A Pepsi Tax?

Throughout the 2008 campaign, we heard many Democrats proclaim themselves the champions of the middle class. Barack Obama couldn't make a campaign stop without mentioning how the middle class was getting squeezed and how he was going to dole out tax cuts and all sorts of goodies to make sure the middle class was protected. Other Democrats had similar messages. The class warfare was less rich vs. poor than rich vs. middle class. Of course, the definition of "middle class" kept changing.
Now that the economic situation is growing more dire, some Democrats are proposing things to do exactly what they said they would not do: tighten their fist on the middle class.
Faced with a $12.5 billion deficit next year, New York Governor David Paterson took time out from criticizing "Saturday Night Live" for making fun of him to ready a budget proposal which he will unveil in a few days.
To get up more cash, he is proposing the following:
Higher gasoline taxes New taxes on clothing New taxes on health insurance Requiring new license plates
And my personal favorite: an "anti-obesity" tax on non-diet soda.
If you want a Diet Pepsi, no problem. If you want a regular Pepsi, you're screwed. Wait, correction: According to New York State, you're fat AND you're screwed.
This is just the latest in a long line of prying eyes by the government into our personal freedom. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has put into effect all kinds of intrusions, including banning transfats and putting a 6 cent surcharge on all plastic bags. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has banned plastic water bottles. Most cities and states have passed smoking bans, instead of allowing individual establishments to determine whether or not to allow smoking.
And who can forget The chosen one's campaign statement: "We can't drive our SUV's, you know, eat as much as we want, and keep our homes on, you know, 72 degrees at all times."
We can't? Nope! Not with the liberals in charge. You must follow the commands of the central government: You must drive what they want you to drive. You must eat what they tell you to eat. You must set your thermostat where they tell you to set it. You must stand in your assigned position on the sidewalk for state military parades. You must allow the government to open and read your mail. You must never speak openly of the government. They are there to help you be a better citizen of the Fatherland.
This is step by step fascism. It starts with plastic water bottles, moves on to non-diet soda, and ends with you in chains of a socialist nation.
It's time we demanded some of our freedoms back, and a reversal of those we've already lost.
It's time to start stocking up on Pepsi I guess.