It's a good idea. It may fail though because people are soda addicts.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

it's an awful idea as it will kill grocers in Cook County. Philly grocers are suffering as people go to the burbs to shop. Now Cook County residents will shop outside of the county, resulting in even less tax revenue and a loss of jobs.

Now Philly is in deeper trouble as they allocated the expected revenues and found they took in far less than expected. The soda tax in effect raised their deficit.

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“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

It is a terrible idea and exempts the poorest people from the tax. So it's not about health.

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Yeah, but cigarettes are really bad and should be discouraged by taxing them heavily. Soda's bad too, but not as bad, and one cent per ounce is an insane rate. A lower rate probably would have been defensible, but this isn't.

I should note that I don't even drink soda unless I'm at a restaurant and I don't miss it. BUT they're also taxing Gatorade at a penny per ounce, and I need my Gatorade, dammit.

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It may fail because people are such soda addicts they'll drive out of the county to literally save pennies per drink. It's still a good idea.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Just wait until some guy gets killed by a cop enforcing the law on someone who is selling soda he bought elsewhere without the tax. It's not like any previous enforcement on a sin tax has ever led to that.

Also, if you're buying in bulk and realize this applies to many non-soda beverages, you can see why this is awful.

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“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

How many people die from obesity? If you are taking it to the level of cops will kill over this then that becomes a fair question.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

obesity is a choice. It's one we as private citizens have the right to make. I have the liberty to choose to drink soda or not and don't need government to make that decision (for the record I don't drink it, but I should have the fricken right to do it without penalty)

Being killed by a cop enforcing a tax is not a choice.

Also, this taxes far more than just "soda" but some marketing asshole calls it a "soda tax" so that you ignore everything else taxed.

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“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

is red bull included ? i'm guessing it is. please god tell me it isn't

My broader point is you're letting the government make judgments on what is good and what is not. Let me give you some more examples:

1) Owning a home is good. Mortgage interest deduction. Middle and upper classes win. Renters lose.
2) Solar power is good. Tax credits for solar panels and electric cars. Upper income consumers win. Solar panel producers win. Consumers subsidize solar farms with higher electric rates.
3) Farming is good. Ethanol required in fuel and tax credits were provided for production for many years. The cost of all food products is raised because crop land is diverted for ethanol corn growing.
4) Retirement savings are good. Deferred taxation on retirement contributions. The more you make the more you benefit.

Each of these noble causes drain the treasury of revenue and often benefit a limited subset of the population. Again, taxes need to be levied to raise revenue. Let them do that rather than carving out gimmes all over the country. Why should soda be taxed higher than an apple or a chocolate bar? It's all silly.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

You didn't read the FAQ's I posted above! And I don't blame you.

Edit for FAQ's. https://www.cookcountyil.gov/content/fr ... tions-faqs

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Selling illegal soda is a choice.

Do you also hate sales tax? What about income tax?

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Taxes should not be designed to change behavior. On the other side, the tax dollars received should not be used to grant subsidies.

Also, are you going to argue that cops have the right to execute suspects for petty crimes? Without trial by jury (where good juries can nullify stupid laws)?

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“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

Vast, vaaaaaast oversimplification going on here, my man.

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All taxes are designed to change behavior.

Huh? Um, no.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

it really is though, you choose what you put in your body and you choose how active you are.

Let's take this board's favorite target. Is she a victim or does her constant choice of eating entire pints of ice cream and lack of exercise cause it?

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“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

1: taxes shouldn't be designed as such, let people decide their behavior and yes I would get rid of most behavior related tax deductions. (perhaps increase the standard deduction to make up for it)

2: when you argue that Eric Garner deserved it for selling, then you are arguing that the cop had a right to carry out the death sentence there.

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“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

I will vote Republican over Toni Preckwinkle next year, IF that person is anywhere close to sane and reasonable.

I've held off for years in buying more than from the 10 mins. across the border in Indiana because of my distaste for their politics & that I value the extra 20 minutes of my time more than the modest difference, but now I just don't know...

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

I don't know what her life story is but some people just have shitty genes. I have to run my ass off every day and I don't even get thin, I just stay not-fat.

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All of them modify behavior though. Sales tax, income tax, property tax. They all do though.

I never said he deserved it for selling.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Broad taxes on income or sales tax on all items (not singling some items out but not others) may have some impact on behavior, but I draw the line at nanny state taxes such as this. These taxes are punitive on personal choices.

As for Garner, whether you directly say it or not, you insinuate it when you say it was he who led to his own death

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“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

You may not be thin, but you're not obese. You have made the choice and given it the effort to ensure that. Thus obesity is a choice.

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“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

Of course you do because it is convenient. As you've said though, this won't lower consumption anyways so acting like this will have a major impact on behavior directly contradicts your own points.

I am directly saying that he did not lead to his own death and it was a cop using far too much force than was required. I'm not sure how I can be clearer.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

to an extent. many people (not just kids) don't know better or are misinformed or don't have the funds or cognitive wherewithal to plan meals. i get what you're saying, though.

ogie, i have a quote about libertarians that reminds me of you and FF. not even sure if you guys are libertarians, but it reminds me of your posts.

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Is being poor a choice too?

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

work harder
move

If you're poor and fat, i have a simple way to save some money.

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The latest suggestion to help solve the unfunded pension liability crisis is to have a statewide 1% property tax. This is in addition to any property tax you already have.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/d ... story.html

If you have an entrepreneurial mindset, perhaps now would be a good time to buy some used moving trucks and start a small business moving people out of state.

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“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

It can be a result of poor choices, no?

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

Look, I've waited almost an entire year ... are you gonna tell me or what?

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George