US Federal tax on soda?

[Rocky]

The Senate Finance Committee today is hearing proposals on how to pay for President Obama's proposed universal health care plan, which is expected to cost more than $1 trillion. Among the proposals, as Consumer Affairs reports: A three-cent tax on sodas as well as other sugary drinks, including energy and sports drinks like Gatorade. Diet sodas would be exempt

Senate Considers Federal Tax On Soda - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

Sounds interesting to me. Not that I would care for this bill to get passed by any means since I drink plenty of Dr Pepper, but I can appreciate where the bill is coming from. We need a plan to pay for all of these proposals that President Obama has been talking about, and this would be a step into becoming a healthier country as a whole.

Discuss.

[Che]

Raise taxes on something that slowly kills you in favor of paying for healthcare? Sounds win/win.

And to anyone complaining about 3 cents extra, gtfo.

[OceanEyes28]

I'm okay with it. People waste too much money on soda anyway (and then complain that they can't afford to "eat healthy").

I will not buy soda. As usual.

[Violet]

Well, I don't want someone telling me what I should be drinking or should be eating. If I want to drink soda, screw you. It's my choice. Raising taxes on soda because it's unhealthy..

..Personally, I think that's a load of bullshit, since I love my soda and I don't want anyone touchin' my fuggin soda. Also, I drink more water and milk than soda anyways, but I always like to enjoy a tall glass of cold soda once in awhile.
Why not raise taxes on cigarettes or alcohol instead? Or have they already? I have no idea, I don't pay attention to this stuff.. but yeah, it just annoys me a tad..

[Che]

Why not raise taxes on cigarettes or alcohol instead? Or have they already? I have no idea, I don't pay attention to this stuff.. but yeah, it just annoys me a tad..

They have already, and its literally 3 cents extra on soda according to the article. Does that really make you that mad?

If you drank 5 sodas a day every single day without skipping a beat for a year (in which you'd need that healthcare anyway for that), your total would come to 54.60$ extra in a year).

[Violet]

Oh, 3 cents extra? I didn't really read the entire thing word for word, I sorta skimmed over it . If it's just 3 cents extra, then that's not that bad.. not that bad at all.

[Heartless Angel]

Paying 3 cents extra I couldn't care less about. My 3 cents going towards that bullshit bill, hell no. That piece of crap is LOADED with provisions and extra laws that they'd rather we not hear about. There's a reason they're trying to push the thing through as fast as humanly possible; but, a political debate on healthcare isn't what this is about, so back on topic...

TBH that extra 3 cents would add up pretty damn fast for me, I go through 5-7 or more energy drinks in a day, every day. And i have been doing so for the past 4 years at least. Granted, it wouldn't add up to any ammount worth complaing about, but still, that's gonna be over 50$ a year for me, one less video game I can buy >.< But, hey, whaddya gonna do, it's a tax, you're stuck paying it, better get used to the idea.

[Dodie16]

Posted by Heartless Angel
I go through 5-7 or more energy drinks in a day, every day. And i have been doing so for the past 4 years at least.

How does your heart not explode after drinking all that? Seriously, that's a LOT of caffeine. I think there's even a warning label on some of those energy drinks that say you shouldn't consume more than two in a 24 hour period. I might be wrong, but I could have sworn it said that on the back of one of my brother's Monster energy drinks.

Anyway, as for the tax, I don't drink soda or energy drinks, so it doesn't really effect me. If the government decided to tax something that I did enjoy, I probably wouldn't care about that either, especially if it was just 3 cents.

[Heartless Angel]

My doctors ask me the same thing Dodie... The lowest dosage of caffiene that (to my knowledge) has ever proven fatal was 3 grams. The worst thing I drink only has about 400mg (and i don't drink many of these). To be perfectly honest, I'd probably drown in the crap before I died of caffiene OD. But I do have an abnormally high heartrate, so it's not like they don't have an efffect on my health, just not a fatal one.

[Sasquatch]

Yay. More government intervention to control our own choices, done only to support the largest and most flawed bill in the history of the United States.

So it's only three cents. Does it matter whether it's three cents or three dollars?

