I am fine with socialized healthcare, it seems to work in most of the world. What I am not okay with is paying for someones health problems that they brought upon them selfs by making unhealthy choices and being a fat ass. Smokers and drinkers have to pay taxes so why not people that consume unhealthy foods? I think things like sugary drinks,chips,sweets and all other food that provides no nutritional value should be taxed.
Tax junk food to pay for health care
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Many states they are--no sales tax on food, but tax on soda and junk food. Of course that's not the same as higher tax on junk food.
But it is a fair point that there's high taxes on tobacco and alcohol--justified with the notion that these cause problems and should help pay for problems they cause. So I could see the same justification used for a higher sales tax on junk food, fast food etc.
The tricky part is it's not a black and white as to what is or isn't junk food--where as something is either tobacco or not or contains alcohol or not. So there's be a lot more bitching and lobbying over what got taxed and what didn't.
The other thing I've supported on threads here before is giving insurance premium reductions for being at a healthy body fat percentage, not smoking etc. Less inflammatory that having a basic rate and making obsese people pay more. But can make it like getting a safe driver discount on auto insurance.
Give those of us that take care of ourselves, eat right and work out etc. a break since we're healthier and not as much risk to the insurance companies. Give people who aren't a small financial incentive to get in shape--just like safe drive discounts encourage driving slower etc.
But it is a fair point that there's high taxes on tobacco and alcohol--justified with the notion that these cause problems and should help pay for problems they cause. So I could see the same justification used for a higher sales tax on junk food, fast food etc.
The tricky part is it's not a black and white as to what is or isn't junk food--where as something is either tobacco or not or contains alcohol or not. So there's be a lot more bitching and lobbying over what got taxed and what didn't.
The other thing I've supported on threads here before is giving insurance premium reductions for being at a healthy body fat percentage, not smoking etc. Less inflammatory that having a basic rate and making obsese people pay more. But can make it like getting a safe driver discount on auto insurance.
Give those of us that take care of ourselves, eat right and work out etc. a break since we're healthier and not as much risk to the insurance companies. Give people who aren't a small financial incentive to get in shape--just like safe drive discounts encourage driving slower etc.
panzerfaust
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That's bullshit.
I love candy and an occasional Dr. Pepper or energy drink. I shouldn't have to pay extra because other people become unhealthy from them. You can become unhealthy eating too much in general anyways, good food or not. So I suppose we should put extra tax on all that as well.
And make it illegal to have poor posture as it leads to back problems.
I love candy and an occasional Dr. Pepper or energy drink. I shouldn't have to pay extra because other people become unhealthy from them. You can become unhealthy eating too much in general anyways, good food or not. So I suppose we should put extra tax on all that as well.
And make it illegal to have poor posture as it leads to back problems.
soulvengeance
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[quote name='dmaul1114']Many states they are--no sales tax on food, but tax on soda and junk food. Of course that's not the same as higher tax on junk food.
But it is a fair point that there's high taxes on tobacco and alcohol--justified with the notion that these cause problems and should help pay for problems they cause. So I could see the same justification used for a higher sales tax on junk food, fast food etc.
The tricky part is it's not a black and white as to what is or isn't junk food--where as something is either tobacco or not or contains alcohol or not. So there's be a lot more bitching and lobbying over what got taxed and what didn't.
The other thing I've supported on threads here before is giving insurance premium reductions for being at a healthy body fat percentage, not smoking etc. Less inflammatory that having a basic rate and making obsese people pay more. But can make it like getting a safe driver discount on auto insurance.
Give those of us that take care of ourselves, eat right and work out etc. a break since we're healthier and not as much risk to the insurance companies. Give people who aren't a small financial incentive to get in shape--just like safe drive discounts encourage driving slower etc.[/QUOTE]
See, I think the major problem here is that they'll just add something to the junk food and say "hey it has vitamin c, so it's healthy" and we'll still have the same problems.
