth hormones. Coca-cola isn't what's making America fat, it's just a small piece of the puzzle. Processed foods are what is making America fat. Corporations now run all the farms, and decide how to grow our food.