In Bittman's essay, the author justifies that taxing bad food would benefit our society in several ways. First, the taxation of bad foods would increase the revenue that local, state, and national government organizations would receive. For example, if a 0.02$ tax per ounce would be placed on sugar-enhanced beverages, around $350 million dollars would be saved annually in the state of Illinois. While studies do not show what this affects their would be on a national level, billions of dollars would most likely be saved if consumers did not spend so much money on not only sugary beverages, but also foods like french fries, hamburgers, and bad snack foods.
Additionally, the taxation of these bad food products would generate more income for the government to spend on more pressing concerns of our nation. Topics like healthcare, retirement, and environmental protection would be greatly enhanced by extra money, which could come from these new taxes. With less bad food available, the emphasis for more healthy foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole-grains would be more prevalent and available. Support for American farmers to produce more produce would increase, which would wean America from its dependence on foreign nations for grown products. Most likely there would be a stronger push for individuals to eat and enjoy these foods at younger ages, so that the support for these more natural foods would be solidified in the youth of today.
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