Sip & Savor has long made the argument that talk about a soft drink tax has far more to do with a money grab by big government to pay for even bigger government. We've also laid out the data and science that shows a soft drink tax won't work in reducing obesity. You just can't tax someone to better health.

Well, even our critics are finally conceding these points. Wednesday, the same old gang of scientists and activists released yet another piece advocating for taxing the beverages of hard-working Americans.

This portion of The New York Times article today captured similar sentiments expressed in various media outlets.

The New York Times wrote:

The soft drink industry has adamantly resisted the notion that its products are responsible for a national increase in obesity or that a tax would help curb the problem.

And even a supporter of a beverage tax said it was not clear if it would have a direct effect on the waistlines of Americans. (Highlighting added by Sip & Savor)

"I think we should be satisfied that soda taxes would be having a modest effect on consumption but would generate billions of dollars that could be used to mount public health campaigns," said Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group that favors such a tax.

In other words:

That tax won't directly impact obesity. The tax is a money grab. For more government programs.

(And I hate to pop the gentleman's balloon, but if government raises billions of dollars off a tax—it's not going to go for public health campaigns. That money is going to the general fund to pay for all kinds of bigger government spending. The track record underscoring this reality is clear, whether it's the federal government or state governments.)

There are better ways to reduce obesity and improve health care. Let's stop wasting our time on money grabs—as these grabs only end up wasting taxpayers' money.