Comments on: I’m Okay With Taxing Garbage http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/ Ground zero for all things political in Delaware Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:49:12 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: A. price http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150843 A. price Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:12:38 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150843 well, we would tax abortions of course... and they will be fully covered by gvt health care :) hell RWR YOU'LL be paying for them HOOOORAY SOCIALISM fail well, we would tax abortions of course… and they will be fully covered by gvt health care :) hell RWR YOU’LL be paying for them HOOOORAY SOCIALISM fail

]]> By: mike w. http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150836 mike w. Sat, 26 Sep 2009 18:54:28 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150836 RWR - Liberals are generally anti-choice. They're only pro-choice as long as it's a choice they support. RWR – Liberals are generally anti-choice. They’re only pro-choice as long as it’s a choice they support.

]]> By: Rhymes With Right http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150775 Rhymes With Right Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:39:44 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150775 Interesting how yu folks are willing to impose a tax on choice. The again, maybe the only "choice" you really support is abortion. Interesting how yu folks are willing to impose a tax on choice.

The again, maybe the only “choice” you really support is abortion.

]]> By: John Manifold http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150713 John Manifold Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:21:09 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150713 It's fool's gold to think that "diet soda" avoids health problems: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118523105635575469.html http://www.uthscsa.edu/hscnews/singleformat.asp?newID=1539 BTW, don't you love how insecure males toss the term "nanny state" at random? They did it for seat belts, indoor cigs, warning labels, occupational safety, too. It’s fool’s gold to think that “diet soda” avoids health problems:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118523105635575469.html

http://www.uthscsa.edu/hscnews/singleformat.asp?newID=1539

BTW, don’t you love how insecure males toss the term “nanny state” at random? They did it for seat belts, indoor cigs, warning labels, occupational safety, too.

]]> By: Scott P http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150710 Scott P Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:03:36 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150710 <i>Yup, and nanny state has to keep you from doing things that are bad for you.</i> Wrong and, um, wrong. The talk is about placing a small tax, not outlawing them. As Geezer said, you can still drink all you want. And the point is not so much about stopping you from doing something that's bad for <i>you</i>. The point is about believing that society has a responsibility to try to prevent people from doing things that are bad for <i>others</i>. The downside to excess sugar consumption is not that you get fat -- I don't give a damn how fat and disgusting you get. The downside is that being obese makes you much more likely to develop major (read: expensive) health issues that I and everyone else will have to pay for. Yup, and nanny state has to keep you from doing things that are bad for you.

Wrong and, um, wrong. The talk is about placing a small tax, not outlawing them. As Geezer said, you can still drink all you want. And the point is not so much about stopping you from doing something that’s bad for you. The point is about believing that society has a responsibility to try to prevent people from doing things that are bad for others. The downside to excess sugar consumption is not that you get fat — I don’t give a damn how fat and disgusting you get. The downside is that being obese makes you much more likely to develop major (read: expensive) health issues that I and everyone else will have to pay for.

]]> By: anon http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150709 anon Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:01:03 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150709 <i>"junk food is cheaper."</i> Really? 20-oz diet Pepsi from local convenience store: $1.49. Water from the tap: Free. “junk food is cheaper.”

Really?

20-oz diet Pepsi from local convenience store: $1.49.

Water from the tap: Free.

