I need a mathematician

[Care4all]

Pulling a few statistics off the Internet, Americans drink 15 billion gallons of soda and 15.7 million gallons of beer every year.

Broken down into 12-ounce cans (recyclable!), how much could be accumulated if a mere $.05 were taxed on each can? (My calculator won't go that high.)

Could some sort of equitable health care reform be paid for with such a tax?

That's what will have to happen. When people are required to pay for the healthcare of others, the government will have to find new ways to tax the people.

BTW, $15B*$.05 = $750 Million. To pay for this, you'll have to start thinking in the trillions.

fyi x
even if it was the Kennedy dream of a Health Care Bill which came to $1.6 trillion OVER TEN YEARS, that would be $160 billion a year in cost....

 

[RadiomanATL]

Pulling a few statistics off the Internet, Americans drink 15 billion gallons of soda and 15.7 million gallons of beer every year.

Broken down into 12-ounce cans (recyclable!), how much could be accumulated if a mere $.05 were taxed on each can? (My calculator won't go that high.)

Could some sort of equitable health care reform be paid for with such a tax?

You tax mah beer any more than it is, I'm gonna get all revolutiony on your ass.

 

[Care4all]

Pulling a few statistics off the Internet, Americans drink 15 billion gallons of soda and 15.7 million gallons of beer every year.

Broken down into 12-ounce cans (recyclable!), how much could be accumulated if a mere $.05 were taxed on each can? (My calculator won't go that high.)

Could some sort of equitable health care reform be paid for with such a tax?

I am absolutely against all sin taxes maggie...

but to answer your question...the math would go something like this...

there are 32 ounces in a quart, so there are 4 times that in a gallon, so that makes 128 ounces in a gallon....time 15 billion gallons for the soda.... which is 1.92 TRILLION ounces, then devide that by the 12 ounce can's worth, which equals 160 Billion cans of soda a year, then multiply this by .05......which comes to $8 billion a year for taxes on the soda...

you can do the beer using the same formula....

care

 

[xsited1]

Pulling a few statistics off the Internet, Americans drink 15 billion gallons of soda and 15.7 million gallons of beer every year.

Broken down into 12-ounce cans (recyclable!), how much could be accumulated if a mere $.05 were taxed on each can? (My calculator won't go that high.)

Could some sort of equitable health care reform be paid for with such a tax?

That's what will have to happen. When people are required to pay for the healthcare of others, the government will have to find new ways to tax the people.

BTW, $15B*$.05 = $750 Million. To pay for this, you'll have to start thinking in the trillions.

fyi x
even if it was the Kennedy dream of a Health Care Bill which came to $1.6 trillion OVER TEN YEARS, that would be $160 billion a year in cost....

Thanks, but forgive me if I don't believe government cost projections.

 

[Meister]

Pulling a few statistics off the Internet, Americans drink 15 billion gallons of soda and 15.7 million gallons of beer every year.

Broken down into 12-ounce cans (recyclable!), how much could be accumulated if a mere $.05 were taxed on each can? (My calculator won't go that high.)

Could some sort of equitable health care reform be paid for with such a tax?

That's what will have to happen. When people are required to pay for the healthcare of others, the government will have to find new ways to tax the people.

BTW, $15B*$.05 = $750 Million. To pay for this, you'll have to start thinking in the trillions.

fyi x
even if it was the Kennedy dream of a Health Care Bill which came to $1.6 trillion OVER TEN YEARS, that would be $160 billion a year in cost....

That's just the average per year. Actually, the major part of thedebt will come in the second half of the 10 years. Plus, they always sugar coat it with best scenario which ends up usually much higher. One given intangible will be the fraud cost that is not included in the bill.

 

[MaggieMae]

Social control thru taxes....

That's a "winner" Hitler had!

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. You don't think something needs to be done to curb the fat pandemic? It ultimately will be YOU who pays for their diabetes, heart disease treatment, bypass surgeries, etc., etc., whether there is government health care or not.

Are you a believer in evolution? Then look up Darwin's law of natural selection and get back to me.

Let it WORK!

I'm sure it will. In the meantime, this is about PAYING FOR health care for the tubbies who willingly abuse their bodies. By your logic, we should just allow them to die off. Nice. I believe somewhere along the line in natural selection, we developed BRAINS in order to better provide for ourselves when the wolves are at the door.

