Why not tax sugar sodas?

boston, i agree 100%, particularly with taxing the religious groups. what a fuckin racket their nonprofit status is, religion is the biggest and oldest business there is. 

but practically, right or wrong, since the government is going to raise money, why not tax sugar sodas?  if we're going to get fucked, and we are, why not add some logic and reason to the process?

you guys are living in a different world than i am.  no one is going to start using common sense.  no one is going to start being responsible with money.  the deficit isn't going anywhere.  the government isn't going to stop wasting money.  those are non sequiturs that are not responsive to my question.  let me repeat me previous question which seems to apply here: if we're going to get fucked, and we are, why not add some logic and reason to the process?

but koaj, to anwer your first paragraph, which is responsive, yes i do support taxing sodas and yes when a reasonable person decides to have a root beer, he should pay the extra tax.  because if we're going to tax something, why not sodas. 

just like if a reasonable person decides to smoke a cigarette or marijuana (which should be legal and taxed), he should be taxed because someone has to, apparently.  why not tax the person who is contributing to the enormous health care costs and is doing something with no value to himself or anyone else?

you guys are living in a different world than i am.  no one is going to start using common sense.  no one is going to start being responsible with money.  the deficit isn't going anywhere.  the government isn't going to stop wasting money.  those are non sequiturs that are not responsive to my question.  let me repeat me previous question which seems to apply here: if we're going to get fucked, and we are, why not add some logic and reason to the process?

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i dont think anyone disagrees however if you remove the power form government (taxation) then you remove its ability to be the "ass wiper" of society

if there are negative consequences to malinvestment or misbehavior then there will be a change in behavior

with our current government, on all levels, there are very little consequences so why would behavior change

its no different than training a puppy or raising a kid. encourage bad behavior (by condoning and not punishing) and you will get more of it

this isnt rocket science

yeah, that's the "where do we draw the line?" argument which is a legitimate concern but applies in just about every case of new taxation or expansion of taxation.  we have to make a decision and we have to draw the line.  that's why we elect intelligent, responsible people, to make those tough decisions. 

Bottom line is that the government wants more money, so they're going to use the guise of "we want healthier Americans" to get it.

Also, like every issue, most people's opinion depends on how much it affects them.  I hardly drink beer, and probably drink more soda. 

So apparently, there's no reason to tax alcohol through the roof, even though there are millions of alcoholics and drunk driving incidents daily.  That's socially acceptable.  We're more concerned with the guy who gets fat off a bottle of Coke 

yeah I just paid $1.69 for Peanut Butter Cups, 4 pieces in the pack