But it is a fair point that there's high taxes on tobacco and alcohol--justified with the notion that these cause problems and should help pay for problems they cause. So I could see the same justification used for a higher sales tax on junk food, fast food etc.
The tricky part is it's not a black and white as to what is or isn't junk food--where as something is either tobacco or not or contains alcohol or not. So there's be a lot more bitching and lobbying over what got taxed and what didn't.
The other thing I've supported on threads here before is giving insurance premium reductions for being at a healthy body fat percentage, not smoking etc. Less inflammatory that having a basic rate and making obsese people pay more. But can make it like getting a safe driver discount on auto insurance.
Give those of us that take care of ourselves, eat right and work out etc. a break since we're healthier and not as much risk to the insurance companies. Give people who aren't a small financial incentive to get in shape--just like safe drive discounts encourage driving slower etc.[/QUOTE]
See, I think the major problem here is that they'll just add something to the junk food and say "hey it has vitamin c, so it's healthy" and we'll still have the same problems.
panzerfaust
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That's mostly what I eat but I don't feel unhealthy 
It can sometimes take years but usually people that eat unhealthy don't realize how much of a toll it is taking on their bodies. After I stopped eating wheat,sugar and salt they way I felt was like day and night. People used to eat one ingredient foods, not shit made in a factory.
panzerfaust
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You know half the reason we lead such healthier lives compared to people 200 years ago is because we've enhanced and properly packaged our food?
You sound like one of those soccer moms ranting about organic food. Grow a pair.
You sound like one of those soccer moms ranting about organic food. Grow a pair.
soulvengeance
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[quote name='budsmoka']Anything packaged or processed is usually unhealthy and should be avoided.[/QUOTE]
Pretty much everything is packaged to some degree.
Pretty much everything is packaged to some degree.
[quote name='budsmoka']I am fine with socialized healthcare, it seems to work in most of the world. What I am not okay with is paying for someones health problems that they brought upon them selfs by making unhealthy choices and being a fat ass. Smokers and drinkers have to pay taxes so why not people that consume unhealthy foods? I think things like sugary drinks,chips,sweets and all other food that provides no nutritional value should be taxed.[/QUOTE]
You forgot to mention that the people making unhealthy choices and being fat asses are also obviously dumb. If they were smart, they would be in shape.
You forgot to mention that the people making unhealthy choices and being fat asses are also obviously dumb. If they were smart, they would be in shape.
[quote name='panzerfaust']That's bullshit.
I love candy and an occasional Dr. Pepper or energy drink. I shouldn't have to pay extra because other people become unhealthy from them. You can become unhealthy eating too much in general anyways, good food or not. So I suppose we should put extra tax on all that as well.
[/QUOTE]
Why should I have to pay extra to buy beer because some become alcoholics etc.?
Junk food, soda etc. is no different. If you can tax alcohol, tobacco etc. more for supposed health reasons/social costs you could make the same justification for other unhealthy foods and drinks etc.
[quote name='bvharris']However, it's wildly unpopular so is likely a political non-starter.[/QUOTE]
Yep, we're a nation full of lazy, undisciplined and overweight slobs that live off fast food, soda, tv dinners and junk food.
So you're asking probably the majority of the population to support basically raising their tax burden, so it will never happen.
Giving insurance premium breaks to people with healthy body fat % (measured in yearly or bi-annual physicals etc.) is doable though I think.
[quote name='docvinh']See, I think the major problem here is that they'll just add something to the junk food and say "hey it has vitamin c, so it's healthy" and we'll still have the same problems.[/QUOTE]
Yep, like I said the other practical issue is it's just not black and white like tobacco and alcohol.
So along with the uproar of protest that would come, practically it's very hard to implement.
[quote name='panzerfaust']You know half the reason we lead such healthier lives compared to people 200 years ago is because we've enhanced and properly packaged our food?
[/QUOTE]
Have some studies to back that up? I'd think that if any thing that hurts health in civilized areas. It helps life expectancy in third world countries as there's a lot more non-perishable food to ship.
But it's much healthier to eat fresh fruits and vegetables and meets than canned or frozen ones for sure.
