Good News: New York Soda Tax Idea Fails
Almost two months ago, New York Governor David Paterson proposed an 18 percent tax on sugary drinks.
New Yorkers hated the idea – and with good reason. In addition, a recent Rasmussen poll shows that only 18 percent of Americans overall would support it. More good news.
It appears this was about nothing more than another way to impose yet another tax on over-taxed, hard working citizens, using a food item because we are getting to the point where food is all they have left to tax.
In fairness to the Governor, he now claims his point wasn’t really to have a new soda tax. The Associated Press reports that “Paterson said his point was to increase awareness for the high caloric content of foods consumed by children, who unlike adults aren’t in a position to make their own choices.”
One can debate that argument…
Taking a Hard Look at the Facts
Vending machines have been put “under attack” to force the children into supposedly “healthy choices”, yet Obesity Research points out that kids get only one-half of one percent of their calories from vending machines. And ouright food bans? Bans only produce black markets, as they have in Texas:
One Texas high school’s ban on snack foods has created a thriving black market for candy bars
and other sweets, reports the Austin American Statesman: “The candy removal plan, according to students at Austin High, was thwarted by classmates who created an underground candy market, turning the hallways of the high school into Willy-Wonka-meets-Casablanca.”
- In a quest to give children “healthier choices”, many turned to fruit juices. However, it has since been determined that fruit juices actually out-pace sugar-added beverages in contributing to weight gain. Innocent parents/guardians and schools inadvertantly could have added to the problem all the while thinking they were helping – all because of hype put out by the government! FACT: Twelve ounces of apple juice contains nearly 160 calories - more than a regular 12-ounce Coke or Pepsi, and most of those calories are in the form of sugars.
- A 2005 study published in the journal Risk Analysis found no relationship between regular soft drink consumption and body-mass index. In addition, an overwhelming number of peer-reviewed studies have shown that there is no link between soft drinks and childhood obesity.
Good news: Soda isn’t the culprit fattening our children or anyone else, for that matter. It really boils down to a lack of movement and/or exercise.
Speaking of Exercise: Troubling Public School Stats
We have public schools aiming for healthier luncheons etc. - why even PETA is getting on the band wagon and pleading that schools feed kids vegetarian school lunches.
But what is the public school system doing about activity? Nothing. Why? Well, it appears because activity doesn’t fill their coffers because it’s rather difficult to tax someone running, jogging, playing a sport, etc. In my own city, the taxpayers had to fund 32 million dollars, most of which went to what I refer to as “Royal Gyms” – then I see these stats:
- Forty-nine of 50 U.S. states do not require daily physical education classes in school.
- October 2004 report from the Institute of Medicine found that daily physical education classes are only offered in 8 percent of elementary schools, 6.4 percent of middle schools, and 5.8 percent of high schools.
This is in spite of evidence proving that children who attend public schools with more frequent physical education classes are increasingly more likely to have normal body weight…yet public schools ignore that angle. Frankly, logic tells me that no public entity has the right to butt into either our eating preferences or our exercise preferences; however, in past days every student had a “gym class” every day of the week. And that was a good thing. It was truly a healthy practice and undoubtedly good for children who otherwise are sitting in classrooms all day.
Perhaps it’s time to get back to the basics?
