Tax on meat... (healthcare, premium, insurance, politicians)

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by armourereric

As a hand on a small hobby farm with 5 head of cattle, I have read these reports in detail. Nowhere do they take into account the water "returned" to the ground by the animal in question.

I can see the issue for areas prone to water shortages but it becomes moot point in many areas.

[Kracer]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Saw an interesting article. It talked about putting a tax on meat that would be used to help the environment. They gave examples of the money collected could use for clean drinking water or help preserve park's. Think it is a good idea...thought's?

Sorry,there is no such thing as a dedicated fund. Pols pull that cash into the general fund.


Pols would say, Money collected could be used save speckled pups from rainbow radiation, anything to gain sympathy. then the money would somehow vanish into the budget or be legally directed to political supporters.


Would the be a tax on a meat animals average weight, like CAFE standards for the automakers? based on age or would it be on the trimmed meat? would it matter if the animal was free ranging?


Parks? national, state or local? what is the legal definition of a park. Playgrounds in the inner city could be a park as in NJ where inner city playgrounds are somehow now included in 'green acres' funding that was supposed to be directed to save open space. Some of that money goes to house non native big cats in zoos.


the phrase, 'to help the environment' is reminiscent of a Miss america contestant saying , I'm for worldpeace'. meaningless drivel!


Tax on veggies as they encroach on the 'environment".


How about a tax on legislators, celebrities and sports figures everytime they get on a jet. Especially forlegislators who fly on the taxpayer's dime?


Don't bet a lawyer will claim the proposed cow tobe taxed isn't being raised for 'meat'. Raised for leather or fertilizer, meat is a downstream byproduct. Bet some unethical legislator will add that to the tax code.


Look what they did with ethanol subsides where 40% of the corn crop must go to ethanol production.


Less meat animals, more corn goes into ethanol to make legislators and their industrial farm benefactors richer.

[SoCal25]

Same old formula. Find something you don't like. Propose a tax and say the revenue will be used for some common good. Tax passes, existing general fund allocation for said common good cause is eliminated and the politicians now have more money for their discretionary waste. The public is no better off and generally worse. California is the king of this scam and its voters continually vote for every ridiculous scheme in the name of better schools or roads.

I get that vegetarians are passionate about their disdain for meat. That doesn't make taxing everyone else and funneling the money to their special interests a good thing. How about we tax organic vegetables since low income people are already priced out of the organic produce section of the market and the well off will pony up. The money would be used to support nuclear energy development and waste disposal.

[wildflower82]

Originally Posted by JAMS14

Certainly not on the scale of 2,464 gallons per pound of meat. There are 90 million head of cattle just in the U.S. alone. Each one will yield approximate 450 pounds of meat. Just think about that number as it relates to water consumption per pound. It boggles the mind, especially when we are facing drought in so many places across the country.

Grass eating animals get their water from the grass. Have you ever watched a cow drink water, they don't drink gallons at a time. Most are feed water from irrigation canals and running water, such as creeks. You are not thinking cows are given water from a lawn hose do you?

[T-310]

I don't care since I have my own cows.

[Quick Enough]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Saw an interesting article. It talked about putting a tax on meat that would be used to help the environment. They gave examples of the money collected could use for clean drinking water or help preserve park's. Think it is a good idea...thought's?

The EPA has ENOUGH money and they abuse their position using existing money.

Their budget should get reduced, NOT increased.

[gwynedd1]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

What about vegetables? It's phosphorous and nitrogen used for fertilization that cause algae blooms and "dead zones". Farm fields for growing food are also major contributor to water pollution.

Good comment.

Yes what about that, vegans? I completely agree that should also be taxed to clean it up. Concentrating food in over fertilized arable lands while ignoring scrub-land that can be made useful by ruminants is of course the height of vegan idiocy.

[RunD1987]

Isn't sales tax on groceries considered tax on food?

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Saw an interesting article. It talked about putting a tax on meat that would be used to help the environment. They gave examples of the money collected could use for clean drinking water or help preserve park's. Think it is a good idea...thought's?

First when ever a tax is levied for a specific purpose the money collected never goes towards it.
Second, once a tax is levied it never goes away.
Third and finally why is a standard food product being targeted? If you are charging for environmental impact then throw the tax on wine or beer. Neither product is a necessity and both consume large amount of resources such as water and land to produce. Either way the idea is ludicrous and thinking that efficient collection/application of the tax monies would occur is the biggest laugh...

How many highways are getting repaired with the fuel tax revenues collected?

[pknopp]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Isn't sales tax on groceries considered tax on food?

Absolutely. An immoral tax IMO.