The biggest reason for increase in life span and health in first world countries are the huge advances in medicine, medical technology and understanding of the human body, diseases etc.
I love candy and an occasional Dr. Pepper or energy drink. I shouldn't have to pay extra because other people become unhealthy from them. You can become unhealthy eating too much in general anyways, good food or not. So I suppose we should put extra tax on all that as well.
[/QUOTE]
Why should I have to pay extra to buy beer because some become alcoholics etc.?
Junk food, soda etc. is no different. If you can tax alcohol, tobacco etc. more for supposed health reasons/social costs you could make the same justification for other unhealthy foods and drinks etc.
[quote name='bvharris']However, it's wildly unpopular so is likely a political non-starter.[/QUOTE]
Yep, we're a nation full of lazy, undisciplined and overweight slobs that live off fast food, soda, tv dinners and junk food.
So you're asking probably the majority of the population to support basically raising their tax burden, so it will never happen.
Giving insurance premium breaks to people with healthy body fat % (measured in yearly or bi-annual physicals etc.) is doable though I think.
[quote name='docvinh']See, I think the major problem here is that they'll just add something to the junk food and say "hey it has vitamin c, so it's healthy" and we'll still have the same problems.[/QUOTE]
Yep, like I said the other practical issue is it's just not black and white like tobacco and alcohol.
So along with the uproar of protest that would come, practically it's very hard to implement.
[quote name='panzerfaust']You know half the reason we lead such healthier lives compared to people 200 years ago is because we've enhanced and properly packaged our food?
[/QUOTE]
Have some studies to back that up? I'd think that if any thing that hurts health in civilized areas. It helps life expectancy in third world countries as there's a lot more non-perishable food to ship.
But it's much healthier to eat fresh fruits and vegetables and meets than canned or frozen ones for sure.
The biggest reason for increase in life span and health in first world countries are the huge advances in medicine, medical technology and understanding of the human body, diseases etc.
Dead of Knight
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Strell needs to post in this topic. I'm waiting.
soulvengeance
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[quote name='Dead of Knight']Strell needs to post in this topic. I'm waiting.[/QUOTE]
He's busy posting in the other one.
He's busy posting in the other one.
Very good idea, though like someone said it already sort of is like that in a lot of places. I know here I can buy milk and things tax free. I think they should industrialize hemp myself, we are one of the only countries in the world who does NOT use hemp as (one of our) primary industrial resources. There are a few hundred THOUSAND ways to use hemp, a main one being diesel fuel!!!!!!!! Which burns clean sort of like ethanol, so it would be more environment friendly then the gas we currently use (most of us).
joeboosauce
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[quote name='panzerfaust']You know half the reason we lead such healthier lives compared to people 200 years ago is because we've enhanced and properly packaged our food?
You sound like one of those soccer moms ranting about organic food. Grow a pair.[/QUOTE]
No. The reason we live longer is because infectious disease is not so much a factor. Now, its degenerative disease. Which means your body is slowly destroyed. Heart disease and cancer and prime examples of this. We do live longer but our quality is far worse. All degenerative diseases are skyrocketing up. Interesting fact, for children born after 2000, expect 1 in 5 to have diabetes. 20% is HUGE!
Simpler meals and whole foods are extremely healthy.
You sound like one of those soccer moms ranting about organic food. Grow a pair.[/QUOTE]
No. The reason we live longer is because infectious disease is not so much a factor. Now, its degenerative disease. Which means your body is slowly destroyed. Heart disease and cancer and prime examples of this. We do live longer but our quality is far worse. All degenerative diseases are skyrocketing up. Interesting fact, for children born after 2000, expect 1 in 5 to have diabetes. 20% is HUGE!
Simpler meals and whole foods are extremely healthy.
[quote name='budsmoka']We live longer because of better sanitation also. Eating healthy is surprisingly a lot cheaper then what most spend on junk food. People have become sauce and cheese gobbling animals.[/QUOTE]
Yep. A lot of people don't realize the mark up you get in buying pre-prepared TV meals etc.
