While Democrats await the results of bipartisan negotiations over health care reform in the Senate Finance Committee, one of the proposals put before the committee received a nod of approval from health officials today: taxing soda.
The committee — the last congressional panel expected to produce its own recommendations for health care reform — listened to arguments earlier this year both for and against imposing a three-cent tax on sodas as well as other sugary drinks, including energy and sports drinks like Gatorade.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that a three-cent tax would generate $24 billion over the next four years, and proponents of the tax argued before the committee that it would lower consumption of sugary drinks and improve Americans’ overall health.
At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Weight of the Nation” conference today, CDC chief Dr. Thomas Freiden said increasing the price of unhealthy foods “would be effective” at combating the nation’s obesity problem, reports CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder.
Freiden said he was not endorsing the tax as a member of the administration but was “just presenting the science,” according to Ambinder. He also said policies that would reduce the cost of healthy foods would effectively bring down obesity rates.
Obesity-related health spending reaches $147 billion a year, double what it was nearly a decade ago, according to a study published Monday by the journal Health Affairs.
Given that evidence, the argument goes, a soda tax could plausibly pay for health care reform both by raising revenues and bringing down the medical expenses associated with obesity.
L. Londell McMillan, the attorney for Katherine Jackson, tells THE EARLY SHOW’S Dave Price in an exclusive interview that Michael Jackson’s mother will get custody of his three children under terms of a deal that’s just been reached.
Smokey is the essence of Jack FM. He plays what he wants, when he wants, and is the most loving dog I know. Besides that, he also lives in a run down building in Fort Worth……not really but you should see the size of his dog house! He is a 92 lb. lap dog that got his name by way of … well you figure it out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Coldplay will live up to their 2000 hit “Yellow” this fall when cartoon characters of the band appear on season 21 of The Simpsons. In the episode, Homer hires Coldplay to perform a private concert after winning the lottery. “When Bart goes to the bathroom, Coldplay has to stop,” reveals Simpsons executive producer Al Jean. The Smashing Pumpkins, U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Blink-182 are among the other bands that have made Simpsons cameos.
Chalk one up for Chicago! We have cheap groceries!
Chicagoans who don’t like the looks of their grocery bills can take comfort at least in the fact that when compared to New York and Los Angeles, they pay less than consumers in those metropolitan areas.
This new Disney movie blew the Box Office away last weekend, but did it blow you away? If you haven’t experienced it yet, you should definitely go see it this weekend. It must be good if it knocked Harry Potter out of its number one spot.
Don’t worry, JACK won’t tell anyone that you’re playing games on company time!
Just visit JACK’s Arcade and choose from a vast collection of old school games.
Come join JACK FM from 10:00AM to 2:00PM on Saturday, August 8th at Chicago Bears Family Day, and see the Bears practice at Soldier Field! Come early for the pre-practice festivities that begin outside the stadium at 10:00AM with live music, kids games, strolling entertainment, radio station remotes, event marketing displays and tons of FREE STUFF! Gates to the stadium will open at 10:00AM with practice starting at 12 NOON. Don’t miss your chance to get on the field with the “Jersey off Their Back” scratch and win giveaway distributed upon entry.
