Chris the Libertarian...sort of

The "Deficit" is a funny thing. I put it in quotations because it's a major issue to the American public, and yet it isn't. Everyone seems to be quite concerned about it, but any measures that could meaningfully reduce it are incredibly unpopular. Any cuts in Medicare or Social Security will piss off seniors, the most dependable voters, any effort to cut military spending will piss off the military-industrial complex, and any effort to raise taxes pisses off conservatives, along with the people who's taxes are being raised. No one really loves to get less from their paycheck, even if they can accept that it is going to worthy things. Among the recent presidential candidates who campaigned on reducing the deficits were President H. Ross Perot and President Walter Mondale (conservatives seem to forget that Ronald Reagan didn't give a flying flip about the deficit). So yes, people are concerned, but it wont make them pry their ample frames from their favorite tan easy chairs during a rerun of the Bill Engvall Show to go do something.

But there are various proposals on ways to raise revenue and maybe reduce the deficit. One that's gotten much attention recently is a tax on soda. I consider myself a civil libertarian, and I would be fine with such a tax. I would be fine with higher taxes on cigarettes, even though I very much oppose any effort to restrict where people can smoke. Also, I'm opposed to the ban on trans fats that was implemented in New York City a few years ago. While this may seem inconsistent at first, there is a reason behind it. I believe the government has wide latitude to disincentivize certain behaviors that may be be harmful and are costing the public great sums of money, and one of the most effective ways it can do this is through taxing. I may be a civil libertarian, but like a good economic liberal I believe the government's power to tax is plenary, as long as it passes Equal Protection muster and ex-post facto rules, etc... However, I do not believe the government should ban things (I must concede they have the authority to do this, I just oppose it). They shouldn't ban smoking, trans fats, sodas, alcohol, prostitution, marijuana, driving without wearing a seatbelt, and many other things that are harmful and a net loss for society, but are so damn fun!...well, driving without a seatbelt is just stupid, but should still be legal since you're only hurting yourself. I take a pretty expansive view of government's role in the lives of people, but I don't think it has a role in stopping people from doing harmful things to themselves.

Government should allow harmful things like smoking, sodas, and drugs, but should also tax them heavily to provide for the health care these people will eventually need. I guess I view government like the bumpers on a bowling ball lane. It's not there to keep you veering from side to side, but it is there to keep you from going into the gutter, and maybe to push you in a certain direction...through taxes.

So levy a tax on sodas. It will probably result in a healthier country, but don't you dare tell me i can't drink them if I want to.