Some people might be alright with their government trying to control people's choices and protect them from their own habits. Some people are quite fine with their government squeezing every possible cent from its citizens here and there because it can't function on a budget. Hell, some people are even happily accepting of any new taxes, as long as they think they won't be affected.

But I'm not.

[GypsyElder]

Sounds interesting to me. Not that I would care for this bill to get passed by any means since I drink plenty of Dr Pepper

Zomg DP is my favorite soda, and the only soda I really drink. I wouldn't mind the tax but I'm not sure it this counts for name brand soda's or all carbonated drinks, which wouldn't be fun because I do like Ginger ale and my carbonated fruit waters lol, I could live though if it helps the overall picture.

I don't use my pennies anyway.

[vicks and wedge]

remember it was taxes on tea among other things that sparked the american revolution!!leave the ppls money alone!

[Clint]

****ing politics. Multiple wars going on, an economic recession, millions of people out of work and struggling to survive on a day to day basis, and all they're worried about is soda. Whatever happened to the days when the government wasn't run by complete retards? Or was that never?

Already have to pay sales tax, and now three cents caked onto that. Bullshit.

[Heartless Angel]

The days of intelligence governing civilization ended the very instant someone came up with the idea of someone being in charge. When power is put in the hands of any one person, or one group of people, there will always be problems. One person or group simply can't make everyone happy.

[Che]

Whatever happened to the days when the government wasn't run by complete retards? Or was that never?

Probably never.

[Josh_R]

Back in my fat days I would be pissed. Now I don't give two shits. If they raised the tax on powerade or gatorade then I would be pissed. God I love that stuff..

[Dodie16]

Back in my fat days I would be pissed. Now I don't give two shits. If they raised the tax on powerade or gatorade then I would be pissed. God I love that stuff..

Hate to break it to you but...

A three-cent tax on sodas as well as other sugary drinks, including energy and sports drinks like Gatorade.

[Josh_R]

Hate to break it to you but...

I didn't even see that. NO... Damn you... Oh well I will live...

[Che]

I didn't even see that. NO... Damn you... Oh well I will live...

I thought you were gonna be pissed?

Back in my fat days I would be pissed. Now I don't give two shits. If they raised the tax on powerade or gatorade then I would be pissed. God I love that stuff..

[Sinister]

They won't make too much from me, so I couldn't give a shit. I drink tea, espresso, orange juice and Absinthe. Forget soda. I've had my soda phase. The only decent ones are Dr. Pepper and Jones soda and they're too sweet.

-Sin

[chrono]

Yay. More government intervention to control our own choices, done only to support the largest and most flawed bill in the history of the United States.

So it's only three cents. Does it matter whether it's three cents or three dollars?

Some people might be alright with their government trying to control people's choices and protect them from their own habits. Some people are quite fine with their government squeezing every possible cent from its citizens here and there because it can't function on a budget. Hell, some people are even happily accepting of any new taxes, as long as they think they won't be affected.

But I'm not.

Someone gets it....


hmmmm.... I do not even drink soda(at all) but this is a dumb idea. The "well it is only 3 cents" excuse does not cut it with me because it is MY 3 cents. If i take from you it should not matter the amount.

There are a ton of places where the government can cut spending if they need money for projects but **** trying to balance anything lets just figure out how to take more of the peoples hard earned money.

Government needs to stay in its place.

[Che]

I understand what you guys are saying about not supporting the bill, and I respect that. But the fact that you're seriously bitching about 0.03$ is ridiculous. The government is going to have their way with you no matter what, be glad it wasn't a worse idea for the tax. I think it's pretty good, given the circumstance. They could have taxed something else, and been far more pricey.

The government won't change for a long, long time. We used to be able to change shit in this country. That was back when we first arrived here and stole our land from the people already living here, and we made our own way. We stood up for what we thought was right, and things got changed (for white people, anyway but that's a different discussion) because there weren't 308 million people living here. You have to have a majority of people stand up for stuff, and most people are too worried about going on with their daily life to change things that you guys bitching about your 0.03$ isn't going to get anything done.