I mean some stuff does cost more fresh--fresh fruits and veggies do cost more usually than the frozen or canned veggies.
But like most anything, you get what you pay for. Much more nutrients in the fresh fruits and veggies, less salt (canned veggies) and sugar/HFCS (canned fruit) etc.
But it's just an example of the screwed up priorities people have. People have little problem wasting money on video games, movies, cds, etc. etc., but balk at spending more on food and living healthy.
Yep. A lot of people don't realize the mark up you get in buying pre-prepared TV meals etc.
I mean some stuff does cost more fresh--fresh fruits and veggies do cost more usually than the frozen or canned veggies.
But like most anything, you get what you pay for. Much more nutrients in the fresh fruits and veggies, less salt (canned veggies) and sugar/HFCS (canned fruit) etc.
But it's just an example of the screwed up priorities people have. People have little problem wasting money on video games, movies, cds, etc. etc., but balk at spending more on food and living healthy.
thrustbucket
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The OP's post mixed with his avatar mixed with his name, made me lol.
Sin taxes are horseshit any way you cut it.
Different lifestyles are more dangerous than others. Big deal. That doesn't mean you should be taxed for them.
OP, when I drive past the gym I often see an ambulance in the parking lot. I conclude the gym is a dangerous place. Let's tax it, ok?
I have friends that love rock climbing but don't have insurance. What should we do about that? I don't want to pay for their danger-loving asses when they fall.
Being that smoking "bud" is illegal, how about we just greatly "tax" those that are caught doing so to pay for all health care?
Where do you draw the line?
Living the way you want is fine. Trying to influence others to live how you want is not.
I can't help but feel that Joseph Stalin had similar musings with his friends as a young man.....
Sin taxes are horseshit any way you cut it.
Different lifestyles are more dangerous than others. Big deal. That doesn't mean you should be taxed for them.
OP, when I drive past the gym I often see an ambulance in the parking lot. I conclude the gym is a dangerous place. Let's tax it, ok?
I have friends that love rock climbing but don't have insurance. What should we do about that? I don't want to pay for their danger-loving asses when they fall.
Being that smoking "bud" is illegal, how about we just greatly "tax" those that are caught doing so to pay for all health care?
Where do you draw the line?
Living the way you want is fine. Trying to influence others to live how you want is not.
I can't help but feel that Joseph Stalin had similar musings with his friends as a young man.....
[quote name='thrustbucket']The OP's post mixed with his avatar mixed with his name, made me lol.
Sin taxes are horseshit any way you cut it.
Different lifestyles are more dangerous than others. Big deal. That doesn't mean you should be taxed for them.
OP, when I drive past the gym I often see an ambulance in the parking lot. I conclude the gym is a dangerous place. Let's tax it, ok?
I have friends that love rock climbing but don't have insurance. What should we do about that? I don't want to pay for their danger-loving asses when they fall.
Being that smoking "bud" is illegal, how about we just greatly "tax" those that are caught doing so to pay for all health care?
Where do you draw the line?
Living the way you want is fine. Trying to influence others to live how you want is not.
I can't help but feel that Joseph Stalin had similar musings with his friends as a young man.....[/QUOTE]
I take it ur fat and pissed off.
Sin taxes are horseshit any way you cut it.
Different lifestyles are more dangerous than others. Big deal. That doesn't mean you should be taxed for them.
OP, when I drive past the gym I often see an ambulance in the parking lot. I conclude the gym is a dangerous place. Let's tax it, ok?
I have friends that love rock climbing but don't have insurance. What should we do about that? I don't want to pay for their danger-loving asses when they fall.
Being that smoking "bud" is illegal, how about we just greatly "tax" those that are caught doing so to pay for all health care?
Where do you draw the line?
Living the way you want is fine. Trying to influence others to live how you want is not.
