That commercial about taxing soda...

[JerseygirlCT]

really? Are we that stupid?

It's really hard to feed a family?... well, lady, if you're worried about feeding your family, those giant bottles of HFCS really shouldn't be high on your list of staples, you know what I mean?

Please, someone tell me that people aren't really going to take that ad campaign seriously.

[msongs]

1. flaming hot cheetos = the preferred breakfast for many little kids nt

[Raven]

2. and just what "grassroots" group sponsored that? n/t

[drm604]

18. The astroturf group "Americans Against Food Taxes"

http://sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_Against_Food_Taxes

It was organized by the "American Beverage Association"

http://sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Beverage_Association

[Jkid]

19. More like Businesses Against Food Taxes

If they oppose food taxes, at least they should be honest about their organization name. I bet most Americans don't mind food taxes if they go straight for health care.

[drm604]

20. You expect them to be honest? n/t

[Critters2]

3. I was just thinking the same! Here's a way to save some pennies, lady...

stop buying pop/soda!

When I was a kid (yeah, I've become one of those), pop was an occasional treat. We didn't have it in the house all the time. We drank milk, water, and real juice...the kind without sweeteners added. I'll bet that could be done now.

[malaise]

4. We had it at Christmas and birthday parties

We had so many fruit trees that fresh juice was the norm.
Even now we make most of our fruit juices.

[Critters2]

11. My mom made tomato juice from garden tomatoes, and that was our staple at breakfast.

We'd also have pear nectar from my grandparents' orchard on the farm. There is NO soda that compares to pear nectar for sweetness! I loved that stuff!

My grandmother would buy pop when we'd visit, as one of her "spoiling the grandkids" behaviors.

[JerseygirlCT]

12. Mine brought Canada Mints

Pretty funny the strange little things you remember!

[malaise]

23. I adore tomato juice

all spiced up - a little vodka in it doesn't hurt either. :D

[JerseygirlCT]

6. Yeah, we grew up on milk - gallons and gallons of the stuff

(probably a good thing, as I've already got osteoporosis at 49).

Soda was in the house only when my parents were having a party. Those were fun - you could sneak soda and maybe even a few maraschino cherries!

I love soda. Love love love Coke. But I try to keep it to a few times a week. Sigh.

[imdjh]

7. You had milk and juice? My mom thought it was bad for our teeth. We had ice tea and koolaid.

[Critters2]

14. We never had iced tea as kids. My folks did, but we didn't.

And yeah, some Kool-aid and some Hi-C. But my mom thought they had too much sugar. So, it was mostly milk and fruit juices. And ice water.

[DJ13]

5. How about we stop abusing our tax code for social engineering?

[bbinacan]

8. Amen to that. n/t

[vadawg]

9. yup, i hate the nanny state knows best for you shit...

[JerseygirlCT]

15. I'm really not taking a stand on the tax issue so much

as the blatantly stupid and manipulative commercial. And the idea that families who are really concerned about pinching every penny would be spending those pennies on soda. I don't buy it, and I can't imagine anyone could.

[DJ13]

21. Got it

I didnt mean to imply you were advocating the tax, sorry.

[JerseygirlCT]

22. S'ok

I really don't have particularly strong feelings on that issue one way or another.

Though I do think if they decide to tax soda with sugar, they ought to include those with artificial sweeteners. If the idea is to tax stuff that's bad for you, those artificial things aren't exactly health food!

[Statistical]

25. +1. I hate this nickle and dime crap.

I would scrap virtually all govt taxes & fees.
Sales tax, sin taxes, FCC fees, DMV fees, govt fees in airline tickets, etc.

Just have a single progressive tax structure with a hefty personal exemption.

Since cities rely on real estate taxes they can stay (at least they are partially progressive).

I hate this nickle and dime crap.

If it takes 30% of my paycheck to pay for all govt services (federal, state, local) then fine take 30% and be done with it.

I would also consolidate 401K, 403B, Simple 401K, SEP, TSA, IRA, Roth-IRA, Educational saving accounts, etc into a single tax exempt saving account w/ optional employer match.

[NC_Nurse]

10. Yeah, I thought that ad was really annoying too. How about letting the kiddies

drink water? What's wrong with water? Even if you are worried about purity, one of those filter pitchers would be a hell of a lot cheaper than soda.
Better for your teeth too.

Laying off the junk food can really save some $$$. An extra 10 cents a bottle would surely be worth universal health coverage. Sheesh.

[Travis_0004]

16. I'm tired of the goverment using taxes to push an agenda

First its cigarettes, now its Soda. They try to use the tax code to discourage bad behavior.

I thought it was stupid when they increased the tax on cigarettes this year to fund health care for uninsured children, and I think this is stupid.

I'm for helping uninsured children, but a general tax makes much more sense than just going after something you don't agree with.

(I don't smoke, and drink very little pop)

[NC_Nurse]

24. We're all paying for the health problems of those that engage in those behaviors.

Sugary drinks are a major contributor to the epidemic in obesity in this country. I think cigs are taxed enough already. Time to move on to the junk food.
I realize that some people don't like sin taxes, I just disagree. They work. They raise money for good causes and people hardly notice them (at least until they get
really large - like cig taxes). I think it's time to spread it around some. There's plenty of shit being pushed on us every day besides cigs and beer. Why not let parents
who feed their kids crap pay a little more for it?

The nice thing about these sorts of taxes too, is that YOU are ultimately in charge of whether you end up paying it. If you don't want to pay it, you can switch to water, quit smoking, etc.

People still want their insurance to cover their gastric bypass, their lung cancer or their cirrhosis of the liver. Why not let them help pay for it along the way?

Just my .02. I don't expect anyone to agree.

[Statistical]

26. Bullshit.

They work. They raise money for good causes and people hardly notice them

So do they work? Or do people hardly notice them?
Those are mutually exclusive. If the goal is to reduce consumption then people must notice them.
If they reduce consumption then they are not bringing in income.

The idea they somehow magically they fund programs, "work", and aren't a punative tax on the poor is a friggin joke.
Good causes can be paid by progressive income tax, all causes can be paid by progressive income tax.

[tridim]

13. I scream at that lady every time I see the ad.

I imagine her kids chugging litres of Shasta right out of the bottle.

"Drink up kids! Chug chug chug!"

[KharmaTrain]

17. And I'll Bet She's In Favor Of Insurance Companies Robbing Her Blind...

Oh the horrors that someone may have to pay an additional 2 or 3 cents on that can of Mountain Dew...meanwhile she's out teabagging in favor of letting insurance companies play god.

Insert your irony here...