It’s time to take a stand and tell Congress to stay out of our grocery cart and family budgets as they go about the important task of reforming health care. On Friday, a group of individuals, families and businesses formally announced a coalition called Americans Against Food Taxes.
The goal of the coalition is to stave off attempts to impose discriminatory and regressive taxes on juice drinks, soft drinks and, ultimately, other food products; as well as to educate policy-makers and the public that taxes don’t make anyone healthy – education, exercise and balanced diets do that.
So far, some 110 organizations have joined the coalition, and as of this morning more than 21,000 individuals had signed up as well. Clearly our colleagues in other grocery and food industries, as well as the public, worry about the slippery slope a tax on juice drinks and soda would create. Once Congress reaches into the grocery basket, where will they stop in taxing food products to pay for whatever spending whim they have?
Go to the Web site – www.nobeverageandfoodtaxes.com – to learn more and sign our petition. Tell Congress to stay out of your grocery basket and pursue more meaningful ways to health care reform.
Look, we’re all optimistic, well, perhaps hopeful is the better word, that the economy needs to turn around sometime soon here. But the reality is it’s not. We still have major job losses reported every month. News of wages declining come every month, too. And the housing market is still a precarious one.
In short, people are struggling to hold onto their homes and jobs, with those jobs, their health insurance. And in doing so, they’re working hard to make ends meet by making every penny, nickel and dime count – for in this economy all this change adds up to real money.
This summer the “in” thing is the “stay-cation.” People can’t afford extras. Congress needs to take the not-so-subtle hints from families and remember those promises from the past campaign not to raise taxes on the middle class.
Therefore, as Congress works on health care reform legislation – an important and worthy endeavor – we need them to focus on meaningful and sustainable solutions to this complex problem. And we need them to stay out of our grocery baskets. First, we’re not going to solve the complexities of health care reform with a tax on soda pop. Most importantly, in an economy like this, the last thing we should be doing is raising taxes on hard-working families.
The governors of New York and Maine recently tried to impose major tax hikes on juice drinks and soda, but their efforts were strongly rebuked by the people of those states. The public couldn’t believe their lawmakers would raise taxes on them during such tough times. And people simply view it as an over-reach when government uses the tax code to tell them what to eat or drink.
So, again, check out the Americans Against Food Taxes coalition — and sign the petition telling Congress what you think of the concept of using taxes to tell you what to drink. Especially in this economy.
July 20, 2009
Why not tax those sugar filled drinks that are causing a fatter America especially our kids! Junk food just as bad for the health of Americans as cigs, booze. Tax the blank out of the sugar fix!!
July 21, 2009
I as a citizen of the USA oppose any more taxes, especially on food and beverages. We have enought taxes now.
July 21, 2009
I believe that we have sat on our butts long enough. We have allowed “big business”, feed us anything, that will make their bottom line fatter. We don’t know what’s in over 75% of the we eat. We let the bean counters decide if the benefit is good. If only 100 out of 10,000 people die from a product. Oh, that’s OK. Plus if they press charges, we will keep them in court til they die.
I feel that each school should have a playground as they did in the 70′s/60′s. All preservative in foods should be I.D.ed and not clinical term. State the purpose for all addictives.
July 22, 2009
Why is it so diffult to realize that many of these drinks are inherently unhealthful for us? Are we doing people a favor by making it easier for them, and expecially their children, to consume stuff that is not in their long term interests? For families that are facing difficult economic situations, your solution is to let them drink unhealthful sodas, which will likely add to their health care problems which they cannot afford to address?
Greed takes many forms. This one is pretty obvious.
July 23, 2009
Inherently unhealthy is your opinion; and it’s your choice what you drink. The compendium of science shows all calories count in affecting one’s weight; the New England Journal of Medicine study showed one food source can’t be blamed. To follow your logic, why single out just beverages? Why not tax all foods with calories? The bottom line is people need to drink beverages to stay hydrated and survive. Our non-alcoholic industry makes a bevy of products to choose from. There’s no greed involved here. Just common sense and the right for people to decide what to eat or drink, without government making that decision for them. Thanks for your comment.
