Taxing Bad Behavior

The other day we told you federal lawmakers were pondering a tax on soda to help pay for President Obama's health care plans. Soda, as you probably have heard, is loaded with more sugar than you need.

Now Politico reports that Congress is looking at a range of sin taxes, from a $2 tax on a pack of cigarettes to a higher excise tax on alcohol.

Meanwhile, the soda tax got an icy stare from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa): "I think, quite frankly, the only reason it's being brought up is to get it shot down early so it doesn't become part of the debate," he said. "I don't think it's going to have any legs at all."

As of this writing, 39 percent of LiveScience readers in our poll on the soda tax idea say yes, it should be taxed.