Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comFood tax could trim some people's calorie intake
Seeded on Thu Feb 17, 2011 5:27 PM EST (msnbc.com)
— Filed under: health
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Keep your Government paws off of my pantry!!!!!!!
I will as long as you and your friends keep your claws away from tax payers money
Tubbies to save the day!!!
Finally with all the fat people in this country we can be sure there will be good revenue if this tax goes through. We should depend on them to stuff their faces out of the recession we're in!!
I support this tax - but not if Diet is excluded. The aspartame in diet pop has just as many linked health problems, so its not any healthier to consume.
I would support a heavy tax 30-40% on junk foods, pop, fast food, ect...and subsidies for healthy fresh foods. That way it doesnt put an "undue burden on poor folks". I would make it so that ZERO welfare money could be spent on junk food, fast food, ect.
End large farm subsidies - except for any crops grown to feed the poor folks of the world. No subsidies shoudl be used for corn that create High Fructose Corn Syrup...end the oil, tobacco, and all other harmful industries subsidies...
the money saved from those should be shifted to smaller farms, organic farms, ect.
I've always wondered where the money goes that is taxed on tobacco and alcohol? It should, along with the taxes collected on sin foods, go into a general fund to treat folks who get sick through their poor decisions - i mean, after all, they paid for it right? but, in that same breath - insurance companies should no longer have to cover any health problem related to obesity, lung cancer caused by tobacco or liver damage caused by drinking - or any scientifically linked health problem to these "sins".
Im all for people living their lives how they want to - im just tired of america subsidizing everyone elses poor behaviours. Our healthcare system cant afford it anymore...amreicans cant afford it anymore. we are going broke...and are obese bellies are part of the problem.
As a 20 year old, I'm grossly overweight. However, it isn't from lack of trying. I've dieted for years, eaten the same amount of food as skinny friends of mine, and eat healthily. I also excercise often and watch fat intake. But the scale numbers kept escalating. You can't tell me that "all the fat people are stupid, mindless zombies who go after sugar and non-filling starches", because that's not always true.
Although I'm fully against the tax on the grounds that the government has screwed up enough already, I can understand where they would think that putting a tax on the food would help. However, instead of raising taxes (where we wouldn't even know where the money went to anyways), why not invest in more organic/mom and pop farms that would ensure that the healthy products on the shelf -both fresh produce and pre-packaged fruits and veggies, meats, etc- are numerous AND cheap enough for anyone to buy?
People who want the government to be in control of their lives are pathetic adult children who need to grow up and be responsible for your choices!
How is this science, thought I remembered this as basic economics 101 supply and demand pricing. It should still be the consumers choice determined be free market competition and pricing. If you want to sell more product make it cheaper to buy than your competition--DDDUUUUHHH.
Hey instead of raiseing taxes of junk food, lower taxes or remove them all together for healthy foods.
Except for if the cost outweighs lack of regulation. I realize this is an odd way to think of it, but if the cost outweighs the benefit of not having a tax... then indeed, a tax should be looked at. Presto! Basic economics 101 again.
Good point, but being as its the government we will still have the health cost and the exorbitant cost of regulation. My concern is that we will still have fat asses and a fatter government with the power to say what we can put in our own bodies. If taxes were removed from healthier foods with better nutrition than junk food would it reduce the regulators (i.e. no food czar) and give people a break for buying better food.
I am not trying to say this is not a crisis in the U.S., obesity really is killing the people and then we have to pay for the extended medical cost while they slowly die eating. I am just saying as the article was written I don't really see the science value of what most people already know.
Given the choice bettween fruits , veggies and just eating better, most will choose salty, fat laden fast food. They will even pay more taxes on it so this just becomes a revenue stream that will not go to pay for health education or prevention, but instead will simply be used to pay for more government employees to over see the collecting of the taxes.
We need to step it up to econ 401, how I don't know. Would like to hear any thoughts you might have.
One thought is for medical deemed obese people to pay more for health care, this might provide the incentive to loose weight as they would (if they don't care about their health) either see a way to save money or have less money to spend on food.
I did read an article where in New York making the chain restaurants post the calorie count did help reduce portion sizes so they would not be embarrassedby serving a sandwich with over 1000 calories and did have some effect (not as big as expected) on the way people ordered.
