Tax beer, chips to pay for health care?

[kg4kww]

Health care reform won’t come cheap, and that’s why lawmakers are considering higher taxes on everything from alcohol and cigarettes to junk food and soda as a way to pay for it. The Senate Finance Committee is looking into how to pay for this massive overhaul, which could cost $1.5 trillion over 10 years.

http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2009/ ... re-reform/ (http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/14/tax-cigarettes-alcohol-junk-food-to-pay-for-health-care-reform/)

[kb2vxa]

"Sin tax" has been around for a long time, they're just giving it another hike.

[KG4CGC]

So all the cheap foods that poor people have to eat will be more expensive?
Will it be the McDonalds Dolla Fitty Menu?
Store brand chips will be a luxury?
Taco Bell will have the Value Plus tax Deals?
What will make the list of junk type foods? I consider Pork N Beans™ to be junk that I won't even touch but will those poor unfortunate souls that can afford little else be taxed into starvation?
Crackers and sardines used to be considered hobo food but now I think those two items will be unattainable luxuries. Both items are high in sodium.
Yes, I believe that is the answer to the poverty problem in this country. Make them destitute. :roll:

[kb2vxa]

"So all the cheap foods that poor people have to eat will be more expensive?"
That's been the trend for years but what does the price of cat food have to do with fast food? Aside from the fact it's unhealthy I stopped having the occasional Toxic Hell, Booger Fling snack years ago being it's just too darn expensive. Cheap it's not and that's for sure, if you want to eat cheap but healthy, guideline pamphlets are available from your local Social Services office and the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

As for the tax, take one guess where the target list will come from.

[w2amr]

Health care reform won’t come cheap, and that’s why lawmakers are considering higher taxes on everything from alcohol and cigarettes to junk food and soda as a way to pay for it. The Senate Finance Committee is looking into how to pay for this massive overhaul, which could cost $1.5 trillion over 10 years.

http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2009/ ... re-reform/ (http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/14/tax-cigarettes-alcohol-junk-food-to-pay-for-health-care-reform/)
I hope they up the tax on UT supplies too.

[kd6nig]

It would be easier to just up the sales tax, but people scream loudly at that :)

The main reason they target food though is that in many cases, food isn't taxable unless its in an establishment and prepared for eating. These kind of taxes close the loophole.

The obvious fix would just to be levying sales tax on everything, but thats worse....so they pick and choose, and add "redemption value" and stuff. The way this state is with tobacco taxes I'm surprised anyone can even afford to smoke anymore. But thats the main reason behind it-they tax the heck out of smokes, people quit smoking, less people buy tobacco, less tax revenue, so now they have to tax the next evil.

Eventually everything becomes evil and illegal, and we have our Demolition Man utopia at last, where anything bad for you is illegal and you just pay 50% of your credits to the state :) Be Well.

[KG4CGC]

"So all the cheap foods that poor people have to eat will be more expensive?"
That's been the trend for years but what does the price of cat food have to do with fast food? Aside from the fact it's unhealthy I stopped having the occasional Toxic Hell, Booger Fling snack years ago being it's just too darn expensive. Cheap it's not and that's for sure, if you want to eat cheap but healthy, guideline pamphlets are available from your local Social Services office and the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

As for the tax, take one guess where the target list will come from.
Where will the target list come from? Michelle Obama?