Forums > Social Chat > US Gov't At It Again
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the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
Posted:
This is really funny.
Anyone who has ever worked in a US grocery store knows that certain foods are taxable and others are not. Necessities..veggies, meat, fruits, dairy, etc. are not taxable items. Luxury...chips, soda, candy, etc are taxable under sales tax.
Now there is a proposal for an additional "junk food tax" just as there is a proposal for an additional "cigarette tax".
The promotion behind this idea is that this tax will go on all junk food, discourage people from buying it and therefore start to create a healthier and less obese US. Literally, this is what the gov't sees as an answer to obesity.
I was driving when I heard this and my jaw dropped open first and then I laughed. In attempting to seem like they care, they only come across as more money hungry than ever. This type of tactic hasn't worked on alcohol or cigarettes, it won't on Doritos.
It is still in dabating stages, but the whole battle cry of it is "To Help Eliminate the Obesity Epidemic" is laughable. How about lowering the cost of psychological care? How about free classes on nutrition and healthy eating? Oh so many other ways...but they don't make money!
Gods I love America! *said dripping with sarcasm of course*
This is really funny.
Anyone who has ever worked in a US grocery store knows that certain foods are taxable and others are not. Necessities..veggies, meat, fruits, dairy, etc. are not taxable items. Luxury...chips, soda, candy, etc are taxable under sales tax.
Now there is a proposal for an additional "junk food tax" just as there is a proposal for an additional "cigarette tax".
The promotion behind this idea is that this tax will go on all junk food, discourage people from buying it and therefore start to create a healthier and less obese US. Literally, this is what the gov't sees as an answer to obesity.
I was driving when I heard this and my jaw dropped open first and then I laughed. In attempting to seem like they care, they only come across as more money hungry than ever. This type of tactic hasn't worked on alcohol or cigarettes, it won't on Doritos.
It is still in dabating stages, but the whole battle cry of it is "To Help Eliminate the Obesity Epidemic" is laughable. How about lowering the cost of psychological care? How about free classes on nutrition and healthy eating? Oh so many other ways...but they don't make money!
Gods I love America! *said dripping with sarcasm of course*
Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK
member
442 posts
Location: Rochester, NY, USA
442 posts
Location: Rochester, NY, USA
Posted:
I wonder if it would be cheaper to make potato chips at home?
I wonder if it would be cheaper to make potato chips at home?
FYI: I am not Pele. If you wish to reply to me and use a short version of my name, use: PWB.
English? Who needs that? I'm never going to England. - Homer Jay Simpson
member
55 posts
55 posts
Posted:
I'll pay extra for my pork fat if I have to.
I'll pay extra for my pork fat if I have to.
member
1,591 posts
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.
1,591 posts
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.
Posted:
well it does work in the sense that these taxes typically use the money spent on cigarettes for example and put them back into the healthcare system (atleast that's how it works in canada)
My province recently taxed the living shit out of cigarettes and the number of people quitting smokeing has risen dramaticly. Even the amount of people quiting didn't rise there still should be a tax on the damnthings. Why should I pay for a bunch of jerks to sit around in hospitals dieing because they smoke to many cigarettes.
Did the government actually say "yes this single plan will solve all obsesity problems in the US" or did they just hype it up like every other damn thing they do? Because the government always does that, it's called politics. It doesn't mean they have no other plans to solve obsesity (truely they don't have much) but I don't see why you are shitting on them for this. Maybe fat people should start paying more into healthcare because they are the ones who use it. I would like to see the tax collection system restructured as much as possible so the people who use services pay for them and those who don't don't pay.
well it does work in the sense that these taxes typically use the money spent on cigarettes for example and put them back into the healthcare system (atleast that's how it works in canada)
My province recently taxed the living shit out of cigarettes and the number of people quitting smokeing has risen dramaticly. Even the amount of people quiting didn't rise there still should be a tax on the damnthings. Why should I pay for a bunch of jerks to sit around in hospitals dieing because they smoke to many cigarettes.
Did the government actually say "yes this single plan will solve all obsesity problems in the US" or did they just hype it up like every other damn thing they do? Because the government always does that, it's called politics. It doesn't mean they have no other plans to solve obsesity (truely they don't have much) but I don't see why you are shitting on them for this. Maybe fat people should start paying more into healthcare because they are the ones who use it. I would like to see the tax collection system restructured as much as possible so the people who use services pay for them and those who don't don't pay.
veteran
1,359 posts
Location: London/ Surrey
1,359 posts
Location: London/ Surrey
Posted:
funny you should say that astar, our Government is seriously considering penalising smokers and the obese when it comes to NHS treatment.
It's a valid point, illness from smoking and being morbidly overweight does cost the health authorities a lot of money... but if one of us was rushed to hospital for burns and fuel inhalation I wouldn't like to be refused because it resulted from my unhealthy hobby, so I'd feel hypocritcal denying someone else treatment for theirs
funny you should say that astar, our Government is seriously considering penalising smokers and the obese when it comes to NHS treatment.
It's a valid point, illness from smoking and being morbidly overweight does cost the health authorities a lot of money... but if one of us was rushed to hospital for burns and fuel inhalation I wouldn't like to be refused because it resulted from my unhealthy hobby, so I'd feel hypocritcal denying someone else treatment for theirs
The optimist claims that we are living in the best of all possible worlds.
The pessimist fears this is true.
Always make time to play in the snow.
BRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
Posted:
First of all, the gov't doesn't pay for healthcare in the US, people do, in the form of HMO's and overpriced hospital bills. Therefore, they should be able to do with their bodies as they want. If public healthcare is that big of an issue on public taxes then cars and athletics should be banned because they are the source of more injuries than most obesity or smoking diseases. There are just as much issues involved with working out too much as there are with too little, so your statement about fat people using the healthcare system is incredibly judgemental, I feel. But that is not the point of all this...
