A little political... WA Chooses Soda over Health and Education

A highlight this year for me was the implementation of a tax here in Washington State on soda and candy. As far as unhealthy items of consumption go, soda and candy are major contributors to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other major (and costly) concerns for which we taxpayers often foot the bill. The proposal to tax those items (by roughly $.02 per can of soda) would have generated an estimated $107 million in the first year to go to health and education programs (or at least to prevent budget cuts in health and education).

[Creative Commons photo by Kevin Wong]

Today I've been reminded of the massive power that 'Big Food' wields. The American Beverage Association (which represents the Soda industry) spent $17 million dollars to squelch this tax. They paid for the signatures to be collected to get the measure on the ballot, they spent millions of dollars in advertisements making it seem like this tax would put people out of jobs, threaten our farmers (what? and just how many sodas use any fruit?), and be unfair to tax this food and not others. Hold on, did they say food? Really? So to be clear, a bottle containing water, corn syrup, and flavorings qualifies as food? Now I know my perception on food might be a little swayed thanks to Michael Pollan, but really? Soda and candy are food? A substance that 7 PhDs and MDs recently stated in the New England Journal of Medicine is significantly contributing to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease (download the full pdf here) is a FOOD!? I'm not even sure if I should be writing about this topic, since in my estimation, these substances fall more under the 'drugs and other intoxicating substances that somehow in a very abstract way resemble food' category.

So, based on millions of dollars in corporate spending, Washington state's voters have decided to repeal this tax. The fat cats of big soda and big candy are patting themselves on the back, congratulating themselves not only for defeating a meager tax which would have done way more good than ill, but for something else as well. Following the footsteps of the other mega-players in the food industry, Big Soda has now also established that they are willing to spend whatever it takes to keep their profit margins the highest, even if it means contributing to a national health epidemic. Once again has the monetary influence of large corporations proving that they actually wield the power in our country. Even on a measure that would give opportunities to our children and our sick, they have the ability to convince the masses into seeing things their way, even if it is through manipulative half-truths or outright 'pants-on-fire' false statements.

Blech. This post leaves a bad, sugary, HFCS taste in my mouth, but then again, so do many of the results of yesterday's voting.

I hope that this can become a cause for people to rally around, to recognize what corporations are doing to manipulate our perspectives and beliefs in order to advance their own quarterly profits. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT US! So lets stop caring about them and their propaganda. Lets start listening to our doctors and scientists, and stop listening to the multi-billion dollar industry spokespeople. Please?