 

[MaggieMae]

Proposing another "sin" tax again ... what's next, taxing beef?

Look up the obesity rate, dear. As a health problem, it now surpasses cigarette smoking. Yes, I'm ALL FOR taxing shit that causes people to unnecessarily need costly health care. It's a no-brainer.

Okay, aside from what Midnight pointed out, you are so full of myths it's sad ... the scary part is that too many people still believe these same myths.

Obesity as defined by the government is not the unhealthy people, it's just people who don't fit in the outdated and already proven inaccurate BMI. Meaning, even the healthiest athletes are considered obese.

That's one myth. Their healthcare does not cost more than anyone else. Heart attacks are more common among "skinny" people who live with a lot of stress than people who are "obese", statistics on this keep changing based on the products they are endorsing, that should be your clue there.

Lastly, "sin" taxes just don't work.

<Sigh...>

Obesity: Epidemic of Enormous Proportions Becoming Big Problem for Bottom Line | Reuters

A myth? What flavor Kool-Aid have you been slurping lately Kit? You've suddenly developed a brand new skin. Just Google "obesity becoming epidemic" and start reading, if you think I'm making this up based on "myth." I have two nieces who are overweight because their parents allow them to everything they want eat all day. Unfortunately, they are now approaching pre-teen and already becoming extremely sensitive to the giggles and putdowns. So there's the mental and emotional aspect to this as well, which is completely unnecessary.

And the "sin tax" on cigarettes has most certainly worked in getting people to quit. But the void which might come from no longer having that tax available is something to be dealt with not in the immediate future. In the meantime, health care costs for smokers who quit are reduced, so which is more important NOW?

 

[MaggieMae]

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. You don't think something needs to be done to curb the fat pandemic? It ultimately will be YOU who pays for their diabetes, heart disease treatment, bypass surgeries, etc., etc., whether there is government health care or not.

Are you a believer in evolution? Then look up Darwin's law of natural selection and get back to me.

Let it WORK!

There's a crazy thing, heavy people exist because their genes have proven to be tougher.

Yeah, that excuse will work real well when you're not invited to the prom. Get real...

 

[MaggieMae]

This is a sensible idea as soda, beer, even purchased water - which still strikes me as an absurd example of corporate need creation through ads - could produce good returns and have little effect on consumers.

Yep, tax the kid's soda pop. That's gonna fly real well with middle America and the poor isn't it? Especially since Obama promised 95% of Americans would get a tax CUT.

If the sales-tax-for-all folks ever have their way, the soda will be over-taxed anyway. Are you trying to tell me people who buy a lot of soda wouldn't be willing to pay another $.05? Of COURSE they would.

 

[Navy1960]

I have a suggestion that might seem rathe simple here. Rather than looking to the Govt. to come up with a solution to pay for the CHOICES that other people make in their lives. Why don't we all start making good choices in our own lives rather than A. worrying about setting standards that apply across the board so that our neighbors may conform to our way of thinking. B. Using taxes as a method by which we try to adjust peoples behavioral habits and raise revenue to make other conform. If you consider soda, beer cigarettes, and other products as bad for you then make the choice for yourself and your family to not use them and live a healthy lifestyle and not look to your Govt. to somehow motivate you into doing so. Further, spend less time worrying about your neighbors lifestyle habits and more on your own and all of us will be much better off. It never ceases to amaze me the time and energy spent on socially engineering others lifestyles when if this energy was focused on our own then all of would be much better off.

 

[Care4all]

That's what will have to happen. When people are required to pay for the healthcare of others, the government will have to find new ways to tax the people.

BTW, $15B*$.05 = $750 Million. To pay for this, you'll have to start thinking in the trillions.

fyi x
even if it was the Kennedy dream of a Health Care Bill which came to $1.6 trillion OVER TEN YEARS, that would be $160 billion a year in cost....

Thanks, but forgive me if I don't believe government cost projections.

oh! plenty of reason to have doubt.... just look at the passed in the wee hours of the morning, 3am to be exact, medicare pill bill whose estimate was 400 billion according to the repubs in leadership on board with it and it ended up being 3 times that price tag or MORE!

no doubt the numbers will go up beyond reason with the dem bill as well....this is why i believe reforms that can reduce costs should be instituted BEFORE A GVT plan ever takes place...!!!