Now, for the relatively small amount of people that are morbidly obese...this tax is not going to help. There are bigger issues there. And now let's look at the people who eat these things most, they tend to not be the ones this is aimed at, and the government knows it. Notice how fast food is not included as junk food? I should think if it were a genuine concern then they would be the first to have imposed taxation. Everyone who enjoys these things is liable to pay for them, which is a really large part of the population.
And yes, they did release a statement saying they anticipate this will help solve the nation's obesity issues, which is a grossly negligent statement. That is why I think this is laughable and why I am down on the gov't for the proposal. It's ignorant statements like this that propagate ill conceived stereotypes.
This is one of the biggest wastes of time and money I have seen come out of the US since the Star Wars in the 80's, well other than the study on the fluid dynamics of ketchup! lol
PWB...you should know, I have made them before..but you wouldn't try them cause they were made from sweet potatoes!
Latex...that was funny as hell!
First of all, the gov't doesn't pay for healthcare in the US, people do, in the form of HMO's and overpriced hospital bills. Therefore, they should be able to do with their bodies as they want. If public healthcare is that big of an issue on public taxes then cars and athletics should be banned because they are the source of more injuries than most obesity or smoking diseases. There are just as much issues involved with working out too much as there are with too little, so your statement about fat people using the healthcare system is incredibly judgemental, I feel. But that is not the point of all this...
Now, for the relatively small amount of people that are morbidly obese...this tax is not going to help. There are bigger issues there. And now let's look at the people who eat these things most, they tend to not be the ones this is aimed at, and the government knows it. Notice how fast food is not included as junk food? I should think if it were a genuine concern then they would be the first to have imposed taxation. Everyone who enjoys these things is liable to pay for them, which is a really large part of the population.
And yes, they did release a statement saying they anticipate this will help solve the nation's obesity issues, which is a grossly negligent statement. That is why I think this is laughable and why I am down on the gov't for the proposal. It's ignorant statements like this that propagate ill conceived stereotypes.
This is one of the biggest wastes of time and money I have seen come out of the US since the Star Wars in the 80's, well other than the study on the fluid dynamics of ketchup! lol
PWB...you should know, I have made them before..but you wouldn't try them cause they were made from sweet potatoes!
Latex...that was funny as hell!
Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK
member
106 posts
Location: BC, Canada
106 posts
Location: BC, Canada
Posted:
In my province along with tax the hell out of cigerettes we have also banned smoking from any public building and drinking/eating estabishments(including pubs/nightclubs). Some doctors are even refusing to take new patients who smoke. Also there is are taxes on junk foods. While I don't know if the taxes have anything to do with it, I find that out of western provinces (never been to eastern canada) BC is the most health conscience.
While a small percentage may be morbidly obese 60% of the north american pop. is obese. That is extremely high and something should be done to help people reach healthier goals. But because the health system in Canada and the US are so different then it would be hard say what works here would work there.
In my province along with tax the hell out of cigerettes we have also banned smoking from any public building and drinking/eating estabishments(including pubs/nightclubs). Some doctors are even refusing to take new patients who smoke. Also there is are taxes on junk foods. While I don't know if the taxes have anything to do with it, I find that out of western provinces (never been to eastern canada) BC is the most health conscience.
While a small percentage may be morbidly obese 60% of the north american pop. is obese. That is extremely high and something should be done to help people reach healthier goals. But because the health system in Canada and the US are so different then it would be hard say what works here would work there.
member
234 posts
Location: Oceanside, California USA
234 posts
Location: Oceanside, California USA
Posted:
If they actually put the money gained from those taxes (on junk food) toward educating kids and parents about eating healthy and excercising, then I'd say go for it. I know for a fact that here in California the money earned off of the raised cigarette tax funds educational programs both about tobacco and completely separate, like parent education and other education. I know of a couple of non-profit agencies that work towards educating about obesity and the need to live a healty lifestyle (the number of obese children is growing outrageously here)... Maybe with the money they earn from this they will be able to fund more programs (given free to the public) about nutrition... Or maybe the money earned can be used to help fund psychiatric care... It depends on where it's put, but if it is allotted for grants available to people who have a plan and want to help, I'm for it. Plus, junk food is junky.... We shouldn't eat it so often that a rise in price would add up to a large individual loss. That's the way I see it at least.....
If they actually put the money gained from those taxes (on junk food) toward educating kids and parents about eating healthy and excercising, then I'd say go for it. I know for a fact that here in California the money earned off of the raised cigarette tax funds educational programs both about tobacco and completely separate, like parent education and other education. I know of a couple of non-profit agencies that work towards educating about obesity and the need to live a healty lifestyle (the number of obese children is growing outrageously here)... Maybe with the money they earn from this they will be able to fund more programs (given free to the public) about nutrition... Or maybe the money earned can be used to help fund psychiatric care... It depends on where it's put, but if it is allotted for grants available to people who have a plan and want to help, I'm for it. Plus, junk food is junky.... We shouldn't eat it so often that a rise in price would add up to a large individual loss. That's the way I see it at least.....
member
212 posts
Location: tampa fl usa
212 posts
Location: tampa fl usa
Posted:
I think if they gave a tax break or nice tax rebate to those who go to jenny craig or some program like that to lose wieght it would work much better.
I think if they gave a tax break or nice tax rebate to those who go to jenny craig or some program like that to lose wieght it would work much better.
I have been cursed with the imagination to envision it all
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