New Mexico: A tax on video games to fight childhood obesity?
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Virtua
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sounds like a good idea. Except they should be taking money from the publishers/retailers as well as the consumers. Publishers make too much as it is.
Gourd
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Yes. A wonderful idea.
So much better than taxing foods with High Fructose Corn Syrup in them.
Are they going to tax television production in some way as well? Or is this a case of political low hanging fruit: tax an industry that many voters won't defend, or would actively like to see hurt?
So much better than taxing foods with High Fructose Corn Syrup in them.
Are they going to tax television production in some way as well? Or is this a case of political low hanging fruit: tax an industry that many voters won't defend, or would actively like to see hurt?
lordxixor101
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I'd be a bit scared guys. If taxes like this start going through, 1% doesn't sound bad, but ask smokers what can happen?
State Governments are always looking for more money to balance budgets and fund their pet projects. It's far harder to get a new tax through than to raise an existing tax, especially a tax that most taxpayers don't pay, or pay very rarely. Fine, a 10% tax on tv's is hefty, but isn't that bad. Honestly, if you don't smoke, would you rather raise taxes on smokes or gasoline to pay for something?
If these get through across the nation, expect these to be shooting through the roof in a few years. I think $80 new video games wouldn't be shocking, mainly from the taxes.
State Governments are always looking for more money to balance budgets and fund their pet projects. It's far harder to get a new tax through than to raise an existing tax, especially a tax that most taxpayers don't pay, or pay very rarely. Fine, a 10% tax on tv's is hefty, but isn't that bad. Honestly, if you don't smoke, would you rather raise taxes on smokes or gasoline to pay for something?
If these get through across the nation, expect these to be shooting through the roof in a few years. I think $80 new video games wouldn't be shocking, mainly from the taxes.
[quote name='jer7583']sounds like a good idea. Except they should be taking money from the publishers/retailers as well as the consumers. Publishers make too much as it is.[/quote]
There is no such thing as a tax that only affects businesses. Publishers aren't going to pay such a tax out of the goodness of their hearts, they're going to pass it along to you. Let's say it's $2/title. Fine, then the retail price of games just went up to $65 to "cover costs".
There is no such thing as a tax that only affects businesses. Publishers aren't going to pay such a tax out of the goodness of their hearts, they're going to pass it along to you. Let's say it's $2/title. Fine, then the retail price of games just went up to $65 to "cover costs".
Trancendental
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[quote name='jer7583']sounds like a good idea. Except they should be taking money from the publishers/retailers as well as the consumers. Publishers make too much as it is.[/quote]
I disagree.
I think this is a good example of the nanny-state. Parents need to teach their children good dietary skills and the importance of physical activity - a tax on videogame hardware is going to do nothing but put more money in the inefficient state's coffers.
Even if you accept the state's arguement at face value, why should teen and mature rated games (which by definition cannot be played by children) be subject to the effects of this tax? There is a huge segment of adult gamers being unfairly asked to pay into yet another government program looking to do the job that parents should be doing.
Shame on the Sierra club for attaching their name to this program. With all that the Bush administration is doing to destroy the enviornment in their last days of office (including a massive approval of coal mines in the 11th hour) they are wasting their time on an idiotic endevor.
I disagree.
I think this is a good example of the nanny-state. Parents need to teach their children good dietary skills and the importance of physical activity - a tax on videogame hardware is going to do nothing but put more money in the inefficient state's coffers.
Even if you accept the state's arguement at face value, why should teen and mature rated games (which by definition cannot be played by children) be subject to the effects of this tax? There is a huge segment of adult gamers being unfairly asked to pay into yet another government program looking to do the job that parents should be doing.
Shame on the Sierra club for attaching their name to this program. With all that the Bush administration is doing to destroy the enviornment in their last days of office (including a massive approval of coal mines in the 11th hour) they are wasting their time on an idiotic endevor.
strikeratt
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This is lame ... as someone said already tax the things that are truly out of hand like food high in fat etc etc if anything. Or better yet ... don't tax anything else
thespamofpower
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another horrid idea that needlessly singles out video games for one of society's ills. As someone said ealier, if videogames are taxed, then so should high sugar snacks, the girlscouts, computers, TVs and board games. Just looks like another politician trying to pander votes (lemme guess, he's up for re-election this year).
Lieutenant Dan
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I've never read a novel while exercising, let's tax them.