July 23, 2009
Thanks for the reply David. To borrow your words….”sitting on our butts long enough” is more of a cause to unhealthy weights than the beverages we make. And by simply looking at the label on our products, you’ll know nice and clearly exactly what is in it. But again, we all choose what foods to consume, as it should be. Government shouldn’t be using the tax code to make those decisions for us.
July 23, 2009
Larry, appreciate you opinion but strongly take issue with comparison to cigarettes — a known carcinogen with a direct link to death. Worlds apart from our beverages; you can’t even compare them credibly. And one person drinking our beverages doesn’t make another person near them sick or unhealthy. Can’t say the same about smoking. Bottom line is that you can be a healthy person and enjoy a soft drink. Tens of millions of Americans, including young people, are proof of that. Can’t say the same about smoking.
July 23, 2009
Soda taxes are no quick fix to the obesity problem in this country, just like cigarette taxes don’t prevent lung cancer and alcohol taxes don’t stop drinking and driving. Consuming soda, drinking beer and smoking cigarettes are personal choices and not one that should be regulated for us by the government. Teaching people healthier food alternatives and the importance of exercise is the only cure to the obesity epidemic in this country, not raising taxes. Hands off my Coke and potato chips, President Obama!
July 23, 2009
The President just said last night that he didn’t want to raise taxes on the middle class, but taxing soda and Gatorade is ridiculous. That’s a middle class tax hike if I ever saw one. It is time the government gets their hands out of our pocketbooks and starts cutting wasteful spending instead. Rather than asking us to pay more for things we buy every day, the politicians should stop spending all our money.
July 24, 2009
Folks, when all is said and done it’s always about making the most profits possible for each companies respective shareholders / owners. That’s capitalism and the “American way”. This blog/forum/movement supports the very lucrative business of selling as much beverages as possible – and unfortunately a vast majority of those drinks are SUGARY drinks filled with empty calories. High Fructose Corn Syrup needs to be taken out of ALL products. I always get a chuckle when I read quips like, “Teaching people healthier food alternatives and the importance of exercise is the only cure to the obesity epidemic in this country, not raising taxes. Hands off my Coke and potato chips, President Obama”. Until this country gets its priorities straight about education, this response is silly. If “education” were the fix all, we would encourage recess and gym classes! And we would keep sugary filled drinks out of our school system. And until more natural and healthy drink alternatives become more affordable, the lower income families and individuals are going to continue to shop according to their budgets – for CHEAP, empty-calorie soft drinks. If education is the key, then more people need to be educated about the perils of “Coca Cola
July 24, 2009
Our elected officials have allowed Wall Street and corporations to buy their votes in Congress. They are on the payroll of these coprorations. Their practice has left the US Treasury empty. THE COUNTRY IS BROKE!! The money to keep our country afloat has to come from some where. Sodas and junk foods are an elective purchase and secondly are unhealthy for everyone.
July 27, 2009
Thanks for the views Kevin. One might argue our treasury is empty because of government’s prolifigate spending? If taxing is the answer, why just single out soft drinks? Why not add a tax to every consumer product and every consumer activity? This won’t solve any problems; it’ll just create more spending. And soft drinks aren’t unhealthy, by the way. They’re a simple refreshment beverage meant to be enjoyed, nothing more, nothing less. You can drink soft drinks and be a perfectly healthy person, as again, tens of millions of Americans are proof. We need to stop going to extremes in labeling food products.
September 27, 2009
When is it going to stop? A penny here a penny there it all adds up to dollars! First sodas and juice, the next thing will be the water we need for life itself. This
tax will hit middle class families with children the
hardest, the ones least able to afford it.ENOUGH IS
ENOUGH!!!
October 12, 2009
I thought we live in the USA, where we faught a revolutionary war about representation without taxation, hello did we forget about this and the Boston tea party. I understand these sugars may not be good for us, but that doesn’t mean you have to buy or drink them it’s your right to either want them or not, wake up America. Stop letting our Goverment put fear into us. It’s we the people right!
