Save the Children Breaks With Soda Tax Effort

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

Over the last year, Save the Children emerged as a leader in the push to tax sweetened soft drinks as a way to combat childhood obesity. The nonprofit group supported soda tax campaigns in Mississippi, New Mexico, Washington State, Philadelphia and the District of Columbia.

At the same time, executives at Save the Children were seeking a major grant from Coca-Cola to help finance the health and education programs that the charity conducts here and abroad, including its work on childhood obesity.

The talks with Coke are still going on. But the soda tax work has been stopped. In October, Save the Children surprised activists around the country with an e-mail message announcing that it would no longer support efforts to tax soft drinks.

In interviews this month, Carolyn Miles, chief operating officer of Save the Children, said there was no connection between the group’s about-face on soda taxes and the discussions with Coke. A $5 million grant from PepsiCo also had no influence on the decision, she said. Both companies fiercely oppose soda taxes.

Ms. Miles said that after Save the Children took a prominent role in several soda tax campaigns, executives reviewed the issue and decided it was too controversial to continue.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/15/business/15soda.html

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WHAT? Save the Children seriously is begging for money from their enemy? Gosh, I'm starting to think about how Obama's becoming more of a suck-up to the GOP every day now.

[frazzled]

1. That is just pathetic

Surrender, Dorothy: when groups like Save the Children can be so easily bought off, it feels like it just isn't worth trying to accomplish anything.

I'm glad I gave up Coke (and all other soft drinks). I haven't had one in years.

[msongs]

2. at least save the children might get a free lifetime supply of coca cola at their HQ lol nt

[Arctic Dave]

3. If bribery is good enough for Nigeria, I guess its good enough for them.

[nyy1998]

4. How the hell do you make the connection b/w Save the Children and Obama/discussion with Republicans?

[alp227]

5. both=sellouts n/t

[nyy1998]

6. w/e, that still doesn't make Obama MORE of a "sellout"

[leveymg]

7. Memo from S. Clause: Deposit coal in 501(c)(3) account of STC.

Off charitable gift list in 2011.