Dark Slayer120
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Thats 
ing stupid.
ing stupid.lordxixor101
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[quote name='geko29']There is no such thing as a tax that only affects businesses. Publishers aren't going to pay such a tax out of the goodness of their hearts, they're going to pass it along to you. Let's say it's $2/title. Fine, then the retail price of games just went up to $65 to "cover costs".[/QUOTE]
Geko, this is not quite 100% true. If you ever take some advance economic classes, it doesn't quite go this way. As prices go up, you will sell less games. Gamers don't care if the price goes up because of tax or greed. So, this just becomes another cost to the game. The publisher will still set the price to maximize their profits. Odds are, some of it will be passed on, but not all of it.
On goods that are needed (called inelastic demand in economic speak because you will pay any price for them. Think gasoline, you don't drive less if the price is $1 gallon or $2 a gallon, so between those prices, it's inelastic). But, games aren't like that. The general public buys less as prices go up.
Just a small point here.
Geko, this is not quite 100% true. If you ever take some advance economic classes, it doesn't quite go this way. As prices go up, you will sell less games. Gamers don't care if the price goes up because of tax or greed. So, this just becomes another cost to the game. The publisher will still set the price to maximize their profits. Odds are, some of it will be passed on, but not all of it.
On goods that are needed (called inelastic demand in economic speak because you will pay any price for them. Think gasoline, you don't drive less if the price is $1 gallon or $2 a gallon, so between those prices, it's inelastic). But, games aren't like that. The general public buys less as prices go up.
Just a small point here.
[quote name='Gourd']
So much better than taxing foods with High Fructose Corn Syrup in them.
[/QUOTE]
Yep. If they want to fight obesity through taxes, higher taxes (or adding taxes in states like mine which have no tax on most food) on stuff like that, junk food, fast food etc is the way to go.
Along with (for adults anyway) tax breaks on gym membership fees etc.
Give people an incentive to eat healthier and exercise.
The real way to do it, is just to put much greater emphasis on health in school and public outreach etc. The US's obesity rate is an embarrassment.
So much better than taxing foods with High Fructose Corn Syrup in them.
[/QUOTE]
Yep. If they want to fight obesity through taxes, higher taxes (or adding taxes in states like mine which have no tax on most food) on stuff like that, junk food, fast food etc is the way to go.
Along with (for adults anyway) tax breaks on gym membership fees etc.
Give people an incentive to eat healthier and exercise.
The real way to do it, is just to put much greater emphasis on health in school and public outreach etc. The US's obesity rate is an embarrassment.
I am so tired of video games becoming the scape goat for all of society's problems. First it was violence at schools(school shootings), and now it's childhood obsesity. Let's face facts -- we have a whole generation of parents who don't parent. I'm not saying all parents are like this, but I know a good number out there fall into this category.
For example, I have friends with overweight children who play no videogames at all -- and my kids play videogames all the time and they're not overweight in the slightest. The difference in these scenarios is that I do what's best for my children versus trying to make them happy. As an example, I know of one elementary age child who only eats potato chips and bacon -- and his parents don't even try to get him to eat anything different (he actually brings a bag of chips to school to eat for lunch). Yeah, I'm sure that child is happy but his parents are sitting on the sidelines while he's cruising the fast track to a heart attack. I'm not saying I'm the perfect parent or am trying to encourage other parents to be a complete ass to their kids, but part of being a parent is learning to say no. Let them have their ocassional Happy Meal but balance thoses with healthy meals too, and give them a couple of toy lightsabers and kick them out of the house to get some exercise.
For example, I have friends with overweight children who play no videogames at all -- and my kids play videogames all the time and they're not overweight in the slightest. The difference in these scenarios is that I do what's best for my children versus trying to make them happy. As an example, I know of one elementary age child who only eats potato chips and bacon -- and his parents don't even try to get him to eat anything different (he actually brings a bag of chips to school to eat for lunch). Yeah, I'm sure that child is happy but his parents are sitting on the sidelines while he's cruising the fast track to a heart attack. I'm not saying I'm the perfect parent or am trying to encourage other parents to be a complete ass to their kids, but part of being a parent is learning to say no. Let them have their ocassional Happy Meal but balance thoses with healthy meals too, and give them a couple of toy lightsabers and kick them out of the house to get some exercise.
[quote name='Jerajdai']I am so tired of video games becoming the scape goat for all of society's problems. First it was violence at schools(school shootings), and now it's childhood obsesity. Let's face facts -- we have a whole generation of parents who don't parent. I'm not saying all parents are like this, but I know a good number out there fall into this category.
[/quote]
True. So true.
