Bloomberg Attempting to Pass Sugary-Drink Tax in… Philly?
Nanny stater’s gonna nanny state
Nanny staters are never content unless they impose their control freakishness on EVERYONE, apparently.
Former New York City Mayor Bloomberg has meddled in several other states and municipalities endeavoring to pass soda bans (or coke bans, as we say in Texas where every carbonated beverage is a Coke of some kind).
His latest project is Philadelphia. Bloomberg has donated an undisclosed amount of cash to Philadelphians for a Fair Future, a non-profit org dropping a whopping $825,000 into a sugary-drink tax campaign that launched Thursday.
Julia Terruso reported for Philly.com:
The ad campaign was also being supported with funds donated by the Action Now Initiative, a nonprofit focused on antiobesity and education issues funded by Houston billionaire couple John and Laura Arnold.
“It’s wonderful to have the support of a nationally respected business leader,” Kenney said in a statement, referring to Bloomberg. “I’m hopeful these ads will correct the misinformation that the soda industry is spending millions to spread.”
Feeley said the money from Bloomberg and the Arnolds’ nonprofit offers a chance to “balance the scales.”
“What it provides us is the ability to compete,” he said. “We understand the reality of what’s happening on the other side. The other side has almost unlimited financial resources.”
The American Beverage Association has already spent more than $2.5 million on an anti-soda tax advertising campaign, dubbing the levy on sugary drinks a “grocery tax.”
Feeley said the pro-tax ads to start this week are only a first step.
“We’re prepared to do more as we need to do more,” Feeley said.
…
Philadelphia’s health commissioner, Thomas Farley, headed New York’s health department under Bloomberg.
Rather than preach about that ills of Big Gulps, Philly is has pulled out their For The Children™ card. Supposedly, sugary-drink tax dollars would be spent on pre-K programs and upgrades to parks and community centers.
Interestingly, Democratic Socialist Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders thinks the proposed tax will disproportionately affect the poor.
In other locals, soda taxes haven’t deterred sugary-beverage consumption. Take Mexico. A 10% tax (approximately) was imposed on sodas and after an initial drop in consumption, consumers spending bounced back.
You cannot tax people into or out of certain behaviors. Something about that whole “free will” thing.
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Comments
Philadelphans For a Fair Future taxes.
aka Pffft.
Common Sense Soda Control.
We’re going to limit the high capacity soda cups. No one needs more than 7 ounces of soda.
Plus now we’re going to have a ten day waiting period, show your ID, and get checked by the Honorable Instant Soda System (HISS).
The combination of a State-established pro-choice church — instructed by gods in the twilight zone — and Obamacare have consequences. It’s all selective. However, people are mortally sedentary, which means progressive obesity, diabetes, etc. The people vote to be treated like children, and they need… Nay, demand that their surrogate “mother” will wrap their knuckles, wash their mouths with soap, remind them to respect their sibling, etc.
The “new” mayor of Philadelphia isn’t trying to sell this as anything to do with childhood obesity.
Mayor Jim Kenney sees the soda companies a “deep pockets” who can afford to take the lumps” for the special needs education programs he wants.
Perhaps Michael Bloomberg could fund these programs out of his pocket.
He is.
If Bloomberg is funding these programs out of his pocket, what do they need the soda tax for?
It’s not about the sugar, it’s the money.
…and the control. Never forget the control…
Bloomberg: SCHMUCK of the first order.
Why won’t he just….die?
Once again, Trump tried to warn us: he said 7-11 was an inside job.
I’m fascinated at how easy it is to control people in left leaning cities and states.
Stalin had to violently murder millions to gain the level of control that the left has taken using (at best) weak propaganda.
It should be an American right to have a big old stinky leg cut off from diabetes! Dammit Big Ag and Big Pharma gotta make money too!! Nothing better for ya than an extra helping of high fructose corn syrup made with gmo corn and ph adjusted with a touch mercury laden caustic! Andy would tell ya it’s Mmmmmmm! Mmmmmmm! Good
and you think I need YOU to dictate what’s good for me.
F**K OFF!
If “big ag” bothers you that much, feel free to fight against corn and other agricultural subsidies 🙂
I’ve got a better idea for fighting obesity. Taxpayer-funded food stamps can only be used at a grocery store and only used to purchase raw chicken, eggs, milk, fresh fruits & vegetables, and flour. He’s absolutely right there should be a ban on sugar drinks–a ban on using foodstamps!