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Originally Posted by barrowaj
Yeah, well hopefully something like what I was saying could be implemented without expanding people's tax basis by much. I wouldn't think that such a system would amount to more than $50 a year or something for anybody.
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How do you expect to modify anyone's behavior by levying a tax that amounts to less than $1/week? And if you've ever seen government in action and paid the least little bit of attention, you'd understand that the $50/year WILL NOT STAY AT THAT LEVEL.
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Originally Posted by barrowaj
I would just tax foods that are unhealthy and high in saturated and trans fat. You can clearly eat those foods and be healthy, you just can't eat them all the time. That's why a tax wouldn't be a big deal for someone who eats them infrequently, but for someone who frequently eats unhealthy foods, the tax could lead them to consider healthier alternatives.
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HOW high in saturated and trans fat would a certain food have to be before your tax kicks in? How big would the portion have to be before you make a consumer's choice for him - for his own good, of course - and pick his pocket?
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Originally Posted by barrowaj
In turn, credits should be given for healthy choices like excercise and healhty foods.
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Okay, so I could possibly reduce my tax bill by eating Bulgar wheat and drinking carrot juice EXCLUSIVELY. I'd die after leading a very unhealthy life, which I presume would be counter to your entire proposition, but that is what happens when we violate the Law of Unintended Consequences, right?
Alternatively, we could assign a bazillion government workers to each and every one of us to monitor our diet to MAKE CERTAIN that we're entitled to our 'health food' tax credit, but inviting a couple of government employees to each and every meal seems to, oh, I don't know, reduce my freaking freedom to live as I please.
But the exercise idea...let's move on to THAT gem. Do you suppose that the leisured classes, the Ladies Who Lunch and the Trust Fund Babies and the Idle Rich Playboys would get those tax credits somewhat more readily than the 55+-hours-a-week salesman or the all-day-in-the-sun roofer is likely to want to work up a sweat at the Bunz-O'-Steel Temple of Narcissism Gym and Racquet Club after their workday, or do you suppose that picking up the kids from daycare, and getting that crappy Mac'N'Cheese dinner (with Li'l Smokies extra-fat chunks stirred right in!) in front of their little mouths before bath time and homework MAY be the priority for 'em, 364 days out of every single dam' year?
Frankly, your elitest proposal is a bit shocking from an egalitarian friend of the proles like ya'se'f, comrade.
You Utopian-builders just never seem to run out of the Big Ideas, do you? Never once stop to think that MAYBE the rest of us can get along just fine without a busybody know-it-all buttinski telling us how we all should live to their satisfaction.
Go back to kindergarten, Mr. Med Student, and try to learn this one lesson FOR GOOD, this time: keep your hands to yourself.