[RGSpincich]

Any bets the tax will include diet Coke?

[Zeppo]

Typically confused leftist "logic":

• Coca cola was introduced to America more than 100 years ago, in 1886
• In recent years, obesity has become a major problem in America
• Even though obesity was not a major problem during 100 years when Americans were drinking Coca Cola, it's obvious that Coca Cola must be the culprit responsible for the increase in obesity
• Coca Cola is manufactured by a corporation
• Corporations are "bad"
• Blaming Coca Cola for the problem will convince weak-minded and stupid people that the government must "do something" about the evil corporation that produces it
• the government is controlled by Democrats
• Democrats are really, really good at creating problems
• Democrats are not particularly good at solving problems
• However, Democrats are really, really good at taxing companies and products
• Let's raise taxes on Coca Cola so that we can pretend that we're "doing something" about the obesity problem
• People will continue to drink Coca Cola, therefore the government will rake in lots of money
• The Coca Cola company will "donate" lots of money to Democrats in Congress to attempt to limit the government's damage to their company
• Stupid and weak-minded people will not notice that the government has not solved the obesity problem
• Stupid and weak-minded people make good Democrat voters
• therefore in a few years we can increase the taxes on Coca Cola and still retain control of Congress
• repeat the cycle

[mlizzy]

"Instead, business and government should come together to help encourage greater physical activity and sensible eating and drinking, while allowing Americans to enjoy the simple pleasure of a Coca-Cola."

I do not support a pop tax; folks should have the freedom to pick their poison, but a couple "simple pleasure[s]" of a Coca-Cola include:

- Nasty chronic vaginal yeast infections which cause intense cravings for sugar intake which up the yeast even more ... vicious ugly cycle.

- Rotten teeth, which are expensive to fix, not pleasing to look at, and when you get old, out they go.

Also kids tend to be less cranky when they stay away from pop which causes sugar surges and falls. Once my already over-active son had a Big Gulp at a party, and no kidding, we were pulled over by the police; they thought he was on drugs. So why have a Coke, when you can have fresh organic lemon squeezed in bottled water with a couple drops of cayenne pepper? mmmmm mmmmm mmmmm

[mysterio]

The natural state of the human animal is feast or famine. And for northern Europeans, a lot of the year is famine. So for about 40,000 years, your ancestors have evolved to deal with that reality.

For the last 50 years or so, the "famine" part of the year has been erased for most Americans. Food is usually available and plentiful, but our brains tell us to eat it when it's there to store up for when it isn't. When our economy was still largely agricultural, this wasn't as big of a deal, as the average worker might burn as much as 4,000 calories a day. But now the average job is more sedentary, and the person working that job is burning possibly 2,200 a day, or as low as 1,800.

I lost a great deal of weight, and to keep it off, I count calories and exercise an hour most days. My brain still tells me to eat all of the time, and I have stretches where I have to be hungry. But the 23 BMI is worth it. Also being slim like humans historically were is better for me than carrying extra weight, especially for my back and knees.

So it isn't coca cola. In my opinion, it's not artificial sweeteners, HFCS, or McDonalds, either. It's a new calories consumed / calories burned balance that is unique to this particular group of humans in this particular location, and the scenario has only existed for about 50 years. That's not enough time to evolve away the brain signals that tell us we're starving Europeans and winter's coming.

[upbeat5]

Freepers I’ve been moderately heavy all my life. Been on many diets lost and then gained back until I finally found that weight problems are “all between my ears”. Until I found “Weight Loss God’s Way” by Dr. Frank Smoot. Use your search engine and find him. He has a lot of free articles out there that will help you determine if it is the right thing for you. I’m not pumping anything. Just telling you what has worked for me.

[The Great RJ]

Taxing sodas isn’t anymore about improving health than raising cigarette taxes. It is all about new sources of tax revenue that can be levied with the excuses of ..”why it is for the good health of all” and “only those who indulge pay so you don’t have to”. These sin taxes are easy to get, but taxes are taxes and the effect on the economy is the same. Raising the price of sodas with a new tax will not address obesity it will just cause consumers to buy less soda or switch to another drink that is less taxed.

[a fool in paradise]

It certainly helped keep Barry Obama trim and energized.

But you can’t buy it over the counter.

[A. Patriot]

YES, they did make us fat and they did give us diabetes with their high fructose corn syrup.

[RolandTignor]

We didn’t have very much work many years ago and I sat in my office and drank 4 or 5 soda’s a day. I ballooned to 300lbs (I was 260lbs).
After a few months I got tired of being tired and the devil and I were fighting. He lost. I stopped drinking soda’s for two months and I lost 30lbs. I’ve got stretch marks to prove it.
HFCS also carries fungus’s. Which is the culprit in people with diabetes. The corn sits in silos, then it’ll get wet and the fungus grows. Then they process it and we drink it.

[nufsed]

Coke and convenience marts and fast food places helped. Ultimately, people are responsible for what they decide to eat and put in their mouths.

Have you been in a McDonalds the last month. Buy a giant drink and a plastic cup (48 oz?) for 79 cents and get free refills at most mickey Ds.

When I was a kid a small or regular was 12 ounces and a large was 16. Most fast food places put the "fountain" out front for free refills.

Free product is a little harder to turn down.

More fries, larger burgers, chili cheeze nachos, free refills. Of course it contributes.

[olivia3boys]

I agree; I eat sweets like chocolate and ice cream every day and I’m thin as a rail. I don’t drink Coke but I bet I could drink one a day and I wouldn’t gain weight.

I walk 30 minutes a day and eat smallish meals. That’s all it really takes.

[webheart]

If the government really cared, they would make it so you couldn’t buy beverages except milk with food stamps.

[BunnySlippers]

Nice article. Thanks for posting it.

[Grunthor]

“Coke Didn’t Make America Fat”

It made my Uncle skinny.

and fidgety.

[SparkyBass]

"Coke Didn't Make America Fat"

No, but I did hear it kept Obama slim...!

[metesky]

Obesity is a complex issue,

No it's not.

and addressing it is important for all Americans.

Again, no it's not.

[Drawsing]

I did a little unscientific, yet interesting survey last week. My brother wanted to go look at RVs (Recreational Vehicle) at an RV dealer. I went along to keep him company. As he talked to the dealer, I looked at photographs on the wall. They had posted hundreds of photos of happy couples with their newly purchased motor home. I noticed that all of the men seemed to have big bellies. I decided to count the photos until I came to one where the man was not overweight. I counted around 120 photos before I came to one man without a large pot belly.

I do not doubt that metabolism plays some role, but I attribute most of this to poor eating habits. I watch people go through pot luck lines at social functions and I see how they pile their plates. The fatter the person, the more they seem to pile on their plate. Then, when its time for dessert, they don’t just grab one brownie or one piece of pie...they fill up their plate again.

[chris_bdba]

Coke and other soft drinks have been around from about 1900 so to blame them for America being fat is stupid. People not knowing how to control what they eat,drink, and do is what caused it. As a kid we got one small glass of pop in the evenings if we were lucky, we did not just get to go have as much as we wanted because we had parents. Junk food was limited to Saturday night and consisted of a small bowl of chips each.People just don’t know how to eat like people anymore and most eat enough to feed 3-4 people everyday.