Not saying you are making the wrong decision. I'm saying we all need to stand up at once and change the stuff we think needs to be changed. Clear the government out of all those old assholes who aren't doing shit and elect a completely new government. For those of you who say "well that won't do any good, because nobody in the U.S. is educated on issues and therefore will vote on the wrong person to be elected", well, it definitely couldn't be a bad thing.

It's going to take hundreds, if not thousands of years to change things, and the average person only lives, what, 75 years?

edit: in before "wow you're racist". No, I'm not. U.S. history is racist, and I'm not talking about that. I'm just pointing out facts.

[Heartless Angel]

Bending over and taking it like a man doesn't help anything either. Between the two I'd rather bitch about the 50$+ i'll not be spending on a video game annually. Not saying your opinion is wrong either, it's not. But bitching about it and accepting it are just two roads to the same end; which unfortunately is acomplishing absolutely nothing. I'll have to deal with it one way or another, but I sure as hell don't have to like it.

[Maridia]

I am not a fan of the idea of soda getting taxed. In MA since August we've had tax on all alcohol. Not that I drink much but it adds up fast. A 6 of Sam Adams is almost $10.00 and this is most places not just my store. Now soda too? Not that it's as much but still any is too much. People can say "It's not on milk which is my drink of choice so I don't care." But you should! What's to stop them from slapping a tax on milk or bottled water.

We're in a recession and I understand the government is in a rut like the rest of us, but it is unacceptable. People need money too otherwise they can't spend and try to reboot the economy or more importantly their lives.

Also living in MA another gripe is the health care system. They make you get it here for the last couple years otherwise you get slapped which a huge fine during your tax refund. I think it's gonna be up to $700 this year. You could say well people should get it, but it's not so easy. Applying is a bitch, you usually get denied and it's more expensive than $700 a year. The state is literally strong arming you into throwing money out the window. Take that, the booze, tax a possible soda one, and a yearly excise tax to help pay for the roads which there's pot holes all around this town. Funny a "Temporary" tax that was instilled in the 70's still here today...hmmmm...

I do not like Mass or the idea of another tax. I understand it's hard times for many of us. Even when I was jobless I didn't apply for unemployment and I easily could of but I'm not willing to sink low and screw the system when I'd just be adding to the problem.

New Hampshire has the right idea.

[Acheron]

If you're complaining about an extra .3 cents being taken from you, then why aren't you complaining about the price of the soda your buying? If .3 cents is really such an issue, why isn't the money your spending already?

Though I don't think this idea is a great way to generate any revenue for any government project, let alone health care reform, it's something. Obviously, the most ideal thing for government to do would be to cut all the pork from bills, but that will never happen. Ever.

[Josh_R]

I thought you were gonna be pissed?

I thought about it for a moment. Then I realized as I was typing why do I f*cking care... It is 3 cents. I can stick my hand inside my couch and find more than that...

edit: thanks for making me feel like a tard Rocky..

[Rocky]

I thought about it for a moment. Then I realized as I was typing why do I f*cking care... It is 3 cents. I can stick my hand inside my coach and find more than that...

Hmm, never tried that one before....

[Walter Sobchak]

It is a grand idea, and history has proven that consumption taxes are some of the most successful. Cigarette taxes increases in taxes led to twenty percent less consumption, but the added taxable revenue more than made up for it. Of course, a healthier society will inevitably lower health care costs, so it is really win-win-win.

[Heartless Angel]

Win win for the assholes who think they have a right to force their views on health on others. Lose lose for the rest of us. A shit bill to reduce healthcare quality in exchange for lower cost, AND less money for us to spend! Wonderful. I see so many wins here. 3 cents isnt going to make many people stop drinking soda. All it's going to do is fuel a crappy bill that'll get shoved down our throats.

[RagnaToad]

There's a reason they're trying to push the thing through as fast as humanly possible

Yeah. It's called caring about your civilians.

I go through 5-7 or more energy drinks in a day, every day. And i have been doing so for the past 4 years at least.

Woh. Doesn't sound too healthy. The cafeine and sugar can't be good for you.

Also want to quote Che for truth, but I'm too lazy to actually do it.