You almost never hear in the media about anything being the parents fault for anything. Nor about the responsibilities of being a parent.
On another note, what business is it of goverment to tell us how fat our kids can/cannot be? Or for us, for that matter. I just read another article where, in Mississippi, politicians are trying to make it illegal for resteraunts to serve fat people. I mean, WTF? I thought the USA was the "land of the free". I guess these politicians only want it to be the "land of the fat free". Just more government intervention trying to tell us how to run our lives.
[/quote]
True. So true.
You almost never hear in the media about anything being the parents fault for anything. Nor about the responsibilities of being a parent.
On another note, what business is it of goverment to tell us how fat our kids can/cannot be? Or for us, for that matter. I just read another article where, in Mississippi, politicians are trying to make it illegal for resteraunts to serve fat people. I mean, WTF? I thought the USA was the "land of the free". I guess these politicians only want it to be the "land of the fat free". Just more government intervention trying to tell us how to run our lives.
[quote name='Krymner']I just read another article where, in Mississippi, politicians are trying to make it illegal for resteraunts to serve fat people.
...
I mean, WTF? I thought the USA was the "land of the free". I guess these politicians only want it to be the "land of the fat free". Just more government intervention trying to tell us how to run our lives. [/quote]
Wow -- doesn't that sounds familar -- we've already been down this road except the color of your skin rather than the size of your body mandated what bathroom you could go to, where you sat on the bus, etc. WTF is right.
...
I mean, WTF? I thought the USA was the "land of the free". I guess these politicians only want it to be the "land of the fat free". Just more government intervention trying to tell us how to run our lives. [/quote]
Wow -- doesn't that sounds familar -- we've already been down this road except the color of your skin rather than the size of your body mandated what bathroom you could go to, where you sat on the bus, etc. WTF is right.
[quote name='dmaul1114']Yep. If they want to fight obesity through taxes, higher taxes (or adding taxes in states like mine which have no tax on most food) on stuff like that, junk food, fast food etc is the way to go.
Along with (for adults anyway) tax breaks on gym membership fees etc.
Give people an incentive to eat healthier and exercise.
[/QUOTE]
The government shouldn't pick and choose different tax rates or tax breaks as a method of controlling and influencing behavior. Why give that power to politicians? These are personal decisions and personal freedoms.
Along with (for adults anyway) tax breaks on gym membership fees etc.
Give people an incentive to eat healthier and exercise.
[/QUOTE]
The government shouldn't pick and choose different tax rates or tax breaks as a method of controlling and influencing behavior. Why give that power to politicians? These are personal decisions and personal freedoms.
[quote name='msdmoney']The government shouldn't pick and choose different tax rates or tax breaks as a method of controlling and influencing behavior. Why give that power to politicians? These are personal decisions and personal freedoms.[/QUOTE]
I tend to agree.
But the kicker is the obesity rate, and all the accompanying health problems, make all our health insurance premiums higher in the long run. So to some degree I don't have too much problems with the government intervening to some small degree.
I think a break for gym memberships would be the better option. I don't think adding a couple cents more tax on fast food etc. would stop many people from buying it and would just be a further hit on poor folks budgets.
But again, the real way to do it is really step up educational efforts on the importance of excercise and nutrition. Something has to change here as the obesity rate is completely out of hand.
I tend to agree.
But the kicker is the obesity rate, and all the accompanying health problems, make all our health insurance premiums higher in the long run. So to some degree I don't have too much problems with the government intervening to some small degree.
I think a break for gym memberships would be the better option. I don't think adding a couple cents more tax on fast food etc. would stop many people from buying it and would just be a further hit on poor folks budgets.
But again, the real way to do it is really step up educational efforts on the importance of excercise and nutrition. Something has to change here as the obesity rate is completely out of hand.
Ikohn4ever
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if they really wanted to do something they should take all the crap out of the cafeterias. Sodas, cakes, cookies, fried things, pizza, things smothered in cheese, etc. These are what make kids fat. Clean up the cafeterias which are the state's problem and leave the games alone.
Littlefields
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This is an absurd way of thinking. I don't see how videogames is different from literature, computers and even in-door hobbies. If they want to put taxes on videogames might as well put taxes on those things as well. I really hate how some people view videogames, many of which have not even played any. Somehow the idea that, "Videogames are useless forms of entertainment for kids." is getting more popular amoung our society today.
lordxixor101
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[quote name='Ikohn4ever']if they really wanted to do something they should take all the crap out of the cafeterias. Sodas, cakes, cookies, fried things, pizza, things smothered in cheese, etc. These are what make kids fat. Clean up the cafeterias which are the state's problem and leave the games alone.[/QUOTE]
Well, your only error here is thinking this has to do about making kids thin. This is a pure and simple tax hike. The problem is that people hate tax hikes (unless they aren't effected). So, if you don't play games, you don't care.
