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A national soda tax is needed to reduce obesity and save lives
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20141209-column.html ^ | Dec. 8, 2014 | David Lazarus

Posted on 12/08/2014 4:00:43 PM PST by PROCON

Now that calorie counts on restaurant menus are a done deal, it's time to take the next step toward slimming America's flabby waistline..

A national soda tax.

I know, I know: This is the kind of nanny-state talk that causes seizures among conservatives and libertarians. It's an intrusion on personal freedom, a trampling of consumer choice, blah-blah-blah.

It's also, as we've learned from taxes on cigarettes and alcohol, a highly effective method of influencing behavior that carries high social costs.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: liberaltyranny; nannystate; no; nono; nonono; pop; soda; sodatax; sodawars; tax; wod
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To: Telepathic Intruder

Your logic is impeccable and precise. Taxes should not be punishment nor used to enforce “social justice”, whatever the heck that is.


61 posted on 12/08/2014 5:14:09 PM PST by Temujinshordes
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To: PROCON
....it's time to take the next step toward slimming America's flabby waistline. A national soda tax. I know, I know: This is the kind of nanny-state talk that causes seizures among conservatives and libertarians. It's an intrusion on personal freedom, a trampling of consumer choice, blah-blah-blah. It's also, as we've learned from taxes on cigarettes and alcohol, a highly effective method of influencing behavior that carries high social costs.


62 posted on 12/08/2014 5:15:13 PM PST by Alex Murphy ("the defacto Leader of the FR Calvinist Protestant Brigades")
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To: PROCON

They should start with the soda tax in California, where the legislature will surely enact it. I suggest $1.00 per can or bottle in additional CA State tax. They can use the untold millions of new tax revenue they’re bound to receive (right?) to fund all kinds of wacky initiatives.


63 posted on 12/08/2014 5:15:14 PM PST by dinodino
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To: PROCON

And then the police will take down people selling one-sies?


64 posted on 12/08/2014 5:15:55 PM PST by MIchaelTArchangel
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To: PROCON

quote “a highly effective method of influencing behavior that carries high social costs”

a behavior that carries high social costs... you mean like sodomy?

naaa...

maybe pornography ?

naaa...

maybe divorse?

naaa...

oh SODA!! of course! the devils drink! the ender of civilizations!

/s


65 posted on 12/08/2014 5:16:19 PM PST by TexasFreeper2009 (Obama lied .. the economy died.)
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To: dinodino

I suppose the $1.00 tax could go to fund the anti-soda smuggling police units. These units will be formed about three months after the enactment of the tax, as the Mexican cartels start smuggling Fanta into California...


66 posted on 12/08/2014 5:16:49 PM PST by dinodino
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To: PROCON

Those who drink soda won’t drink any less of it as a result of such a tax. It’s only another scheme to steal debt/revenues, to support a fat political class that produces nothing but trouble.


67 posted on 12/08/2014 5:19:12 PM PST by familyop (We Baby Boomers are croaking in an avalanche of corruption smelled around the planet.)
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To: dinodino

Doesn’t Mexico have pop with real sugar instead of HFCS?


68 posted on 12/08/2014 5:21:42 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: PROCON

Isn’t interesting how the solution to every fake crisis Lefties can mamufacture is a tax taking money fr us and giving it to them?


69 posted on 12/08/2014 5:24:58 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Any energy source that requires a subsidy is, by definition, "unsustainable.")
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To: nascarnation

Yes, but if CA enacted a $1/bottle tax on soda, you’d see the cartels smuggling sodas into CA, regardless of the sweetener.


70 posted on 12/08/2014 5:25:48 PM PST by dinodino
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To: GreyFriar

Yes, low income Free Sh*t Army people are the worst offenders....time to take the free soda out of their free sh*t. But only sure way to do that, is to cut off all their free sh*t....a gesture of compassion only a Lib could do.

And to save the Earth (from Global Cooling or Warming or something), a law to ban burning of carbon compounds such as wood, oil, coal, gas, candles, matches, etc etc. Especially in winter time when the need is great.

The children are cold? Send them the hot air of Washington DC.


71 posted on 12/08/2014 5:26:47 PM PST by OldArmy52 (The question is not whether Obama ever lies, but whether he ever tells the truth.)
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To: dinodino

Heck back in the 60s they smuggled cigs from Ky to Ohio for just a few cents difference in tax per pack. I worked at an auto plant in Ohio and there were always guys selling cartons of Ky cigs from their car trunk.


72 posted on 12/08/2014 5:33:39 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: PROCON

Call me when they propose a special tax on homos to pay for their disease-ridden lifestyles.


73 posted on 12/08/2014 5:35:56 PM PST by Some Fat Guy in L.A. (Still bitterly clinging to rational thought despite it's unfashionability)
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To: Brandonmark

Contrarian here. I support a soda tax. I prefer this type of “user fee” especially for harmful unessential goods/services. Soda is potentially devastating for dental/general health and face it, we all pay for that.

Also agree with this: “How about taking these items off the public welfare and assistance programs as allowable items...” I get upset sometimes when I see lowlifes and their beachball kids with their carts loaded with junk, all paid for with ebt.

Heck, I even support the idea of adding a few cents to (admittedly essential) gasoline when prices are low. Maybe people should have a more direct connection with government revenue greed instead of relying on the shrinking percentage of us who are actually paying taxes.


74 posted on 12/08/2014 5:45:44 PM PST by Zuse (I am disrupted! I am offended! I am insulted! I am outraged!)
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To: Zuse

I’ve read that cases of soda are used in parts of the US to cash in EBT. They purchase their allotment in EBT, and then trade the cartons in at another store for 50 to 60 cents on the dollar.


75 posted on 12/08/2014 5:48:07 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: PROCON

Probably not a good idea in light of the current NYC situation.

I can see a SWAT team of NYC Police and Tax Collectors killing black fathers (of six) for selling untaxed sugary drinks in front of cosmetic supply stores.


76 posted on 12/08/2014 5:52:37 PM PST by RetiredTexasVet (Eric the Red Holder has probably read the Communist Manifesto but not the Constitution.)
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To: JRandomFreeper

It’s over there in the emanations and penumbras.


77 posted on 12/08/2014 5:52:49 PM PST by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: PROCON

What about people who are overweight and never drink soda?


78 posted on 12/08/2014 6:07:19 PM PST by Bigg Red (Congress, do your duty and repo his pen and his phone.)
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To: PROCON

A National Insanity Tax is needed to treat and confine liberals.


79 posted on 12/08/2014 6:09:23 PM PST by JT Hatter (Who is Barack Obama? And What is He Really Up To?)
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To: Bigg Red

What about people who are overweight and never drink soda?


We’ll figure out some other way to tax them!


80 posted on 12/08/2014 6:10:06 PM PST by Rides_A_Red_Horse (Why do you need a fire extinguisher when you can call the fire department?)
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