]]> By: a. price http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150706 a. price Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:29:03 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150706 I dont mind these types of taxes, and long as there is a plan for the revenues. I, for example, with my just scrappin' by lifestyle wouldn't mind a 2 dollar a gallon gas tax... $2 extra per gallon whatever the regular price is, as long as all that money went to developing alternative energy sources. First of all, it would raise a ton of money because people need gas, but it would cause the market to demand private companies also use their 11 billion quarterly profits to fix the oil dependency. By taxing things like sodas, and sugary juices we have the opportunity to use that money to.... help pay for health care maybe? People who buy soda all the time will be buying into to their long term diabeties treatment. There is nothing wrong with a vice tax. We are allowed to do things that are bad for us.. sugar, smoking, alcohol... if in Vegas.. other things etc. But, if they are going to negatively effect our health, and that will later have to be paid for, why not start building that coffer now? yes RICO i LOVE taxes... they help a good socialist society function :) I dont mind these types of taxes, and long as there is a plan for the revenues. I, for example, with my just scrappin’ by lifestyle wouldn’t mind a 2 dollar a gallon gas tax… $2 extra per gallon whatever the regular price is, as long as all that money went to developing alternative energy sources. First of all, it would raise a ton of money because people need gas, but it would cause the market to demand private companies also use their 11 billion quarterly profits to fix the oil dependency.
By taxing things like sodas, and sugary juices we have the opportunity to use that money to…. help pay for health care maybe? People who buy soda all the time will be buying into to their long term diabeties treatment.
There is nothing wrong with a vice tax. We are allowed to do things that are bad for us.. sugar, smoking, alcohol… if in Vegas.. other things etc. But, if they are going to negatively effect our health, and that will later have to be paid for, why not start building that coffer now?
yes RICO i LOVE taxes… they help a good socialist society function :)

]]> By: Progressive Mom http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150705 Progressive Mom Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:24:04 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150705 The NY tax did exempt diet sodas and all non-carbonated sugary drinks -- meaning that those "green teas" with sugar were exempt. The idea was based not so much on revenue for the long run, but revenue for the short run and obesity costs. There were many holes in the proposal, including the sugary tea issue and the fact that some studies have shown that people who drink diet drinks actually eat more and may crave food more (I think cause and effect is confused in these studies, but whatever...). The proposal is going nowhere and, honestly, I think it was the guv's way of using a strawman to deflect attention away from some huge revenue/expenditures changes he proposed last December, and as a way to slap the always-entertaining NY legislature into some kind of budget action. It failed on both counts. The NY tax did exempt diet sodas and all non-carbonated sugary drinks — meaning that those “green teas” with sugar were exempt.

The idea was based not so much on revenue for the long run, but revenue for the short run and obesity costs.

There were many holes in the proposal, including the sugary tea issue and the fact that some studies have shown that people who drink diet drinks actually eat more and may crave food more (I think cause and effect is confused in these studies, but whatever…). The proposal is going nowhere and, honestly, I think it was the guv’s way of using a strawman to deflect attention away from some huge revenue/expenditures changes he proposed last December, and as a way to slap the always-entertaining NY legislature into some kind of budget action.

It failed on both counts.

]]> By: Geezer http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150698 Geezer Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:49:37 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150698 Nobody is stopping you from doing it, Mike. And Nanny had nothing to do with Adam Smith. But keep knocking down those straw men, you big, gun-loving hunk of man, you. Nobody is stopping you from doing it, Mike. And Nanny had nothing to do with Adam Smith. But keep knocking down those straw men, you big, gun-loving hunk of man, you.

]]> By: cassandra m http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150696 cassandra m Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:38:16 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150696 JM is right that soda and juice drinks are luxury items -- you don't pay taxes on what you don't consume in this case, so what you pay for is still under your control. But cigarettes are luxury items too -- and the lesson from taxing them is one of diminishing returns. As cigs got more expensive, people started quitting meaning that tax revenues started not meeting expectations. I don't think it will be the end of the world to tax sugared sodas and juice drinks, but counting on these taxes as a persistent source of revenue to pay for health care seems short-sighted. JM is right that soda and juice drinks are luxury items — you don’t pay taxes on what you don’t consume in this case, so what you pay for is still under your control.

But cigarettes are luxury items too — and the lesson from taxing them is one of diminishing returns. As cigs got more expensive, people started quitting meaning that tax revenues started not meeting expectations. I don’t think it will be the end of the world to tax sugared sodas and juice drinks, but counting on these taxes as a persistent source of revenue to pay for health care seems short-sighted.

