Taxing Sodas to Pay for Nationalized Health Care

If you enjoy it, they'll tax it:

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.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has a long history of coming out against foods people like to eat, so maybe we should have an excise tax on those too. For instance, movie popcorn, Mexican food and Chinese food. At one time or another the nannies at CSPI have held press conferences to denounce those items.

And then I want to enact a "nanny tax" on organizations like CSPI to pay for the high blood pressure organizations like that cause in people who happen to see them on TV.