Is a Soda Tax Fair? - The Checkup -

Ya know what grosses me out? People in line at the grocery store with 7 cases of soda.

I came here completely expecting to see mostly nays from my group of peers. It does my heart good to see so many people willing to do the right thing, not on someone elses dime, but thier own. THose who dont want it taxed are those who dont want to pay for the stuff they do. I pay my way. Tax it.

Not only is it fair, it is awesome! Those dirty cola makers have known for years that they've been killing us by forcing us to drink something so unhealthy! They should all go out of business for their crimes! I don't know where the tax revenue will come from once they go out of business, but who cares? We will all be better off once that stuff they're forcing us to drink is gone!

Is Soda tax fair? No tax is fair, fuck off.

Tax the crap out of them. You cant even buy a can of coke anymore. No wonder kids are fat assed anymore they suck down those bottles of pop which are almost three servings and about 400 calories. Either that or the consumption of high fructose syrup is the culprit.

I can't see a difference between taxing cigarettes and taxing soda. I'm for it. Soda is not a necessary commodity. If people don't like it then they can just drink water.

The public is mostly unaware that high fructose corn syrup is the sweetner in many foods and beverages, not just sodas. If the public would read the labels, they would make an informed decision.

The soda tax or so called "sin " tax is way not fair to millions of Americans. I cannot process artificial sweeteners. A diet coke is an automatic trip to the emergency room on a single sip. I'm just supposed to switch over to juice or water?
It's not my fault you're fat and lazy. It's not my fauly you are so obese that you need 2 seats on public transportation.

How about a tax for being obese. Maybe then all those lazy sedentary grease bags will get up off their lard asses and drop a ton or two. God knows I'm tired of the reak that eminates from those nasty blobs of gluttony every time one gets on the train.

how about we tax air and charge people to breath tax tax tax

They say it will tax the poor... well, they need to start paying tax on something. Hell, they live on our tax dollars already. Let's get some back. It isn't my fault they didn't take advantage of the opportunities afforded them. Tax the poor and the rich and give middle America a break!

Wait until you hear this one - you can buy soda and candy bars with Food Stamps! How messed up is that?

Soda is not a food so go tax away. Soda does nothing good for you.

If I am forced by the government to pay for any portion of someone else's healthcare, then yes, a soda tax is fair. Along those lines, we need extra taxes on just about everything that can lead to higher medical costs in the long run. Charging a government mandated fee to anyone wishing to play a sport that will wear their body out is also in line.

Soda, candy, potato chips, dip, cookies. These are luxury items, totally devoid of nutritional content. Yeah, tax 'em, tax 'em high!

I quit drinking soda awhile ago, and its not too hard. If its the caffeine you like, drink tea, if its the carbonation try drinking the carbonated flavor waters at safeway or the carbonated juices. What helped -me- was juice and tea. Now I can't stand to drink soda, its just so thick and bleh, and my stomach feels volumes better. Seriously, I can't stand it anymore. Though, every once in a long while, I admit, a Dr. Pepper is enjoyable. Mmmmmm.

I'm trying to quit it, so all for it.

Tax on HFC(High fructose corn syrup0: good luck out lobbing big corn in America. Though i agree with a HFC tax, It would be a 180 degree switch from the current situation where corn farmers cannot turn a profit without government subsidies. Furthermore a soda tax is not a good idea because soda is a relatively elastic good therefore the deadweight loss from a tax on it would be relatively higher than if we placed one on a less elastic good.

I love the commercial of the poor, hard-working family who might not survive if their soda gets taxed. "What would we drink then? Water?"

Tax it.

I drink alot of soda and think it will bring in money we really need plus will help the hell out of kool-aid

Yes it is fair and there is a number of things we can tax higher to ease the price of health care. How about elective plastic surgery (tummy tucks, breast implants, botox, fake tanning, manicure/pedicures) superficial people should pay extra. Legalize and tax weed. Tax any kind of recreational vehicle (jet ski, 4 wheelers, sno-cat, moto-cross bikes, speed/ski boats) street bikes exempt. Tax people extra who are on "reality tv shows" ( maybe we can discourage people to be on these stupid ass shows). Everytime famous people appear on tv they pay a certain rate for every bit of exposure, kind of like the opposite of ASCAP. Legalize and tax prostitution. Tax the fuck out of abortions (same logic as tobacco, hopefully we can lower the rates of abortions). Hell if your gonna tax juice you might as well tax liqour (whats the big deal if you have to pay 1 or 2 extra cents per beer/drink?

If my cigarettes are taxed, so should soda. That's how I feel. Both are bad for you, people are still going to buy it, and the money could be used to help out the states which are in terrible shape. If you don't want to pay soda tax, stop drinking so much of it, and enjoy it occasionally.

Not only is it fair but it is only right to tax it with a sin tax. How many fat people are going to need medical care from the abuse of cola type drinks? The price I pay for a pack of papers is twice what it was before the new tax on Tabacco products. You know what ? After I thought about this awhile. I thought it would only be right to tax a soda or a candybar. Just as any other bad Habit should be punished. Why is it that a person that choses not to be healthy or that is a drain on society not paying more for there Habits

a high fructose corn syrup tax would be more fair.

Yes, a soda tax is fair.

Brownell suggests that revenue generated by the tax be used to support subsidies for farmers growing healthful foods, making good-for-you meals more accessible.