Seattle tax raises prices (renting, taxes, dangerous)

[Xanathos]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

I think the primary focus of this tax is on addressing the escalating obesity and Diabetes 2 epidemics among children and adolescents - doing nothing should not be an option. I'd also be in favor of extending it to sugary breakfast cereals, which are primarily marketed to children. Hopefully this will encourage more parents to switch to healthier alternatives, such as milk and orange juice, for instance, as well as help fund nutritional awareness programs. I've already suggested that we increase eligibility for the WIC program.

I wouldn't be surprised if a majority of voters in Seattle don't consume sugary beverages, tobacco, or hard liquor. Is it really any surprise that they or their representatives would approve of heavily taxing these substances? And why shouldn't they, given that huge future costs are clearly associated with their use? That's how democracy should work. Corporatocracy, on the other hand...

Well, you would think wrong. The primary focus of this tax is more revenue for the city. Trying to tax behavior is both largely ineffective and odious of government. And claiming it's for health purposes is as specious as every time "but it's for the children! Won't you think of the children!" gets trotted out to pass some ludicrousness.

I find it more than a little ironic that self-proclaimed progressives that decry class warfare participate in it so willingly by forcing lower class households into behavior the progressives deem "acceptable" while allowing the wealthy to simply chalk up their efforts as a nuisance, and by implementing regressive tax structures that harm the very people they claim to be champions for if the lower income household doesn't conform to the Government-Approved-Behavior. See below for a great example.

Originally Posted by mhays25

Or gosh, don't buy pop? Or buy less?

If someone can't figure that out beyond their early teens, wow.

[Hemlock140]

This tax was presented as a way to reduce obesity but also to raise money for social programs. I expect the sales of beer to go way up (which obviously won't help reduce obesity) in addition to the increase in sales at those stores just outside the city limits. People always stock up on soda when it's on sale, just look at the stacks of 12 packs at Safeway when they have a "buy two get the 3rd free" type sale, and watch the carts being filled up. It will be worth a little gas to drive outside the city and buy a month's supply for those that want it. Those left to pay the tax are those without a car. It's questionable whether the tax will even pay for the cost of administering it.


Seattle's soda tax experiment is doomed to failure

[Rombus]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

You mean the Mafia is going to start selling cheap and adulterated knock-offs of Coke, Pepsi, 7-Up, etc., in dark alleys or in illicit speakeasies spread around town?

Booze is even more heavily taxed in this town, but I'm not seeing that a black market has formed because of it

Your'e not looking hard enough.

Down the hatch!

[CrazyDonkey]

Have yet to hear from those opposed to this tax a single suggestion for what to do about the obesity/Diabetes epidemic among children and adolescents, other than "let them die" or similar sentiment.

[thatguy950]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Have yet to hear from those opposed to this tax a single suggestion for what to do about the obesity/Diabetes epidemic among children and adolescents, other than "let them die" or similar sentiment.

Parental/personal responsibility

/thread

[CrazyDonkey]

[quoteth=thatguy950;50820393]Parental/personal responsibility[/quote]

Like what I said..."just let them (children) die."

Parental responsibility requires responsible parents. Good luck with that.

Note: Marketing aside, the primary incentive to feed children sugary soda pop, among poorer parents, at least, is an economic one - it is cheaper than milk.

[thatguy950]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

[quoteth=thatguy950;50820393]Parental/personal responsibility

Like what I said..."just let them (children) die."

Parental responsibility requires responsible parents. Good luck with that.

Note: Marketing aside, the primary incentive to feed children sugary soda pop, among poorer parents, at least, is an economic one - it is cheaper than milk.[/quote]

so the only other solution is punishing everyone else?

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by thatguy950

so the only other solution is punishing everyone else?

Well, I'm asking what your solution is?

If the tax removes the economic incentive for parents to feed their children sugary sodas instead of milk, I'm fine with that. The only question, for me, is whether it overshoots the mark. We could also subsidize the price of milk so it would be cheaper than sugary soda, but that would require taxing something else to pay for it.

[hurricaneMan1992]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

[quoteth=thatguy950;50820393]Parental/personal responsibility

Like what I said..."just let them (children) die."

Parental responsibility requires responsible parents. Good luck with that.

Note: Marketing aside, the primary incentive to feed children sugary soda pop, among poorer parents, at least, is an economic one - it is cheaper than milk.[/quote]

Cheaper than milk and possible to buy with government assistance!

I hate to say it, but many parent's aren't responsible about the decision to have children in the first place.

Personal responsibility is great rhetoric but it doesn't work well here because children aren't 100% independent and fully educated from the day they're born. Equality of starting position, this is not. And like it or not we all bear the costs of this, and very few people pay their health costs 100% out of pocket, and high health risk drives up the cost of insurance for everyone.

[mhays25]

Originally Posted by thatguy950

Note: Marketing aside, the primary incentive to feed children sugary soda pop, among poorer parents, at least, is an economic one - it is cheaper than milk.

How smart do parents need to be to think of tapwater. It's pretty good in Seattle. We're talking IQs over 70 right?