Of course, there are 100's of things they could do to actually fight the problem. How about making the school day an extra hour and actually forcing the kids into physical activity (oh wait, that costs money). You could actually build parks and let kids play (think about it, when my parents were kids, they had places to go. When I was a kid, we would go to the school to play baseball, they would kick us out half the time because a "league" was going to play that night. Now, it's tough to find anyplace that will let kids play. So, unless you got a big yard or money for a league, you are screwed).
That, and it might be nice if you didn't overload the kids with schoolwork, so they had time to play.
These are all things that would do more than a tax on vid games (and don't think anything would hit literature, books are good, videogames evil). Heck, just letting kids have pop at school is rediculous (but, it brings money in, and the milk company won't pay 50k for a machine in there).
But, no one really cares. Once you accept that premise, then everything starts making sense.
Well, your only error here is thinking this has to do about making kids thin. This is a pure and simple tax hike. The problem is that people hate tax hikes (unless they aren't effected). So, if you don't play games, you don't care.
Of course, there are 100's of things they could do to actually fight the problem. How about making the school day an extra hour and actually forcing the kids into physical activity (oh wait, that costs money). You could actually build parks and let kids play (think about it, when my parents were kids, they had places to go. When I was a kid, we would go to the school to play baseball, they would kick us out half the time because a "league" was going to play that night. Now, it's tough to find anyplace that will let kids play. So, unless you got a big yard or money for a league, you are screwed).
That, and it might be nice if you didn't overload the kids with schoolwork, so they had time to play.
These are all things that would do more than a tax on vid games (and don't think anything would hit literature, books are good, videogames evil). Heck, just letting kids have pop at school is rediculous (but, it brings money in, and the milk company won't pay 50k for a machine in there).
But, no one really cares. Once you accept that premise, then everything starts making sense.
Some great points, lordxixor.
I agree that kinds nowadays are overloaded with schoolwork. I felt overloaded myself when I was in high school. And after I finished about 2-3 hours of homework, I was often too exhausted to go outside and play, and often it would be dark soon anyway. So, I went to my videogames to relax and let my mind unwind. I think kids today are in similar situations. Luckily, I have always had a quick metabolism that kept me from getting overweight, but many aren't blessed with those genetics.
Besides, according to the ESA:
A few other things that I discovered at the ESA:
I agree that kinds nowadays are overloaded with schoolwork. I felt overloaded myself when I was in high school. And after I finished about 2-3 hours of homework, I was often too exhausted to go outside and play, and often it would be dark soon anyway. So, I went to my videogames to relax and let my mind unwind. I think kids today are in similar situations. Luckily, I have always had a quick metabolism that kept me from getting overweight, but many aren't blessed with those genetics.
Besides, according to the ESA:
A few other things that I discovered at the ESA:
lordxixor101
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[quote name='Krymner']
A few other things that I discovered at the ESA:[/QUOTE]
Guess I'm a bit confused on the points. One point seemed to indicate that gamers spend triple the time playing games as other activities, then it says they play about 24 hours of games, while doing 8 hours of games? So, I'm lost on the point that the ESA makes.
A few other things that I discovered at the ESA:[/QUOTE]
Guess I'm a bit confused on the points. One point seemed to indicate that gamers spend triple the time playing games as other activities, then it says they play about 24 hours of games, while doing 8 hours of games? So, I'm lost on the point that the ESA makes.
[quote name='lordxixor101']Guess I'm a bit confused on the points. One point seemed to indicate that gamers spend triple the time playing games as other activities, then it says they play about 24 hours of games, while doing 8 hours of games? So, I'm lost on the point that the ESA makes.[/QUOTE]
It says they spend 23.4 hours on the other activities listed in the bullet point above per week, vs. 6.8 hours per week gaming.
It says they spend 23.4 hours on the other activities listed in the bullet point above per week, vs. 6.8 hours per week gaming.
lordxixor101
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[quote name='dmaul1114']It says they spend 23.4 hours on the other activities listed in the bullet point above per week, vs. 6.8 hours per week gaming.[/QUOTE]
Ah ok, that makes sense then
Ah ok, that makes sense then
bread's done