Todd-'o'-Vision
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Proposed 'fat tax' on soda is start of a nationwide 'War on Fat' by politicians
WASHINGTON, DC -- Legislation that would impose a "fat tax" on soda in California is the first wave of a new "War on Fat" being waged by busybody politicians -- and should be vigorously fought by every American, the Libertarian Party said today.
"This is the next great battle of American politics: Keeping
politicians out of our refrigerators," said George Getz, the
Libertarian Party's press secretary. "If we don't stop them now,
they'll slap new taxes on soda, hamburgers, and ice cream -- while subsidizing tofu, broccoli, and bean sprouts.
"But to the fat-cat politicians in California and elsewhere who want to impose new food taxes, we say: Fat chance. If Americans wanted the government to tell us what to eat, we would have elected Jenny Craig president."
In California, State Senator Deborah Ortiz has filed S.B. 1520, which would impose a new tax on distributors of soda and other sweetened drinks. The bill would add about 2 cents to the cost of a 12-oz soda, and the money -- as much as $300 million a year -- would be used to fund childhood obesity prevention programs.
The bill is designed to decrease soft-drink consumption among children, acknowledged Ortiz.
"I don't think there's any one staple of a child or teenager's diet
that is so utterly devoid of any nutritional value as soda," she said.
In addition, California State Assemblywoman Wilma Chan has filed a bill that would require the state to study the feasibility of taxing junk food to fund new health and dental services for children.
Meanwhile, in Connecticut, a bill was filed to repeal a 6% sales tax exemption for candy or confectionery sold to college cafeterias, senior centers, and day care centers. And in Maryland, a bill was introduced to make it illegal for restaurants that sell soft drinks not to sell sugar-free beverages. Violators would face a $500 fine.
What do these bills have in common? They're part of a growing movement to punish Americans for consuming the "wrong" food or drink, said Getz.
"It started with so-called sin taxes on tobacco and liquor," he said. "Politicians argued that those products carried high social costs, such as increased need for medical care. So, they forced people who drank and smoked to pay higher prices for their vices.
"Americans got used to the idea of sin taxes -- and it was inevitable that the concept would spread. Now, politicians are turning their sights on food, and it won't be long until they try to tax everything that is even vaguely unhealthy, from hamburgers to french fries to ice cream to pizza."
Supports of such legislation point to studies that say Americans are getting heavier, with 55% qualifying as overweight, and about 18% as obese. The Journal of the American Medical Association has even claimed there is an "epidemic" of obesity in America that is responsible for 300,000 deaths annually.
But the real problem is an epidemic of politicians who want to fatten the coffers of government, while getting new power to micromanage what we eat, said Getz.
"What you eat, and how much you eat, are matters of personal preference and personal responsibility," he said. "Our eating habits shouldn't be the government's business -- and politicians shouldn't be allowed to raid our refrigerators or tax our twinkies in the name of so-called public health."
WASHINGTON, DC -- Legislation that would impose a "fat tax" on soda in California is the first wave of a new "War on Fat" being waged by busybody politicians -- and should be vigorously fought by every American, the Libertarian Party said today.
"This is the next great battle of American politics: Keeping
politicians out of our refrigerators," said George Getz, the
Libertarian Party's press secretary. "If we don't stop them now,
they'll slap new taxes on soda, hamburgers, and ice cream -- while subsidizing tofu, broccoli, and bean sprouts.
"But to the fat-cat politicians in California and elsewhere who want to impose new food taxes, we say: Fat chance. If Americans wanted the government to tell us what to eat, we would have elected Jenny Craig president."
In California, State Senator Deborah Ortiz has filed S.B. 1520, which would impose a new tax on distributors of soda and other sweetened drinks. The bill would add about 2 cents to the cost of a 12-oz soda, and the money -- as much as $300 million a year -- would be used to fund childhood obesity prevention programs.
The bill is designed to decrease soft-drink consumption among children, acknowledged Ortiz.
"I don't think there's any one staple of a child or teenager's diet
that is so utterly devoid of any nutritional value as soda," she said.
In addition, California State Assemblywoman Wilma Chan has filed a bill that would require the state to study the feasibility of taxing junk food to fund new health and dental services for children.
Meanwhile, in Connecticut, a bill was filed to repeal a 6% sales tax exemption for candy or confectionery sold to college cafeterias, senior centers, and day care centers. And in Maryland, a bill was introduced to make it illegal for restaurants that sell soft drinks not to sell sugar-free beverages. Violators would face a $500 fine.
What do these bills have in common? They're part of a growing movement to punish Americans for consuming the "wrong" food or drink, said Getz.
"It started with so-called sin taxes on tobacco and liquor," he said. "Politicians argued that those products carried high social costs, such as increased need for medical care. So, they forced people who drank and smoked to pay higher prices for their vices.
"Americans got used to the idea of sin taxes -- and it was inevitable that the concept would spread. Now, politicians are turning their sights on food, and it won't be long until they try to tax everything that is even vaguely unhealthy, from hamburgers to french fries to ice cream to pizza."
Supports of such legislation point to studies that say Americans are getting heavier, with 55% qualifying as overweight, and about 18% as obese. The Journal of the American Medical Association has even claimed there is an "epidemic" of obesity in America that is responsible for 300,000 deaths annually.
But the real problem is an epidemic of politicians who want to fatten the coffers of government, while getting new power to micromanage what we eat, said Getz.
"What you eat, and how much you eat, are matters of personal preference and personal responsibility," he said. "Our eating habits shouldn't be the government's business -- and politicians shouldn't be allowed to raid our refrigerators or tax our twinkies in the name of so-called public health."
