John Stossel Shows What Really Happens When Lefty Politicians Raise Taxes to 'Help' People

Doug P. | 11:45 AM on December 28, 2023

Five years ago, Philadelphia progressives passed a soda tax with the idea that it would "help" the poor, kids and others:

Philadelphia, the nation's largest city with a soda tax, has the right to charge its 1.5-cents-per-ounce levy on sweetened beverages, the state Supreme Court ruled in a bitter defeat for retailers and distributors.
The ruling was a crucial victory for backers of such taxes as cities and states wrestle with the contentious tax that could be good for health and public coffers.
[...]
The Philadelphia version of the tax was designed to help fund pre-kindergarten programs, parks, libraries and other services.

As with most other great ideas from the Left, they either didn't think it through or didn't care because they had dollar signs in their eyes.

John Stossel looked back on how things are going five years later, and as usual it's the regular people who are paying the price in more ways than one:

5 years ago… I reported on Philadelphia’s new tax on soda. The politicians promised to spend the money on early childhood education.

5 years later… here’s what happened: pic.twitter.com/SFVNU23VEy
— John Stossel (@JohnStossel) December 26, 2023

Another Big Government "success" story!

Essentially every new tax proposal promises a variation of the same thing:

“We’ll take something away from people who don’t need it to give it to others who need it more.”

Have you EVER seen it work out that way?

Neither have I. https://t.co/PJUAHPCsqQ
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) December 27, 2023

Too bad more residents won't consider not continuing to vote for Democrats as a result.

If you think that is bad, check out the waste, grift, and outright lies around gas taxes. Everyone takes it for granted but what does it really pay for besides a mountain of bureaucrats?
— Eric (@CurlyRunnerEric) December 27, 2023