"The Best Stuff on Earth - to Tax"
Posted on 05/12/2009 2:35:48 AM PDT by PghBaldy
Senate leaders are considering new federal taxes on soda and other sugary drinks to help pay for an overhaul of the nation's health-care system.
The taxes would pay for only a fraction of the cost to expand health-insurance coverage to all Americans and would face strong opposition from the beverage industry. They also could spark a backlash from consumers who would have to pay several cents more for a soft drink.
On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee is set to hear proposals from about a dozen experts about how to pay for the comprehensive health-care overhaul that President Barack Obama wants to enact this year. Early estimates put the cost of the plan at around $1.2 trillion. The administration has so far only earmarked funds for about half of that amount.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington-based watchdog group that pressures food companies to make healthier products, plans to propose a federal excise tax on soda, certain fruit drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks and ready-to-drink teas. It would not include most diet beverages. Excise taxes are levied on goods and manufacturers typically pass them on to consumers.
Senior staff members for some Democratic senators at the center of the effort to craft health-care legislation are weighing the idea behind closed doors, Senate aides said.
The Congressional Budget Office, which is providing lawmakers with cost estimates for each potential change in the health overhaul, included the option in a broad report on health-system financing in December. The office estimated that adding a tax of three cents per 12-ounce serving to these types of sweetened drinks would generate $24 billion over the next four years. So far, lawmakers have not indicated how big a tax they are considering.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
"The Best Stuff on Earth - to Tax"
Nah, the CBO informed the congress that 22 million NEW smokers would be needed to fund all the goodies in SCHIPS bill, but congress passed the bill anyway. They knew additional taxes on ~something~ would be required.
I may give it another try, if I can find it at a convenience store - So far, I haven't found it at the local Quik Trips.
Mark
Obama secretly raised the ever lovin crap in taxes on cigarettes and no one is peeping a word. Gas prices are rising-it is okay... he will tax the ever loving crap out of everyone and everything to pay for his marxist radical dream and we will all be up shits creek without a paddle.
Hey, we still have the liberal staple tofu...yechhhh
I saw a commercial recently that said they are back to real sugar in Snapple - but, as the article states - they will be taxed too.
Of course, I’m allergic to Aspertame, so I will be oppressed.
Carbonated drinks contain CO2. Can you say GLOBAL WARMING!!!. Tax the HELL out of it or BAN THEM ALL, Pepsi, Coke, BEER, WINE etc.
Thus the “fifth” was born, which evaded the tax for a decade or so.
If they tax “soda” there will soon be a new popular drink, with a lower price, that won't be called “soda” nor will it have sugar.
Economics and market choice are a clever combination, allowing producers to make stuff people wish to purchase.
Roll your own.
My state (IL) raised the cig tax when the Feds did and I said enough is enough.
A simple 'Job' brand rolling machine is under $3.00.Naturally it'll take some practice (I ruined the first hand roller I bought, duh) but after a week or so, you'll be rolling a perfect cig.
A 6oz can of Zig-Zag 'original' tobacco, which makes well over a typical carton of 200 cigs is under $20.00, and that comes with 200 papers.
These taste just like my Camel non filters :-)There's also pre-rolled 'tubes' with filters, but for that you need a different machine (it slides), like from 'Gambler' that's about $5.00. I found the 'Top' brand filtered tubes don't taste too bad. 'Almost' like Camels.
There are also bigger quantity bags of tobacco, but I haven't tried those yet. There's also, 'light' and menthol tobacco.
And DON'T try hand rolling a smoke like Bogey does in the Maltese Falcon. We Americans lost that finger function after WWII ended. Plus, Bull Durham is out of business and you can't buy those little cloth bags any more ;-)
Pop goes the taxes
Candy, chips, and pretzels soon to follow.
I propose a tax on government. ;-)
What you aren’t thinking about is if they get away with this then maybe something YOU enjoy that others wish you didn’t will be next.
Oh yummy! NOT!
Stop filing tax returns and kick their butts into oblivion!
Fixed it.
And when people stop drinking pop, they’ll have to tax something else. Everyone here should know the dems will not stop at just one source to pay for this farce.
This is just more “soak the poor”, like cigarette- and gasoline taxes. Those b———s riding around in private jets and air-conditioned limousines couldn’t care less about the poor. Or anybody else, for that matter.
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