Your mayor Ed Murray sounds like a real winner

[CrazyDonkey]

Good luck getting rid of police and fire departments because they only "protect us from ourselves"...

Like I said, unless you're supporting actual solutions to real problems, I'm not listening.

The "scum class" - nice.

[thatguy950]

Yes clearly the police and fire departments and soda taxes offer equal value to society.

The real solution: no more handouts = no more FSA. It may take a while but we'd be better off in the long run.

[Seacove]

Originally Posted by thatguy950

Yes clearly the police and fire departments and soda taxes offer equal value to society.

The real solution: no more handouts = no more FSA. It may take a while but we'd be better off in the long run.

We? Didn't you say you don't live here anymore? Why care about Seattle's mayor?

[thatguy950]

Originally Posted by Seacove

We? Didn't you say you don't live here anymore? Why care about Seattle's mayor?

As little time as possible. I still have a rental unit in the city (for now), as well as family. And "we" applies universally, the over-reliance on the government to take care of all of life's little problems like overeating is not just a Seattle problem.

[cmswazey]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Sugar Is a "Drug" and Here

I don't think you can find sugar in the drug descriptions in physicians desk ref.

[cmswazey]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

I'm not necessarily for the Mayor's sugary beverage tax, but am suspicious of simple "knee jerk" reactions against it. Unless you support real actions to address the obesity and diabetes epidemics, I'm not listening.

In other words, you're a "belief junkie". (Is "No New Taxes" a cult?)

I believe in "creative disbelief".

I doubt I could be described as a belief junkie since I was inducted into the aforementioned unnamed cult as a mere child. (You were a bit snarky there. )

Nor have I ever said no new taxes. (That's not my stance. I have occasionally voted for new tax levies and such after considering the matter. I actually read voter pamphlets and watch the news.) Whether I'm right or wrong, I hold opinions after thinking the thing over. (Overturning indoctrination would be a possible example of this.)

My stance is to be wary of governmental (and employer) interference in citizens' lives. Doesn't mean it shouldn't exist. We need laws for obvious reasons. We even need new ones sometimes. Including taxes.

I just think sin taxes on things that aren't drugs is a slippery slope and I'm seeing lots of inconsistencies there. One really could lobby to tax all non essential unhealthy items. They're not taxing candy! And I have said that although I don't really approve of taxing pop and other sugary drinks, I could almost be ok with it for a lower amount. A dime or two or even three on a six pack would yield a lotta bux. And it might scare less people into running over to Shoreline, Burien, etc to buy those beverages, cuz for ten or twenty cents or so, why bother? But for a buck and a half- well, may be a bit tough for our city to generate as much money that way.

I also think this thing with the sin taxes could be a tiny bit like gun control. I used to be against it. I thought yeah, well, people can still knife you. I thought a lot of things. But there's a real problem and there are too many people dying so it's another of those things where we need the additional laws. I analyzed the facts sand events and I came to hold a different POV.

Another thing is, societal corrections tend to use overkill. They're seldom moderate. That's just how it is and I don't see that changing as long as humans are humans.

I am obviously the very antithesis of a belief junkie though like all of humanity, I don't hit a home run every time.

[CrazyDonkey]

I'll withdraw my "belief-junkie" comment, but reserve it for where cult-like habits of thinking and behavior persist - I do think that such is a form of addiction (and likely stimulates endorphins).

I don't disagree with you about governmental intrusions, although we are talking about measures needing popular approval at the polls. The willingness to tax oneself for a public benefit is the very essence of civic responsibility. So far, Murray hasn't struck bedrock on that yet, nor do I think he will on the "sugary beverage" tax, although I wouldn't mind if the City Council slimmed it down some. Some here, of course, want not a democracy, but an oligarchy (or corporatocracy, ruled by Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Finance, Big Arms, Big Sugar, etc.).

[cmswazey]

There are no perfect solutions in life. I hope that whatever they end up doing with this sin tax (if it or anything similar to it passes), that maybe they fix some of our roads with some of the money. They're pretty bad. I love our city and state and one of the things I like to do is go on fun trips with my husband.


Trust me, nobody as contrary as I am could be legitimately accused of cult like thinking. (I've been pretty careful about joining groups as time's gone by.) When something seems like a good or bad idea to me, I try to ascertain why it seems that way. I try to look at all the sides and aspects of a situation, though I'm sure I don't get everything right all the time. Can't please all the people all the time, either.


Thanks for your reply. I truly enjoyed reading it.