Fat Tax

[tjf67]

I saw this morning they are thinking about putting a fat tax on soda that is not considered diet. WTF where does it stop. Yeah lets go after some of the few industries that are doing ok in this economy

 

[Glenn]

A lot of this stuff is getting out of hand IMHO. There's way to much "policing" going on regarding what people do with their lives.

 

[Beetlenut]

A lot of this stuff is getting out of hand IMHO. There's way to much "policing" going on regarding what people do with their lives.

Enter DMC in 3...2...1...

 

[deadheadskier]

I'm pretty certain they over turned it during November's vote, but the State of Maine last spring passed a tax on all beverages outside of juice, milk and bottled water. The additional tax was put in to help pay for a state run low income health plan and basically was done during the 11th hour with no time for the public to comment.

When it comes to sales taxes, I don't like the idea of targeting one particular product user over another. If there's any tax at all, I think it should be a flat across the board tax.

 

[Marc]

I predict this thread will go pretty smoothly.

 

[Warp Daddy]

Targeted tax is akin to a user fee

. With diabetes and obesity( Both juvenile and adult ) mushrooming out of control and the resultant impact on health care costs ( YOURS and MINE ) to take care of folks who neither have health insurance or the WILL to alter their lifestyle choices forces this action as well as the need to contain health care costs -- this was done with TOBACCO

-- SO while this tax may seem frivolous it is a serious attempt to manage MANY cost deficits that heretofore have been paid from our collective largesse -- similar to what happened with tobacco

FI folks want to kill themselves with drugs , tobacco and uncontrolled consumption of sugar FINE but i for one am getting TIRED of SUBSIDIZING their healthcare for those who lack the willpower to change bad nutritional behavior

 

[severine]

What's stupid is that they want to tax any soda that isn't diet. WTF is up with that? Artificial sweeteners have been linked to obesity because the body doesn't process them the same way... and that fullness trigger doesn't go off... and you drink more and more and more of it because "it's diet, so it's okay".... and it snowballs. Not to mention the other health issues linked to aspartame, Splenda, etc, etc, etc, etc. :roll:

I get why they would consider it, like the other sin taxes (booze and cigs)... but it's the wrong approach.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I saw this morning they are thinking about putting a fat tax on soda that is not considered diet. WTF where does it stop. Yeah lets go after some of the few industries that are doing ok in this economy

Sounds like a good idea..all these fat people cost society alot of money..not to mention when they have a BigMac attack..I'm for a flat tax and a fat tax..

 

[Warp Daddy]

Carrie i HEAR you on the diet soda exclusion -- seems perhaps to be a concession of sorts to beverage industrty which no doubt will scream bloody hell in spite of harm theit products cause when used to excess

So while the approach is not perfect --it is a start to address a very serious issue

 

[drjeff]

approximately [size=+4]16[/size] teaspoons of sugar in your standard 20oz bottle of regular soda ("regular" soda usually averages just over 3 grams of sugar per fluid ounce and a teaspoon of sugar is essentially 4 grams)

Enuff said.

When I talk with my cavity ladened, soda addicted patients(and I've got ALOT of them), personally I don't call it soda, but "liquid candy" is the descriptive term I use. The scary thing is that annually, non diet soda consumption averages out to just under 40 gallons per year per person, and that doesn't even venture into all the sports drinks and calorie containing flavored waters and juices that folks consume

 

[severine]

Juice also=liquid sugar, and is also linked to obesity.

Then again, eating is linked to obesity. All food should be taxed with that logic, huh?

 

[ctenidae]

Juice also=liquid sugar, and is also linked to obesity.

Then again, eating is linked to obesity. All food should be taxed with that logic, huh?

THey should probably ban water outright, too, since it's the leading cause of drowning.

 

[Warp Daddy]

THey should probably ban water outright, too, since it's the leading cause of drowning.

Don't give them any ideas

 

[drjeff]

Don't give them any ideas

air tax. Yup, that's coming too

 

[Warp Daddy]

yep a "new -- GAS tax too --- especially imposed @ Tex/Mex restaurants to be called the BOOBA bag tax

 

[jack97]

If it was up to me, I would set up official weight scales that would be used every year for the weigh in. People get taxed based on the bmi numbers. Think of the new job opportunities that would be created on this big government initiatives. Health clubs enrollment would skyrocket, personal trainers would be in high demand, nutritionist can set their own pay.....

problem is we will live longer and that will cripple this pyramid scheme we have with social security and medicare. Oh well, can't have everything.

 

[davidhowland14]

jack, I agree with you. I put alot of work into staying in shape and I feel like I should be rewarded for it. Maybe a tax credit for each pound under as opposed to an extra tax on pounds over?

 

[marcski]

yep a "new -- GAS tax too --- especially imposed @ Tex/Mex restaurants to be called the BOOBA bag tax

Hey you should get a tax BREAK for this one...could be harnessed for alternative fuels.

 

[marcski]

Reminds me of the Beatles song "Taxman"...

Super great bass line in that song!

 

[jack97]

I put alot of work into staying in shape and I feel like I should be rewarded for it.

Me too... and its getting harder with age and a hectic schedule. What ticks me off is that I will be paying for the health care cost of all the obese people in about 15-20 years. Preteen kids diagnose with diabetes due to weight issues just doesn't seem right to me.

Fat and stupid people are costing me mula!

Maybe a tax credit for each pound under as opposed to an extra tax on pounds over?

Hard to enforce, you get a doctors note.... got to figure out if the doctor or the note is legit. IMO, we have too many tax credits and we have an industry of accountants just to figure out the tax system b/c its so complicated.