Chairman John Kleinhans featured on The DC Writeup.com

THE DC WRITEUP
Posted on 28 July 2009 by John Kleinhans

The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Thomas Frieden, has proposed a new tax on a staple of the average Americans diet: soda.

Many in the Obama administration believe the tax will decrease the obesity rate while raising money to help fight the federal deficit. A federal tax on soda would raise the price of the average container of soda by two or three cents.

More overweight people drink soda then that of skinny people, so it would appear that Frieden has the right intentions. Trouble is, there’s no real reason to target soda. Americans are known to head for ice cream trucks, bars, burger joints, Shoney’s, fast food restaurants, and even the cookie jar when no one’s looking. Why single out 140-calorie sodas, especially since anyone with a modicum of self-control can opt for a diet version of their favorite drink?

The other major problem with the plan is that the enormous cost of smoking has proven that high costs won’t deter people from harming themselves. Smokers spend approximately a zillion dollars a year to destroy their lungs and take the edge off. Are we to believe an extra three cents will prevent people from popping open a soda, especially since the delicious fuzzy beverages have far fewer harmful effects?

This is yet another tax to add to the list that the Obama administration is racking up, one that will increase the price of a common good. Still, it’s only a few cents. Now that’s change we can believe in.

John Kleinhans is the chairman of the Vermont College Republicans.