There has been some positive gain with the new interactive video games, maybe this should be studied?
Positive gain with regards to what? I assume you mean weight loss by making video games more active (wii, then kinect, etc), but I'm not sure what you mean. Good question though, interesting enough to explore.
In any case, what I find interesting is the fact that you state taxes will not pay for health ed or prevention, while saying more taxes will gladly be paid because people will do what they want regardless. If this is the case, then a blanket "taxes are crushing and bad" sort of response definitely falls short, because nobody would care anyway paying it. I kind of doubt that making obese people pay more for health care can be construed as effective. Now... you would sure think so at first, but there's a couple of problems there. First... the amount it costs the public generally relates to people who can't pay in the first place (so that rates are jacked up for all). Second... the insurance companies already have food health exploratory questions when signing for, say, life insurance. The reason is to deny... again jacking up costs for all. Trying to make the group pay rather than making the group healthier doesn't seem to be very cost effective when looked at closer.
Though it's a rather controversial issue at this point, I'm in favor of taxing some "unhealthy" foods. In order to make the taxes fair and meaningful, however, lines must be drawn to determine which foods fall into the taxable category. I'd think that most foods would be exempt from taxation due to some sort of redeeming quality. However, plenty of truly worthless foods would remain. These kinds of products affect not only the individual consumer, but the nation as a whole. While you can argue to the end about "personal freedoms" and "keeping the government out of my life," the fact remains that we are suffering tremendous and INCREASING financial and societal damage from the effects of poor nutrition and sedentary lifestyles. It's not just a matter of doing "WHAT I WANT," as Cartman would say. The problem has gotten too large for that argument to make sense anymore. It's an issue of public health and national financial security. We have to make a change at some point and it's likely to feel like a negative one to those who need it the most. But in the end, the benefits will be felt by everyone and our country will be better off for it.
NutritionPerfected.com/np-blog.html
1. Anyone who does groceries can easily figure out the PRODUCE is the cheapest thing on the shelf.
2. Our Federal government subsidizes on corn and soybean FAR more than it subsidizes any other produce. This leads to an indirect subsidy on high-fructose corn syrup and soybean-based trans-fats, i.e. subsidies on the main calories of most junk food.
Leave it to the government to subsidize something (in this case it's junk food) and then try to tax that same thing in order to prevent overconsumption.
Only a total idiot would argue for government intervention in regulating food, given the Feds' record of subsidizing junk food.
The subsidizing is an attempt to avoid another dust bowl via shutting down methods that were not even appropriate for the western world. I'll grant you that subsidizing should probably be replaced with another system (sustainable agriculture), but perhaps you should look into the actual reason why the government pays farmers to NOT farm on certain schedules.
We have "sin" taxes on cigarettes, alcohol, and gambling so I'm absolutely in favor of one on junk food as well. I also support ending farm subsidies except for small mom & pop operations (who play a negligible role in HFCS production).
I have a few major problems with this
1) I am hypoglycemic and require 2500-3500 calories per day (depending on activity level)
2) Why should I be fined for consuming whatever amount of calories I want (why not fine people for each lb overwieght they are)
3) There is no need to tax everyone if we just make sure the fatso and sos start paying attention (to savethemselves money either in increased health ins. costs or fines/taxes))
I believe the aim of this is to tax junk food. If this tax goes through you will have to exercise other options as there are healthier alternatives, if you want to avoid the tax.
By the way i am 45 yrs old 5'11" and 145 (just above underweght), have good blood tests and eat 1.5 lbs of meat or cheese per day, with the majority of the balance of my calories coming from grains. I do eat fruits and vegies daily also but need the high protien (to maintain my blood sugar
My diet requires me to eat 8 bags of pork rinds daily. This tax is NOT FAIR!!!
Just wondering here is all. But, just how many people who are over weight (including our children) are obese because of daily non-activity? Children have become obese because of video games, computers, not to mention that most kids are in single parent homes or homes where both parents work and rely a great deal on fast food. I remember here that Schools were looking to eliminate PE classes along with others to curb on costs. Now for the best part, how many hours do you spend behind that computer instead of engaging in family activity? By the way, all I did to loose weight was watch my fat intake. Chocolate was still in my diet and still is and I am still within the guide lines of my age and weight. There are medical reasons for people being obese but, for the most part those that are obese are because of lack of activity in their lives. Back in the day children were active, did chores around the farm and maintain a healthy weight but today between video games and computers don't get much exorcise and we are over weight hum go figure.
