First They Came For My Soda, Then They Came For My Pizza
We all remember that members of both State governments and the Federal government have suggested taxes on soda. Now, a group of busy bodies have recommended a tax on pizza
U.S. researchers estimate that an 18 percent tax on pizza and soda can push down U.S. adults’ calorie intake enough to lower their average weight by 5 pounds (2 kg) per year.
The researchers, writing in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine on Monday, suggested taxing could be used as a weapon in the fight against obesity, which costs the United States an estimated $147 billion a year in health costs.
“While such policies will not solve the obesity epidemic in its entirety and may face considerable opposition from food manufacturers and sellers, they could prove an important strategy to address overconsumption, help reduce energy intake and potentially aid in weight loss and reduced rates of diabetes among U.S. adults,” wrote the team led by Kiyah Duffey of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
With two-thirds of Americans either overweight or obese, policymakers are increasingly looking at taxing as a way to address obesity on a population level.
The entire problem with this notion is that taxation was never meant to be a means to control behavior. Quite frankly, any weight issues of We The People are none of the lawmakers (self deleted) business. What was that thing about Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness? Then there is the Blessings of Liberty. Concepts our Nanny State lawmakers fail to understand (or respect).
Interestingly, any soda tax could be considered un-Constitutional
Article I, Section 9: No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.
Unless that soda is made in the state you are purchasing it, you cannot be charged a tax. And since all taxes must be equal, per that Constitution thing liberals say they like, but always refute (and do not understand), charging some tax and others not, would of course, be un-Constitutional.
They’ll pry my pizza out of my cold, grease covered hands!
BTW, if you want a grease-less pizza, use whole milk cheese instead of part skim (which is what most pizza places use to save money.) Costs a little more, but goes a lot farther, without the grease. Oh, and don’t spin the pizza dough in your kitchen. Flour goes everywhere. Made that mistake once at home. I used to run a pizza place while in grad school.
Hat tip to Annie.
Crossed at Pirate’s Cove
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Posted by William Teach on March 10, 2010 7:52 am
» Filed Under Agenda based science, Article I section 8, Constitution, Government corruption, Government malfeasance/misfeasance, Government tyranny, Healthcare, Nanny State, News, Political Correctness, Science/pseudo-science, Social Engineering, Socialism, State Government, Stupidity, Taxes, Totalitarianism, Unconstitutional, Unequal taxation, liberalism
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2 Responses to “First They Came For My Soda, Then They Came For My Pizza”
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Syndicate Me
It’s so aggravating to hear stories like this, expressing shock that our government would use taxes to effect “behavior modification”. What else would we expect from a government that plans to take over our health care system, essentially making them one of the biggest insurers in America?
Our existing insurance companies do the EXACT same thing to us every day, by enacting ridiculous rules and pushing for laws and fines that affect our driving behaviors, our smoking behaviors, etc. They push hard to control costs and improve their bottom line, and couldn’t care less about our rights or our freedom. Until now, all we had going for us was the competition between insurance companies, which prevented them from getting too aggressive about it.
Anyone who doesn’t realize that our government will be doing the same thing to us is, times ten, is either stupid or not thinking too hard about it. Government Health Care will be the biggest “behavior modification” tool ever imposed on the American people. Under the guise of controlling health care costs, they will be free to impose ANY DAMN RULES they see fit to impose. After all, what right does an individual have to make others pay for their “unhealthy” behavior? When the government becomes the only provider, they will have free reign to impose whatever rules they see fit to impose, all in the name of controlling costs.
Those among us who are mature enough to see past all the “free stuff” they are promising us know that this is the biggest assault on freedom and liberty this country has ever seen. We will continue to fight this until our last dying breath.
Think about it …”they came for my soda, now they’re coming for my pizza …”
I wonder how long it will be before they’re coming for your guns? You know, those nasty things that injure so many people, and add to all of “our” health care costs? It’s just not fair to expect our society to bear the health care costs that result from those, so we’re just going to have to ask you to hand them over please….
Oh and by the way, that beer, excuse me, alcoholic beverage, you’re drinking is racking up a bunch of excessive health care costs too. Better hand those over while you’re at it. And while we’re on the subject, that skate board has to go, and oh, you own a small airplane? Well, those are just not as safe as big airplanes, so we’ll be asking you to get rid of that too. Did you say you rock climb? Not any more you don’t. Hang glide? Forget it. Skiing? Are you nuts? How much chocolate did you say you eat? That’s going to have to come to an end … What? You’re pregnant again? Don’t you know that having more than two babies is very risky? I’m afraid we can’t allow you to have a third ….
Just like any insurance company would do if they could, one by one, our government bureaucrats will identify and eliminate their risks. Sometimes it will truly be to control costs, and sometimes it will be because they just don’t like whatever it is you’re doing, but one thing is certain….
As each “risk” (i.e-freedom) is eliminated, they will look to the next one and make whatever it is illegal, simply because they CAN. There will be absolutely NOTHING that cannot be prohibited or regulated under the guise of cost control.
Personally, I’ve already been denied disability insurance because I’m a private pilot. Luckily, under our present system, I was able to go to another company that had different rules. When the government is the only game in town, what will your choice be then?