Governor Paterson proposes 'Obesity Tax,' a tax on non-diet sodas

[commonsense]

To all of you who reject the "slippery slope" argument when it comes to sociological response to governmental manipulation of economics:

Governor Paterson proposes 'Obesity Tax,' a tax on non-diet sodas
Governor Paterson proposes 'Obesity Tax,' a tax on non-diet sodas

The whole notion that such a tax might one day be proposed was "poo-pooed" by those who supported the "sin tax" on cigarettes.

Where does it end?

Shall we enact a "gay" tax ?

Any fraudulent "societal benefit" argument can be made in support of taxes targeting any particular behavior.

This is an outrage.

[Rog]

I clicked on your link, and links me to this thread.
I think it is stupid to blame companies for giving people more choices.
If he wanted to fight obesity he should invest in education, and maybe tax the parents if their kids are just fat without any medical reason.

[brien]

We are on the slippery slope and sliding down quickly. Soon there will be a tax on every object and service in this nation b/c some nanny stater will find a reason to justify a tax on it.

I can't wait until they propose the "human fart tax" since human gases undoubtedly harm the planet in some insidious manner. Every living human being will have to pay a yearly tax on breaking wind. And if you purchase such foods that produce extra gas like beans, cabbage, etc, get ready to pay extra upon their purchase. Furthermore, if you are a farmer that grows cabbage or beans, ohhhh boy, they're comin after you big time!

I am so sick of taxes I could vomit all over every politician in DC. I would open a vomitorium but they would assuredly tax it!

Screw the soda tax and don't buy it. Then the Governor will be responnsible for fucking up the revenue of the manufacturers and that will translate into less revenue and votes for him and his kind next time around in the elections. So, go ahead Patterson, pass your tax, and maybe, just maybe, the people will boycott the soda and they will blame you and you will lose your job.

[commonsense]

I clicked on your link, and links me to this thread.

Sorry !

Governor Paterson proposes 'Obesity Tax,' a tax on non-diet sodas

[Pshiguy]

Seriously now, a tax on regular soda? How are people like this even finding their way into office? Seems to me that they're trying to think of more ways to raise money for their budgets.

Here's a decent example: Any of you in the New York City area had to deal with the tolls just to drive in certain parts of the city, allegedly to reduce traffic? Those roads have been fine for decades, and to my knowledge nobody was complaining.

What really gets me is that I'm a bit under-weight because of my metabolism, and I've been trying to gain a little weight. Should I have to pay more for things, or go the extra mile for something that's not non-fat? I think whole milk is much better tasting than 2 percent...

[Iscariot]

There has GOT to be some sort of conspiracy to make the masses drink and consume more and more aspartame.

Not a single sugar gum left to buy.
My university's vending machines ONLY carry diet drinks.

[Chaossaber314]

Quote by: commonsense To all of you who reject the "slippery slope" argument when it comes to sociological response to governmental manipulation of economics: Governor Paterson proposes 'Obesity Tax,' a tax on non-diet sodas Governor Paterson proposes 'Obesity Tax,' a tax on non-diet sodas The whole notion that such a tax might one day be proposed was "poo-pooed" by those who supported the "sin tax" on cigarettes. Where does it end? Shall we enact a "gay" tax ? Any fraudulent "societal benefit" argument can be made in support of taxes targeting any particular behavior. This is an outrage.

While I share your opposition to the tax, jumping to a "gay" tax isn't even logically compatible with a slippery slope. Possibly two separate slopes for 2 separate issues but not the same one.

[Rortykiller]

also the ingredients used in diet soda can cause calcium deposits (kidney and gallbladder stones). sucralose is people.

[commonsense]

While I share your opposition to the tax, jumping to a "gay" tax isn't even logically compatible with a slippery slope.

Politically, it will never be, no, because the "gay rights movement" is totally compatible with, if not an active arm of, International Socialism...

However, there most certainly is a far more "logical" epidemiological causal relationship between sex practices and disease than there is for corn syrup-ed soda formulations and disease.

Don't get me wrong---I dont think the federal govt has any place passing laws on either, but states might be.

Unfortunately, the court system as well as the population at large, generally take precedents like this and apply them to new federal dictates usually sooner rather than later.

If our federal govt operated within its constitutionally circumscribed restrictions, there might be a patchwork of very different state laws displaying varied societal responses to them, but our current system aided by govt control of education speeds the tendency toward centralization.

If one state were to enact draconian "health" laws and tax commensurately for state health care systems, we might see the differences, resulting in an evolution of systems that work (I dont believe they would, I just welcome the idea because it would "nip in the bud" the national boondoggles we suffer from in all areas of govt intervention---thus more quickly restoring our libertarian principles nationally)

Great example is Minnesota, which briefly enacted far more liberal "social" service policies, which resulted in a mass migration of young able-bodied drifters to take advantage of them, despite their cold weather.

