A wary adolescent sips his soda while he can still afford it.Photo: istockphoto.com

In deliberating over how to pay for health-care reform, Congress is considering a proposal to tax non-diet sodas, as well as "certain fruit drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks and ready-to-drink teas." Though it may seem like they're trying to discourage the drinking of beverages entirely, the real motivation is to save on the medical costs of treating "obesity, diabetes and other ailments" promoted by sugary beverages. However, Congress might note that, as Governor Paterson soon learned when he proposed a similar tax for New York late last year, people are quite content with the soda-disease trade-off as it now stands. [WSJ]