 

[DamnYankee]

luxury taxes may not work, but i really think you guys are wrong, in general, about true ''sin'' tax products...

of course they work! (until a certain point, but a much higher echelon than one would think)

i say this, because sin taxes are put on to ''ADDICTIVE'' products, not that everyone that smokes a cigarette is addicted to the nicotine but i would venture to say that 90% of them are, in varying degrees...

and liquor can also be an addictive product(alcoholism) as well...a ''feel good'' product to the mind that is used by many, just to unwind.

and soda has caffeine in it which is addictive...

our government is NOT trying to punish the sinners in to not sinning...they are preying on the vulnerable who are addicted to these type products...they are preying on an ADDICT to pay for someone elses healthcare, or some other businesses tax break, or whatever project or pet peeve of SOMEONE ELSE!

if smokers were taxed, then given a healthcare policy for this tax specifically designed for themselves, that'd be one thing.

or if liquor drinkers were taxed and they were given a healthcare policy specifically designed to be best for them and their health needs would be another thing...

but to tax these so called vices, (when they truly have people hooked already due to the prominent drug in its addictive quality) for someone elses kid's healthcare or pet project or a tax break to their favored industry, is simply unethical!

NOT to mention, these are regressive taxes that hit the poor and middle class more in mere numbers...

more so than the wealthiest.

care

I'd agree with that if it weren't for the fact that, at least in the case of tobacco products, statistics show that it is now the lower income and less educated who indulge in the "sin" and, therefore, are being targetted to pay for the very health care that the government keeps reminding you that they don't have and can't afford.

 

[RadiomanATL]

This is a sensible idea as soda, beer, even purchased water - which still strikes me as an absurd example of corporate need creation through ads - could produce good returns and have little effect on consumers.

Yep, tax the kid's soda pop. That's gonna fly real well with middle America and the poor isn't it? Especially since Obama promised 95% of Americans would get a tax CUT.

If the sales-tax-for-all folks ever have their way, the soda will be over-taxed anyway. Are you trying to tell me people who buy a lot of soda wouldn't be willing to pay another $.05? Of COURSE they would.

Am I reading that right? You're justification for the tax is "well, they won't mind paying another $.05"?

GTFO with that shit.

And shifting the tax burden to a consumption tax does not mean over tax. Just so ya know.

 

[DamnYankee]

Look up the obesity rate, dear. As a health problem, it now surpasses cigarette smoking. Yes, I'm ALL FOR taxing shit that causes people to unnecessarily need costly health care. It's a no-brainer.

Okay, aside from what Midnight pointed out, you are so full of myths it's sad ... the scary part is that too many people still believe these same myths.

Obesity as defined by the government is not the unhealthy people, it's just people who don't fit in the outdated and already proven inaccurate BMI. Meaning, even the healthiest athletes are considered obese.

That's one myth. Their healthcare does not cost more than anyone else. Heart attacks are more common among "skinny" people who live with a lot of stress than people who are "obese", statistics on this keep changing based on the products they are endorsing, that should be your clue there.

Lastly, "sin" taxes just don't work.

<Sigh...>

Obesity: Epidemic of Enormous Proportions Becoming Big Problem for Bottom Line | Reuters

A myth? What flavor Kool-Aid have you been slurping lately Kit? You've suddenly developed a brand new skin. Just Google "obesity becoming epidemic" and start reading, if you think I'm making this up based on "myth." I have two nieces who are overweight because their parents allow them to everything they want eat all day. Unfortunately, they are now approaching pre-teen and already becoming extremely sensitive to the giggles and putdowns. So there's the mental and emotional aspect to this as well, which is completely unnecessary.

And the "sin tax" on cigarettes has most certainly worked in getting people to quit. But the void which might come from no longer having that tax available is something to be dealt with not in the immediate future. In the meantime, health care costs for smokers who quit are reduced, so which is more important NOW?

So what is it you want? A sin tax on eating due to the failure of people to take personsibility for their own habits?

 

[DamnYankee]

If the sales-tax-for-all folks ever have their way, the soda will be over-taxed anyway. Are you trying to tell me people who buy a lot of soda wouldn't be willing to pay another $.05? Of COURSE they would.

Not if they only buy DIET soda....