]]> By: Unstable Isotope http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150695 Unstable Isotope Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:34:10 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150695 We're currently subsidizing this behavior now. We control sugar prices and we subsidize corn which is used to make high fructose corn syrup. I see that as government encouraging the wrong behavior. Consumers aren't stupid - they definitely know they get more bang for their bucks with high calorie food, and fruits and vegetables are more expensive. Plus, we add lots of fats and things to make junk taste good - the food industry is way out in front in the science. Remember though, I think humans are short term thinkers rather than long term thinkers. It's not that people don't recognize that junk food makes them fat, it's just that they have to make decisions in the now and junk food is cheaper. If we want to encourage people to eat more healthy we need a way to make healthy eating more cost effective and not so much like swimming upstream. We’re currently subsidizing this behavior now. We control sugar prices and we subsidize corn which is used to make high fructose corn syrup. I see that as government encouraging the wrong behavior. Consumers aren’t stupid – they definitely know they get more bang for their bucks with high calorie food, and fruits and vegetables are more expensive. Plus, we add lots of fats and things to make junk taste good – the food industry is way out in front in the science.

Remember though, I think humans are short term thinkers rather than long term thinkers. It’s not that people don’t recognize that junk food makes them fat, it’s just that they have to make decisions in the now and junk food is cheaper. If we want to encourage people to eat more healthy we need a way to make healthy eating more cost effective and not so much like swimming upstream.

]]> By: mike w. http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150694 mike w. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:30:14 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150694 <i>"Soda is a luxury item that is bad for you. It’s a liquid cigarette."</i> Yup, and nanny state has to keep you from doing things that are bad for you. “Soda is a luxury item that is bad for you. It’s a liquid cigarette.”

Yup, and nanny state has to keep you from doing things that are bad for you.

]]> By: RSmitty http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150692 RSmitty Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:28:36 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150692 <i>I’m OK with taxing – I like libraries, roads, public parks, police departments, fire departments…</i> Excellent and true point, UI; however, taxes from these beverages would go to none of those. I believe the intent is to deflect health care costs of treating food-drink cosumption health issues. I can't think of a gentler way to put that! I’m OK with taxing – I like libraries, roads, public parks, police departments, fire departments…
Excellent and true point, UI; however, taxes from these beverages would go to none of those. I believe the intent is to deflect health care costs of treating food-drink cosumption health issues. I can’t think of a gentler way to put that!

]]> By: mike w. http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150690 mike w. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:27:19 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150690 Typical. Place a "sin tax" on items you don't want people to consume. Doing so doesn't change behavior, and honestly the government has no business using tax policy in an attempt to modify my eating habits (or smoking, drinking etc. for that matter) The lady is right, in these economic times the last thing we need is another tax that will directly impact most American consumers. I wonder how this would square with Obama's "no new taxes on anyone making under $250K" which was of course a flat out lie. Typical. Place a “sin tax” on items you don’t want people to consume. Doing so doesn’t change behavior, and honestly the government has no business using tax policy in an attempt to modify my eating habits (or smoking, drinking etc. for that matter)

The lady is right, in these economic times the last thing we need is another tax that will directly impact most American consumers.

I wonder how this would square with Obama’s “no new taxes on anyone making under $250K” which was of course a flat out lie.

]]> By: RSmitty http://www.delawareliberal.net/2009/09/25/im-okay-with-taxing-garbage/#comment-150689 RSmitty Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:26:59 +0000 http://www.delawareliberal.net/?p=28971#comment-150689 <i>But…But…But….what about diet soda?</i> Spoken in a way that Joanne can truly appreciate: <b>T</b>axing <b>A</b>ll <b>B</b>everages ;-) But…But…But….what about diet soda?

Spoken in a way that Joanne can truly appreciate:
Taxing
All
Beverages

;-)

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