October 13, 2009
To whom it may concern.
We as Americans are paying to many taxes both at the federal level, as well as the state level and there should be no taxes on food or soft drinks. Or any other taxes. Only those making more than 2oo,ooo dollars or more should have to pay taxes.
Thank you for you time.
Arthur Davies
February 25, 2010
Gov Patterson need not to tax soda sport drink. People can’t pay for these items now. He need to take tax cut in his paid.
March 19, 2010
Got a great idea…why not tax parents that don’t parent. This is just a wolf in sheeps clothes…just another way for Albany to pay for the out-of-control spending programs. Let’s face it, people can’t say no to all those “free” programs that will help the residents of NY. Today we tax the beverage companies, tomorrow it will be poultry industry.
…But it is for the sake of our children, really.
October 9, 2010
Taxing soft drinks a solution to our national debt or health problems please!!! I drink soda on a daily basis all day long and I’m not overweight it”s because I get off my rear and exercise ride my byicycle almost everywhere I go. I do not have high cholesteroland I am a healthy 145#
my kids do not drink pop but only for pizza which is a once or twice a month thing It’s my choice and the government needs to butt out!!!!!!!
November 2, 2010
Like another tax is what we really need? Oh, so that the Government can spend it on our behalf? So how about if we tax the FRS or ISOsport energy drink? These are healthy sustained energy drinks with great ingredients and are truly beneficial. I say let the manufacturers profit in our capitalist Republic.
February 5, 2011
It is ridiculous hat they would even think of taxing our food! Don’t we pay enough as it is? To tax our food would only add an extra burden on those who have a hard time anyway. And put one on everyone else. I will be on a limited income one day and I for one don’t need that!!! I find myself making cuts all the time now. My energy bills are highway robbery. What are we suppose to do? Oh yea they don’t care.
February 5, 2011
I think Egypt has the right idea. It may take it here for us. I drink the sports drinks at work to help keep me hydrated. My husband works outside all summer and needs them also. They cost enough!!! I say take these people off wefair that are able to work. Cut they waits in our politics. Make them stop voting payraise for themselve. I just had to sign a paper showing that I realize the fact that I will not get a cost of living raise for the next 2 years. Now tax that.
February 6, 2011
I think food is way to high now when the gov. over spends they always want to put more taxs on things way should we have to pay for there over spending
February 13, 2011
Here is a perfect example from your site:
“America’s beverage companies are adding new labels to the front of every can, bottle and pack we produce – and displaying the total calories per container on beverages 20 ounces or smaller. This is all part of our Clear on Calories initiative, announced in February 2010 in support of First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” anti-obesity campaign.
Consumers across America are seeing these labels arrive on the front of their favorite beverages, as Clear on Calories arrives in stores. This is yet another way that the beverage industry is helping consumers make informed choices as part of an active, healthy lifestyle.”
I ask you why didn’t you arrive at this idea on your own if you are so interested in our healthy lifestyle!
May 11, 2011
Well-i will pay for my land taxes although i hate it-but i dont wanna pay anymore taxes on food and drinks-we litterally have to pay to eat and drink and that means we have to pay to survive. that is sad-what happend to when you were hungry we go and pick an apple from a tree? no one should tax us even more to survive-its like pointing the finger at us and saying you cant eat if you cant pay. and kids have no control over this-im struggling as it is and im sure they are living their life of luxury over our hard earned then taken away tax dollars. i dont mind paying taxes for people with foodstamps and medicaid-but ill be damned if they want to take a vacation on our tax dollars!
May 12, 2011
Thanks so much for your comment. We certainly appreciate you following us! The Clear on Calories initiative was conceptualized by our member companies. We’re proud of the work our member companies are voluntarily doing on this front and hope the new calorie labels will help you make the beverage choice that is right for you. Check out our http://www.ClearOnCalories.org for more information.
June 2, 2011
Of course, I WILL! Hehe Taxes on food and beverages? Wow! What’s next then? Taxes on water and air? This is ridiculous.