I can't help but feel that Joseph Stalin had similar musings with his friends as a young man.....[/QUOTE]
I take it ur fat and pissed off.
thrustbucket
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[quote name='budsmoka']I take it ur fat and pissed off.[/QUOTE]
No but you have almost convinced me that if vanity and ignorance were taxed we'd pay off the deficit before you held a real job.
No but you have almost convinced me that if vanity and ignorance were taxed we'd pay off the deficit before you held a real job.
mykevermin
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[quote name='budsmoka']Yeah I only eat fresh veggies,meats,eggs,rice,oats and high quality whey. Its what we are supposed to be eating not processed shit made in a factory out of corn syrup and meat fillers.[/QUOTE]
I didn't know whey grew on farms.
EDIT: snarkiness aside, while I find your reasoning valid w/r/t costs of health care, I don't see your motives as noble. You support the taxation of what you don't participate in, and then take a noble stance behind it. That's a pretty bloody easy thing to do.
Find someone who wants to bring the marginal tax rate to pre-Reagan levels? Now that shit's noble.
I didn't know whey grew on farms.
EDIT: snarkiness aside, while I find your reasoning valid w/r/t costs of health care, I don't see your motives as noble. You support the taxation of what you don't participate in, and then take a noble stance behind it. That's a pretty bloody easy thing to do.
Find someone who wants to bring the marginal tax rate to pre-Reagan levels? Now that shit's noble.
[quote name='mykevermin']I didn't know whey grew on farms.
EDIT: snarkiness aside, while I find your reasoning valid w/r/t costs of health care, I don't see your motives as noble. You support the taxation of what you don't participate in, and then take a noble stance behind it. That's a pretty bloody easy thing to do.
Find someone who wants to bring the marginal tax rate to pre-Reagan levels? Now that shit's noble.[/QUOTE]
Agreed.
For what it's worth, I 100% support that, and I wouldn't support getting rid of the alcohol tax even being a big beer drinker.
I support social programming, getting the deficit paid down etc. and know having that happen requires higher taxes that affect me.
But I also spent 11 years in college and grad school to take an academic job in the social sciences so I've clearly never been one concerned with maximizing my bottom line!
EDIT: snarkiness aside, while I find your reasoning valid w/r/t costs of health care, I don't see your motives as noble. You support the taxation of what you don't participate in, and then take a noble stance behind it. That's a pretty bloody easy thing to do.
Find someone who wants to bring the marginal tax rate to pre-Reagan levels? Now that shit's noble.[/QUOTE]
Agreed.
For what it's worth, I 100% support that, and I wouldn't support getting rid of the alcohol tax even being a big beer drinker.
I support social programming, getting the deficit paid down etc. and know having that happen requires higher taxes that affect me.
But I also spent 11 years in college and grad school to take an academic job in the social sciences so I've clearly never been one concerned with maximizing my bottom line!
soulvengeance
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This thread is useless without more Hulk Hogan pics.
soulvengeance
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[quote name='Strell']The above is an example of killing two birds with one stone.[/QUOTE]
GTL baby, GTL.
GTL baby, GTL.
soulvengeance
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[quote name='Strell']When it comes to trolling, I can lift over 9,000 pounds.[/QUOTE]
mykevermin
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[quote name='dmaul1114']Agreed.
For what it's worth, I 100% support that, and I wouldn't support getting rid of the alcohol tax even being a big beer drinker.
I support social programming, getting the deficit paid down etc. and know having that happen requires higher taxes that affect me.
But I also spent 11 years in college and grad school to take an academic job in the social sciences so I've clearly never been one concerned with maximizing my bottom line![/QUOTE]
Did someone say bottom line?
OH HELL YEAH!
For what it's worth, I 100% support that, and I wouldn't support getting rid of the alcohol tax even being a big beer drinker.
I support social programming, getting the deficit paid down etc. and know having that happen requires higher taxes that affect me.
But I also spent 11 years in college and grad school to take an academic job in the social sciences so I've clearly never been one concerned with maximizing my bottom line![/QUOTE]
Did someone say bottom line?
OH HELL YEAH!
just happened?
bread's done