Taxing The Sugary Stuff?

A recent USDA study found that a "tax-induced 20-percent price increase on caloric sweetened beverages
could cause an average reduction of 37 calories per day, or 3.8 pounds
of body weight over a year, for adults and an average of 43 calories
per day, or 4.5 pounds over a year, for children." Reihan's response:

I tend to think that some kind of soda tax is inevitable. As Alan Viard suggests, it is very tempting to tax seemingly frivolous goods,like tanning and "luxury" vehicles. I would much...