Sadly, I fear that it will take a return to our economy being reduced to third world levels before people recognize that socialist policies inevitably lead to concentration of wealth and a stagnation of the human spirit to create productively before they restore the dynamic benefits of limited govt and taxation.
An intellectual rebirth seems highly unlikely given insurmountable factors such as women's suffrage and the govt collusion with news/information/entertainment/"education"/academia. As discussed in another thread, the govt has now (belatedly--not that it matters) begun extending its tentacles into control of the internet.

sucralose is people.

LOL ! Charleton Heston

[brien]

The penchant to tax Americans today, and the willingness of Americans to accept those taxes, reminds me of the scene in the movie Animal House.

Kevin Bacon is pledging for the Fraternity, dressed only is in his lily white Fruit of the Loom underwear briefs, and he is on his hands and knees. Neidermeyer is in a hooded robe and whacking Bacon on his ass with the big paddle. Each time he whacks Bacon, Bacon says:

"Thank you sir, may I please have another"!

[commonsense]

"Thank you sir, may I please have another"!

Precisely why Women's Suffrage has proven to be such a mistake.

Women are innately subservient to men. Thus, International Socialists have taken full advantage of this in subjugating them with taxes.

The adolescent female is readily duped during her natural "rebellious stage" into rebelling against her familial sources of discipline such as father, uncle, grandfather, brother, husband ....
in exchange for some perceived "freedom"
but unwittingly politically replaces them with a far more brutal, far more distant, discompassionate and self serving master:

The State !


Unfortunately, this impoverishes not just them but society at large

[Compugasm]

I don't eat any junk food at all, but this tax is.... ugh. I'm just loosing my mind. I can't put it into words properly. All the terrible things happening this year, and a Governor suggesting a tax on soda??? Doesn't anyone in politics have a clue what is going on in the world? It's bullshit solutions like this that make you realize the "crazy" unibombers in the world aren't so wacked after all.

[commonsense]

Doesn't anyone in politics have a clue what is going on in the world?

Absolutely they do! Because they orchestrated it all, systematically, in order to concentrate the means of production, the monetary system, the financial markets, real estate, the food supply, "health" care, and soon, the internet!

[grandpa]

Quote by: commonsense Absolutely they do! Because they orchestrated it all, systematically, in order to concentrate the means of production, the monetary system, the financial markets, real estate, the food supply, "health" care, and soon, the internet!

And they integrate all these things together.

Grandpa h.

[Sweet Katie]

Quote by: Rog I clicked on your link, and links me to this thread. I think it is stupid to blame companies for giving people more choices. If he wanted to fight obesity he should invest in education, and maybe tax the parents if their kids are just fat without any medical reason.

He should tax ugly people as well . . . Or at least the parents for breeding with bad genes.

[ironeagle]

Won't work it's not constitutional it owuld be an llegal writ of attainder.

[Chancellor]

Quote by: commonsense To all of you who reject the "slippery slope" argument when it comes to sociological response to governmental manipulation of economics: Governor Paterson proposes 'Obesity Tax,' a tax on non-diet sodas Governor Paterson proposes 'Obesity Tax,' a tax on non-diet sodas The whole notion that such a tax might one day be proposed was "poo-pooed" by those who supported the "sin tax" on cigarettes. Where does it end? Shall we enact a "gay" tax ? Any fraudulent "societal benefit" argument can be made in support of taxes targeting any particular behavior. This is an outrage.

The obesity tax is a form of sin tax because being obese is among the things in society today that are not politically correct. The notion of the sin tax is to get people to stop consuming the product being taxed or engaging in the behavior being taxed. Paterson needs more money for the state budget but he won't make the difficult cuts he needs to make (because then the union rats won't vote for him in 2010). In addition to making up a budget shortfall, he also wants to significantly raise Welfare benefits.

I'm waiting to see how he's going to get the reservations to collect sales tax for him from non-indians who buy tobacco on the reservations.

Of course, New York also tries to get people to pay sales tax on products they buy online and in mail-order catalogs.

[JJ58]

could we have a tax on halal meat products?

just a thought

[commonsense]

Of course, New York also tries to get people to pay sales tax on products they buy online and in mail-order catalogs.

I'm glad you brought this up.
This is the "slippery slope" backdoor method (no sexual imagery intended) the govt will exploit in order to defeat its last real enemy: the internet.

(see thread on the FCC colluding with private industry to provide the U.S. with coast-to-coast "free" wi-fi )

I visited behind the iron curtain when I was a kid and wanted to give my cousin a kid's toy walkie-talkie set with barely 100 ft range (early 70s technology). It was confiscated.

The last thing the ruling elite want is people who can communicate freely.
(a lot of good even sites like this do.... their indoctrination efforts for the past 60yrs have been so comprehensive, they have little to fear--but why risk it, hence the coming "free" internet with national taxation and monitoring)

[Osborn F Enready]

Nanny Staters, communists, soclialists, central authority lovers, authoritarians, etc.... always looking for more ways to tax you, while playing it off as a "noble intent" to "protect you from yourself".....

I got an idea.... how about you earn your own income, and keep it.
How about you accept responsibility for your life, and live it.
How about you acccept responsibility for your actions, and take your medicine when you make a bad choice.
How about you fools stop asking government to be your parents?