12-17-2004, 10:19 AM | #41 (permalink) |
Twitterpated
Location: My own little world (also Canada)
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So lurkette, you come from the "ends" camp. I'm all about the "means" as it seems most people here are. As to your threadjack, I think the subsidizing of oil is incredibly stupid. You have to realise though, that the government action affecting transportation was put in place to allow people to continue their preferred course of action in that area, hence no one (aside from some environmentalists and so forth) complained. The action that would increase the cost of "fatty food" (how they would define parameters for this would be interesting) would be limiting the preferred course of action of many people, and therefore gives more reason to complain.
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"Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions." - Albert Einstein "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." - Plato |
12-17-2004, 12:20 PM | #42 (permalink) | |
Easy Rider
Location: Moscow on the Ohio
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Quote:
Do you really want polititians to attempt to determine what is healthy or not and tax what they consider unhealthy behavior? What is considered a good diet seems to change every few years. Diet and weight loss books are often on the best sellers list and they often don't agree. I can't even remember what the latest fad is between high carb and low carb. A few years ago weren't we supposed to avoid red meat? I am wary of what the current polititians might consider unhealthy behavior to tax. I don't think they should make us all pay more for fatty foods when many of us have no problems maintaining our weight. In my opinion I think one of the problems with some folks gaining so much weight is because they diet and loose but their bodies go into fat storing mode and they gain it all back and more. If it isn't McDonalds they will get the extra calories from other foods anyway. Mostly I am just against the polititians getting too much involved in our personal lives. I fear that it is a slippery slope and they won't just stop with McDonalds. |
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12-17-2004, 01:32 PM | #43 (permalink) | |
My future is coming on
Moderator Emeritus
Location: east of the sun and west of the moon
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Quote:
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"If ten million people believe a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." - Anatole France |
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12-17-2004, 08:33 PM | #45 (permalink) | |
Junk
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Quote:
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" In Canada, you can tell the most blatant lie in a calm voice, and people will believe you over someone who's a little passionate about the truth." David Warren, Western Standard. |
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12-17-2004, 08:52 PM | #46 (permalink) |
Rawr!
Location: Edmontania
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What about an incentive to be fit? Everyone fit enough to complete a basic fitness test every year (allowing for those who have some medical problems) gets a refund, or a tax break.
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"Asking a bomb squad if an old bomb is still "real" is not the best thing to do if you want to save it." - denim |
12-17-2004, 11:39 PM | #48 (permalink) |
Kick Ass Kunoichi
Location: Oregon
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The governor here in Washington State has just introduced sin taxes for beer, wine, and liquor. I'm interested to see how this plays out and whether or not Oregon does the same to try and assuage its budget woes.
Personally, even if the cost of beer goes up thirty cents in tax I'm still going to buy it. So I don't think a sin tax necessarily discourages anyone from quitting the behavior that is damaging, but rather just raises funds for government. Really, these taxes do little to treat the cause of the problem and they don't really address the symptoms either. No one is saying that this money will be earmarked for obesity treatment or disabled people or alcoholics or whatever. Money for these taxes is going to end up, nine times out of ten, in the state's general fund and go for things like roads, schools, etc--things we all use. Perhaps some of the funds generated by such taxes SHOULD be earmarked to education aimed at encouraging healthy eating habits or providing subsidies for organizations who do so. Perhaps some of the funds SHOULD be used in public schools to overhaul how we encourage children to participate in physical activity and eat nutritiously. I don't mind taxes, but this is getting ridiculous. If the government could prove to me that they would put these dollars to efficient use and use some of them towards the education of the populace in healthy eating and exercise habits or supporting people in healthy eating and exercise habits, then perhaps I would support them.
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fat, tax |
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