Masses in Phllly Shocked at Democrat Beverage Tax - Supposed to Make Fat People Skinny (generations, drugs)
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I call BS. Cigarette smoking is at an all time low because it got expensive, and because there was a strong effort to educate people into the associated risks with smoking.
Am I a fan of taxing foods with added sugar? Not particularly, but I'm also not fond of for-profit businesses hijacking our government to bar good research into the real risks that come with consuming too much sugar. Maybe a tax is what it will take to get people to wake up.
Most people are so blinded by their anti-government stance that they don't realize we've been played for decades by the Sugar Association like good little consumers gobbling up their product. You should at least solicit compensation from the Sugar Lobby for fighting on their behalf.
Have the high taxes on cigarettes dried up the pool, which is the phrase I used? No, people still smoke.
You're blaming the government for people eating sugar? How about we all take responsibility for what we do with our lives. It's not like the information isn't available. Sugar addiction and how sugar suppresses the immune system has been discussed and written about for at least thirty years. The risk of smoking cigarettes has been discussed for far longer and yet people still choose to smoke. Not to mention selectively choosing one sugar-filled product to tax won't make people healthier because they'll simply replace it with another sugar-filled product.
It's naive to advocate this money grabbing scam which will do little to make people healthier.
Have the high taxes on cigarettes dried up the pool, which is the phrase I used? No, people still smoke.
You're blaming the government for people eating sugar? How about we all take responsibility for what we do with our lives. It's not like the information isn't available. Sugar addiction and how sugar suppresses the immune system has been discussed and written about for at least thirty years. The risk of smoking cigarettes has been discussed for far longer and yet people still choose to smoke. Not to mention selectively choosing one sugar-filled product to tax won't make people healthier because they'll simply replace it with another sugar-filled product.
It's naive to advocate this money grabbing scam which will do little to make people healthier.
Yes, people still smoke, but the percentage of people who still smoke have been dropping drastically for years.
Currently only 15% of adults in the US still smoke cigarettes, and that number continues to drop.
You and others are citing taxes as the reason fewer people are smoking cigarettes, which just isn't true. In fact, there is little evidence of that, according to this:
There are other factors at play. People found it easier to quit, or greatly reduce the number of cigarettes they were smoking, when workplaces and restaurants, etc., became smoke-free environments. Bans on distribution of free cigarettes, vending machines and other marketing efforts have also had an impact.
And like I've posted before - when it comes to sugar, people will get their fix buying some other product if they don't want to pay the additional money for sugar-filled beverages.
You and others are citing taxes as the reason fewer people are smoking cigarettes, which just isn't true. In fact, there is little evidence of that, according to this:
There are other factors at play. People found it easier to quit, or greatly reduce the number of cigarettes they were smoking, when workplaces and restaurants, etc., became smoke-free environments. Bans on distribution of free cigarettes, vending machines and other marketing efforts have also had an impact.
And like I've posted before - when it comes to sugar, people will get their fix buying some other product if they don't want to pay the additional money for sugar-filled beverages.
I am not saying taxes have caused a decrease, I am saying smoking has been on a massive decrease since more people understand the dangers of smoking. The added cost to cigarettes is just a bonus in helping people make that choice to quit. Knowing the dangers and how much one wastes on cigarettes each year makes sense for anyone willing to quit.
As you pointed out, that other factors are also in play with more restrictions on smoking, heck, I wouldn't mind adding the restriction that a smoker much be 25ft away from people who aren't smoking or that they are only allowed to smoke in smoker corrals. But that has more to do with my distaste for smoking and the people who still smoke.
Yes, people have a sugar addiction and will find other ways to achieve obesity and diabetes regardless of the tax, though it wouldn't hurt to continue to further educate people the dangers of consuming too much sugar, and if sugar products cost more due to taxes, that too will help with reducing those with a sugar addiction.
Your state already has a sales tax, so you already pay taxes on everything you buy.
No, somethings are not taxed. We're talking sin tax not the normal everyday sales tax. Of course that is if you want to be honest about what we are discussing and not deflecting.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperOscar
Seriously, it seems like some people can literally find anything to whine about..
Seriously, it seems like some people can literally find anything to lie about.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperOscar
This idea that people should be jailed for anything other than serious crimes is just laughable and shouldn't even be a part of this discussion.
This idea that people cannot understand the sarcasm while pointing out their hypocrisy is just laughable and they shouldn't even be a part of this discussion.
No, somethings are not taxed. We're talking sin tax not the normal everyday sales tax. Of course that is if you want to be honest about what we are discussing and not deflecting.
Seriously, it seems like some people can literally find anything to lie about.
This idea that people cannot understand the sarcasm while pointing out their hypocrisy is just laughable and they shouldn't even be a part of this discussion.
Keep posting on this, it's good for a laugh.
Yes, I know what type of tax we are talking about, but a tax is a tax. If you pay sales tax on everything, then you are already paying a tax on that item regardless of what it is called. What you are telling me is that you don't like there being an additional tax on something like sugary drinks. So I am not sure how you are able to read that as deflecting.
What exactly is the lie you are referring to? Yes, I do agree with you, some people can in fact find anything to lie about, but I don't know what that has to do with my post.....
Oh I understand the sarcasm, I also understand that people are using the whole jail point as a way to exaggerate their point. Why tax, why not just jail people? In case you are wondering, that would be considered a deflection.
I am not saying taxes have caused a decrease, I am saying smoking has been on a massive decrease since more people understand the dangers of smoking. The added cost to cigarettes is just a bonus in helping people make that choice to quit. Knowing the dangers and how much one wastes on cigarettes each year makes sense for anyone willing to quit.
As you pointed out, that other factors are also in play with more restrictions on smoking, heck, I wouldn't mind adding the restriction that a smoker much be 25ft away from people who aren't smoking or that they are only allowed to smoke in smoker corrals. But that has more to do with my distaste for smoking and the people who still smoke.
Yes, people have a sugar addiction and will find other ways to achieve obesity and diabetes regardless of the tax, though it wouldn't hurt to continue to further educate people the dangers of consuming too much sugar, and if sugar products cost more due to taxes, that too will help with reducing those with a sugar addiction.
But that's the point - sugar products will not cost more due to taxes, only sugar-filled beverages. This isn't about health - it's about fundraising.
Educate more if you want, I have no problem with that, but I know inner motivation is the only thing that will get people to change.
Our politicians need to learn to live within or reduce their budgets, and stop adding more taxes under the b.s. excuse that they're concerned about health. They're not.
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