Interesting theory. I always think people should treat their food carefully but this is hard for many people. So I guess your theory is pretty cool.
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As stated in the article - it was a small study. People that are addicted to sugar, diet drinks and anything sweet that will give them a kick will not blink when it comes to their addiction.
This is a bunch of BS Why should I have to pay taxes for those who chose to eat incorrectly. I have an idea why not offset the Health Care expenses by charging those who are obese of getting there more and deduct it form me. I'm not over weight I need the extra calories from all the activities I do. And when did drinking diet soda become a good thing.
I purpose a plan lets give a tax and medical discount CREDIT, if you keep yourself in shape aren't obese and are considered healthy!!!!
I want to eat what the HELL I want to eat, I'm a grown Adult who can make the choices regarding what is used to stuff my face.
If the tax were on eating incorrectly and you are eating correctly...
... you wouldn't pay the tax.
I eat a little of everything. Why do have a need to limit my intake options because obesity is a problem? if one day I chose to have some chips or cookies why should my family have to pay a tax for something we don't indulge in like pigs. Not everyone in this country is over weight or obese not all of us have to count calories. And what in the world would you say is eating correctly?
Skipping out on sweets when someone wants it isn't eating incorrectly, it's the amount people intake in one sitting that makes it nasty and down right wrong.
So If if an Oreo looks good to me I will have a few, tax free thank you. But the pack would last me a while, not one sitting.
PS I hate Oreo's
Well then... you still wouldn't pay much tax. The cookie monsters of the world would. Thus... the ostensibly obese would be shouldering most of the tax. Still wondering what the actual issue is for you?
I've long thought a tax on junk food, including all non-nutritious drinks, would be a good idea. People who want sweet, salty, fatty foods could still avoid the tax by making them at home, but at least it wouldn't be so easy to grab and mindlessly eat the junk and give it to the kids. Have you noticed how many younger kids are having gall bladder surgery now?
If the government wants us to eat healthier, why don't they start lowering the price on organic items, and stop genetically altering our food? Even banana's aren't 100% organic, because they spray them with chemicals to ripen them. For those of us who WANT to eat healthy, some of us can't because the cost to our wallet is too much to bear!
The government isn't spraying anything... farmers are. The whole point is, if you support organic... you support local farmers (instead of industrialized wholesale level Wal-Mart sort of farms which spray everything). Not to mention the effect of trucking in all that industrial level produce, vice the organic produce from an adjacent locale. Can you afford it? Sadly, perhaps you can't.
But, if more people did it... the price would go down.
Anyway, the government has nothing to do with organic pricing.
didn't we fight against england over taxes when will taxs stop or do we need to revolt againg ????
No Party Affiliation
We need to revolt again but it's ultimately not going to be a success because the pathetic and dilusional tea party & other aimless groups will try to be the voice for the americans who want lower taxes. Their aim will be to take advantage of the situation by manipulating us into making them our leaders instead of actually helping us out with the revolution to lower taxes.
After a lot of bloodshed and sacrifices made only by the people to ensure the revolution is a success, we probably will have lower taxes but it will only be a temporary success because taxes will slowly rise until they meet and maybe even surpass pre-revolution tax rates. All of this because the safeguards we would have established in our government would have slowly eroded away due to loopholes and amendments passed without our knowledge. The idiots that we chose to be the voice of our revolution will ultimately turn into the same people we revolted against!!
How do I know this? American History
please charge $10 per candy bar! i would definately stop buying them!! i know, will power :(
Who decides what's "junk"? What about sick people who desperately need as many high calorie foods as possible (cancer patients, etc) and are already paying a fortune for medications and treatments? What about people with digestive disorders (Crohn's, some IBS sufferers) who can't eat high fibre foods without ending up in the bathroom for hours, if they're lucky, or the hospital if they're not? Taxing FOOD extra based on some one size fits all idea of "healthy" is a terrible idea.
I am so tired of the government becoming more involved in everything I do. If people want to be fat then let them. Stop trying to groom everyone to your liking!!!! Back off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!