 

[Care4all]

I ate like a pig as a child, but I played like a maniac....

much of this has to do with the lack of exercise.... we didn't have tvs in the house, we had A TV, and black and withe one at that, which DAD controlled.

We played outside, and we played hard...running, jumping, softball, kickball and teatherball...then when older, tennis and hiking and canoeing, and for me, cheerleading and gymnastics...we had gym every day of the week in school... we had no soda machines in school nor snack machines, you made your lunch or you got it from the cafeteria line....

I did skip my studyhall to go to mcdonalds every day, to grease it up, and after cheerleading practice or a game, would go to the local icecream shop with friends and eat a banana split or icecream soda for goodness sakes and if I weighed in a mere 100 lbs at 5'3''(and a half )it would have been a miracle!

There are things we can do to actually HELP the obese, starting with our children, and teaching them to live a healthy lifestyle by enjoying outdoor sports and activities instead of sitting in front of a video game muNching on chips and drinking soda... make it fun to be outdoors and with other people, in REAL LIFE! YA know what i mean?

 

[Big Black Dog]

I need a mathematician

Would love to help you but I can only count to 21 if I'm naked. Some days, just 20 1/2...

 

[DamnYankee]

I need a mathematician

Would love to help you but I can only count to 21 if I'm naked. Some days, just 20 1/2...

Not enough help on those days?

 

[MaggieMae]

I have a suggestion that might seem rathe simple here. Rather than looking to the Govt. to come up with a solution to pay for the CHOICES that other people make in their lives. Why don't we all start making good choices in our own lives rather than A. worrying about setting standards that apply across the board so that our neighbors may conform to our way of thinking. B. Using taxes as a method by which we try to adjust peoples behavioral habits and raise revenue to make other conform. If you consider soda, beer cigarettes, and other products as bad for you then make the choice for yourself and your family to not use them and live a healthy lifestyle and not look to your Govt. to somehow motivate you into doing so. Further, spend less time worrying about your neighbors lifestyle habits and more on your own and all of us will be much better off. It never ceases to amaze me the time and energy spent on socially engineering others lifestyles when if this energy was focused on our own then all of would be much better off.

All well and good, but when did preaching only ever do much good with grown adults? It's been my experience (probably as long as yours, Navy) that bad habits usually don't go away until someone either (a) can't afford it, (b) is damaging to their physical beauty/health, or (c) have an epiphany. That's why self-help books are a multi-billion dollar industry.

 

[MaggieMae]

luxury taxes may not work, but i really think you guys are wrong, in general, about true ''sin'' tax products...

of course they work! (until a certain point, but a much higher echelon than one would think)

i say this, because sin taxes are put on to ''ADDICTIVE'' products, not that everyone that smokes a cigarette is addicted to the nicotine but i would venture to say that 90% of them are, in varying degrees...

and liquor can also be an addictive product(alcoholism) as well...a ''feel good'' product to the mind that is used by many, just to unwind.

and soda has caffeine in it which is addictive...

our government is NOT trying to punish the sinners in to not sinning...they are preying on the vulnerable who are addicted to these type products...they are preying on an ADDICT to pay for someone elses healthcare, or some other businesses tax break, or whatever project or pet peeve of SOMEONE ELSE!

if smokers were taxed, then given a healthcare policy for this tax specifically designed for themselves, that'd be one thing.

or if liquor drinkers were taxed and they were given a healthcare policy specifically designed to be best for them and their health needs would be another thing...

but to tax these so called vices, (when they truly have people hooked already due to the prominent drug in its addictive quality) for someone elses kid's healthcare or pet project or a tax break to their favored industry, is simply unethical!

NOT to mention, these are regressive taxes that hit the poor and middle class more in mere numbers...

more so than the wealthiest.

care

I'd agree with that if it weren't for the fact that, at least in the case of tobacco products, statistics show that it is now the lower income and less educated who indulge in the "sin" and, therefore, are being targetted to pay for the very health care that the government keeps reminding you that they don't have and can't afford.

That's true, and the same would be true by taxing junk food. It's all part of that overall cycle of poverty which engenders crime, STDs, multiple births (thus welfare), and bad habits. I don't think any of us will see any solution in our lifetimes, but I do think poverty could be reduced by massive community action concentrated on education, both academically and socially.