Yeah I Love Soda, Pick Your Own Poison: Soda tax ballot measures fizzle in California

I'm not a smoker and I rarely drink alcohol (at least now) but I do LOVE my soda. We have to die of something.

Mitt Romney wasn't the only loser in the elections. Voters in two California cities rejected measures that would have imposed the nation's first penny-per-ounce taxes on businesses that sell sodas and other sugary drinks in an effort to boost municipal revenue and fight obesity.

In El Monte, 76.8 percent of voters said no, while in Richmond, 66.9 percent opposed the measure, according to final results from last Tuesday's election.

Calls to tax sugary drinks have gathered steam as more cities and states struggle to close budget gaps and American waistlines continue to expand.

The American Beverage Association - which represents PepsiCo Inc, Coca-Cola Inc, Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc and other beverage companies - has spent millions of dollars to beat back soda taxes around the country. The ABA has a strong record of defeating soda tax efforts.

Even though I'm about 6'5 and 90 pounds, I do love my soda. Please don't make it more expensive. All soda drinkers are not obese. Taxes will not stop an obese person from drinking Pepsi.

We're Almost There: Voting and Taxes

No matter how hard
The task may seem
Don't give up our plans
Don't give up our dreams

No broken bridges
Can turn us around
Cause what we're searchin' for
Will soon be found

California voters narrowly rejected a ballot measure that would have added a $1 tax to a pack of cigarettes in the state's primary election Tuesday, an outcome observers attributed to a $47 million ad blitz by the tobacco industry.

The measure, known as Proposition 29, was defeated 50.8 percent to 49.2 percent on a day of light voter turnout, according to election results posted on Wednesday by California's secretary of state. Some absentee and other ballots remained to be counted.

The result reflected a long-standing political divide in California, with San Francisco Bay area counties heavily supporting the measure, while conservative suburban counties in more populous Southern California overwhelmingly opposed it.

I lost my grandfather to his long-term smoking habit. I never had the chance to meet him. He passed away before my father hit his teen years. We know that smoking kills. I don't want to sugar-coat that fact. Many of taxpayers' money is going to fund cancer treatments. The cigarette industry needs to pay. It is sad that low voting turnout prevented California to increase taxes on cigarettes.

COME ON PEOPLE.....GET OUT AND VOTE!!!!!

This is my rant of the week.