How much of the pricetag on that bottle of Jack Daniels is going to the taxman? In New York it's over $6. In Alaska it's almost $13.00. Other states are anywhere from a buck to several bucks. Then there are the states (18 of them) where the government completely controls all sales and profits from alcoholic spirits.

How about that pack of Marlboros? How much of that price is added by the state? If you're in New Jersey, more than $2.00 is going to the government. Yeah, the State can impose a 100% user cost penalty on these consumers and nobody says "Boo".

And why is that? How can the government get away with such phenomenal taxation schemes? Well, it's obvious, isn't it? These are immoral items. Only immoral people are being forced to pay extra taxes. Plus, they aren't healthy. Consumption of these items leads to deteriorating health conditions and that creates a burden on society. So if we make the consumers pay up front then the State won't have to foot the bill later on.

So why don't we do this with sugar? Depending on the source you will find that the obesity rate in America is reportedly over 30%. Over Thirty Per Cent. With 292,867,649 Americans that means we have over 87 million obese people in America. That's a lot, in case you were wondering.

Do problem drinkers comprise over 30% of the American population? Do smokers? (Only cigarette smokers, of course. People who use pipes or smoke cigars aren't nailed like cigarette smokers are.) No, of course not.

Why is this huge problem being ignored by our state legislatures? Can't they see that we are collectively crying out for behavioral correction through taxation? Obesity is out of control. It causes problems on mass transit (who wants to sit next to the sweaty fat guy?) and in our movie theaters (the newer cinema seats are getting bigger but they still can't handle an ass that normally fills a love seat). Sugar abuse and obesity are leading causes of diabetes as well as the single most common cause for health care workers getting back pain from picking up big floppy fat patients.

Sugar filled, caffeinated beverages are the number one liquid consumed in America. That's just nuts. Put a quarter tax on each twelve ounce can of soda. Not only would this put soda out of the casual economic reach of the poor (the people who need this health correction the most!) but billions of dollars would be collected by the States to help pay for the care and treatment of diabetics.

Lolipops, chocolate bars, marzipan...treats of the Devil. Candy would need a 25% tax on it. Maybe more for those particularly offensive ones like Cadbury Creme Eggs and Three Musketeer Bars. Yeah, to be safe we should make it a 50% tax on these. I mean they are totally and completely a vehicle for the delivery of deadly sugar. No redeemable factors at all with these death nuggets.

Breakfast cereals would need severe taxation. Any kids' cereal where the first ingredient on the box is sugar would get 100% taxed. Ones that have sugar but not as the top ingredient could get 50% tax. I mean, come on here! They are marketing this death powder specifically to our kids! These heartless companies are doing their utmost to turn our kids into toneless ovoid blobs. Taxing's too good for the likes of them but we want to keep this proposal within the bounds of current law so I'll keep my more drastic opinions to myself.

Sugar itself in a pure form would still remain untaxed, of course. Just like you can get nicotine in a bag without paying massive taxes you could still get your own back of the white powder for personal cooking and baking. It's only the support of the big sugar product companies that are a realistic problem.

This is such a perfect solution. If only our legislators could figure out that simple step from taxing vice and morality to taxing for health. With such an established method of control and coersion you'd think they'd have been working on this by now, wouldn't you?