I heard on the news today that President Obama is considering putting a tax on sugary drinks (soda, energy drinks, sports drinks, and many juices) as a response to the obesity issue in the United States. It would also help pay for healthcare reform, which would help make health insurance affordable for millions of Americans who can't afford it now.

Why sugary drinks? The more sugary drinks you have, the more likely you are to become obese, get diabetes, or have high blood pressure.

People are comparing this to the increasing the tax on cigarettes, which they've found extremely helpful in getting people to quit smoking. The idea is that if you charge people more money to do something that's bad for their health, it will make them think twice before doing it. (Similarly, it may be why so few people go to gyms - since it's so expensive to go).

They estimate that a penny for every ounce of sugary drink could raise up to $14.9 BILLION in the first year! (All of which would go to help pay for parts of the new healthcare reform that Obama is pressing). This would not include diet, sugar-free drinks.

Would you still buy a 12-pack of soda if it now cost you $4.64 instead of $3.20? I might think twice...