Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) have found a new battleground in soda taxes, according to The New York Times.
Ms. Clinton endorsed a tax on soda last week, becoming the only presidential candidate to do so, according to the report. Those who support the tax see it as a public health goal, or as a way to fund education. Ms. Clinton's campaign frames the tax as the latter, according to the report.
However, those who don't support the tax see it as a burden that falls disproportionately on the poor, who consume more soda. Sen. Sanders follows this logic. "Making sure that every family has high-quality, affordable preschool and child care is a vision that I strongly share," Sen. Sanders said in a statement, according to the report. "On the other hand, I do not support paying for this proposal through a regressive tax on soda that will significantly increase taxes on low-income and middle-class Americans. At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, it should be the people on top who see an increase in their taxes, not low-income and working people."
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