Pirate's Cove

We all remember that members of both State governments and the Federal government have suggested taxes on soda. Now, a group of busy bodies have recommended a tax on pizza

U.S. researchers estimate that an 18 percent tax on pizza and soda can push down U.S. adults’ calorie intake enough to lower their average weight by 5 pounds (2 kg) per year.

The researchers, writing in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine on Monday, suggested taxing could be used as a weapon in the fight against obesity, which costs the United States an estimated $147 billion a year in health costs.

“While such policies will not solve the obesity epidemic in its entirety and may face considerable opposition from food manufacturers and sellers, they could prove an important strategy to address overconsumption, help reduce energy intake and potentially aid in weight loss and reduced rates of diabetes among U.S. adults,” wrote the team led by Kiyah Duffey of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

With two-thirds of Americans either overweight or obese, policymakers are increasingly looking at taxing as a way to address obesity on a population level.

The entire problem with this notion is that taxation was never meant to be a means to control behavior. Quite frankly, any weight issues of We The People are none of the lawmakers (self deleted) business. What was that thing about Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness? Then there is the Blessings of Liberty. Concepts our Nanny State lawmakers fail to understand.

Interestingly, any soda tax could be considered un-Constitutional

Article I, Section 9: No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.

Unless that soda is made in the state you are purchasing it, you cannot be charged a tax. And since all taxes must be equal, per that Constitution thing liberals say they like, but always refute (and do not understand), charging some tax and others not would, of course, be un-Constitutional.

They’ll pry my pizza out of my cold, grease covered hands!

BTW, if you want a grease-less pizza, use whole milk cheese instead of part skim (which is what most pizza places use to save money.)  Costs a little more, but goes a lot farther, without the grease. Oh, and don’t spin the pizza dough in your kitchen. Flour goes everywhere. Made that mistake once at home. I used to run a pizza place while in grad school.

Hat tip to Annie.

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU