A Coke Tax for Health Care Reform?

As the health care reform debate rages on, Kate Schwartz at Newser.com wonders if a potential funding source might be part of the solution. She writes:

In the L.A. Times yesterday, Melissa Healy floated the idea that yep, it may be time for tough love -- in the form of a much-debated tax on "sinful-food" items.

She cites a recent poll that has 53% of Americans favoring a tax on sugary beverages to help pay for health care reform -- and, of those opposed, 63% changed their mind if doing so "would help tackle the problems that stem from being overweight."

We're going to end up paying more either way, so bring on the $4 liters of Coca-Cola. Let's hope they push half the people to drink tap water and pay for the dogged sugar addiction of the other half.

Truly the Un-Cola

A "soft drink" made from skimmed milk and carbonated fruit soda? Believe it or not, that is the recipe being used by the world's most successful soft-drink company to launch a new beverage called Vio.

Vio is described as a "vibrancy" soft drink. Although milk-based sodas are not unusual in Asia, they have never gained traction among consumers in Western Europe or North America.

As a British newspaper reports, the early reviews of Vio are not encouraging for the Coca-Cola Co.