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Would you please be quiet please?

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31 comments

Would you please be quiet please?

POSTED: Tuesday, June 14, 2011, 3:15 PM

Here's the thing about the soda tax: In general, I don't think it's a bad idea as a way to pay for certain needed programs, especially health related, while reducing consumption of something that's bad for you with little or no benefits (not unlike cigarettes or liquor, both of which we tax, last time I checked.)

That said, I don't really approve of the specific soda tax that Mayor Nutter is proposing right now. Why not? For one thing, it's way too high -- it really will hurt mom and pop stores in the neighborhoods -- and also any new revenue for the Philadelphia schools should not be a blank check, but tied into major changes in the way they operate, including getting rid of Arlene Ackerman but much more than that.

Having said all that, my question is this:

Given the fact that technically I agree with them, why do I find the anti-soda-tax people the most annoying people in the entire world?

Will Bunch @ 3:15 PM Permalink | 31 comments

31 comments

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Comments (31)

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 3:42 PM, 06/14/2011

Will, I think you hate them because it is your biggest fear - organized labor and business owners siding together to stop funding failed and/or failing social programs. (I also think you oppose Ackerman more than the tax - without the Queen you'd probably support the tax.)

— bird11

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 3:49 PM, 06/14/2011

Do taxes curb smoking or liquor consumption? Have you ever heard anyone say they cut down, or quit because the taxes are too high? It's just another scheme for leftists to get more control of other people's money.

— jmc

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:07 PM, 06/14/2011

jmc - sitting around all day is also bad for your health, recent study said it was as bad as smoking. Journalist/bloggers sit to do their jobs right??? Maybe a 5% tax on journalist/bloggers would save the city schools.

— bird11

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:21 PM, 06/14/2011

What bird11 said, Will. You can't believe these particular union members aren't living in an Upton Sinclair novel.

— m13sully

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:29 PM, 06/14/2011

JMC: not that I am for this soda tax, but I should point out that all credible studies done on pricing's effect on consumption of "sin"products shows that higher taxes do lower intake on a societal level. There are many ways to debate the merits or lack thereof with a soda tax, but your line of argumentation is not one of them.

— curtis

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:56 PM, 06/14/2011

it may be soda today, tomorrow, it'll be deep fried stuff. The next day it'll be red meat. next week, anything non-vegetarian. Where does it end? Soon only soylent green will have no special tax.

— palmyra21

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:37 PM, 06/14/2011

Ya, that's the "tax on the rich" :D

— turkytom

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:57 PM, 06/14/2011

JMC, if the taxes don't cause people to reduce their smoking or drinking, that's fine, but then those tax dollars should be used to help reduce medical costs that otherwise get jacked up for the test of us,

— will

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:59 PM, 06/14/2011

I haven't heard one good 'REPUBLICAN' idea about schools - just gibberish nonsense. In fact the only thing I've heard is to attack teachers - it's never that in one county the school district spends five time or more per student. No wonder the Republican party has turned into such an ugly group of people.

— SoundGround

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About this blog

Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.

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