Man Drinking Fat. NYC Health Anti-Soda Ad. Are You Pouring on the Pounds?

I figured I would share some of my essay research with you: I found it disturbing...
Above is part of an ad campaign in New York to try and get people to be aware of the link between soda consumption and obesity. The health concerns with drinking sugary beverages are innumerous.
There is another ad campaign (below) going on by the Americans Against Food Taxes where the complaint is that people cant afford to pay the tax on soda(*my thought: then why are you buying soda? drink water).
Strange coincidence that soda is consumed in largest amounts amongst the low income and obesity rates are highest amongst the low income. Hmmmm....
I just don't believe that if your kids cant have these now unfordable, high taxed, high sugar drinks they will suffer from dehydration. This is exactly what Maureen Storey of the American Beverage Association would like you to believe: "Soda is comprised mostly of water. A full-calorie soft drink has 90 percent water, and a diet soft drink is 99 percent water. Water is the most important nutrient that we have... There are some studies that show that particularly with children, children who have been exercising may not drink enough water to get back to the hydration point that they need to be at. So with a little bit of flavoring and a little bit of sweetness, they will drink enough, then, to get back to where they need to be."

To this I ask:

Where are these studies? Done by?
Is 8-12 teaspoons of sugar considered "a little bit of sweetness"?
What else is this water and sugar giving us nutritionally?
Some kids are not getting enough to eat at night. Why don't we just serve them cake and ice cream so they will eat?