Amber's REAL opinion on the FAT TAX (or soda tax, or whatever)
Although the side I took for the debate was in favor of the tax, I'm actually quite against it. I don't see how this will help us at all.
Honestly, I have issues giving the government money at all. Considering the rather unimpressive way they've handled money so far. (Need evidence? Kash for Klunkers or those wonderful bailouts.)
As for the tax itself, it's just an invitation for more taxation and less personal freedom financially. It's pretty clear that raising the price on soda won't do much to solve the obesity problem. Several factors go into causing a person to be obese, and they range from huge portion sizes to simply genetics. So if this tax is implemented, what is stopping the government from implementing taxes on fried foods or candy?
I laugh when people compare this to smoking. All the tax on cigarettes did was make our economy as dependent on them as those that use them. Those that smoke will keep smoking, and the government will keep raking in the money for it. Yeah, those kind government officials who care so much about our health are really sad about that.
I am personally not a soda drinker, because I choose that, not because water happens to be the cheaper beverage. I choose not to drink soda because I think it is a waste of calories. However, I love chocolate, and I would continue to buy chocolate even if the price doubled. The only difference is that the government would benefit from my weight gain. That doesn't really make me happy.
Do you have any thoughts on the issue? Our blog is lacking comments and I'd love to hear your thoughts, whether you agree or not. (The more controversy the better, I say. But keep it classy)
1 comment:
Where to begin?
First of all, your article has no sources or links, which would lead one to believe that you are basing your conclusions on your own opinions and observations. Not only that, you appear to flout your own blog’s guidelines.
You are an undergraduate student, so your opinion alone doesn’t hold much clout. If you were, say, a public health expert like Kelly Brownell, or a public official like Tom Frieden, maybe your opinion would be more meaningful. But that isn’t the case.
You said, “Considering the rather unimpressive way [the government has] handled money so far.” Besides this being a sentence fragment, you don’t specify a particular party or administration. I thought you were referring to the Obama administration, but when you mentioned bailouts you also threw the Bush administration under your condemnation. So how far back are you concerned about our government handling money? Let’s look at some of the achievements, “so far,” that have been made with government funds:
Most of Our Country
Federal funds purchased the Louisiana Territory (including all or part of 13 states), southern Arizona and New Mexico (the Gadsden Purchase), and Alaska. The total land area of these purchases is 1,521,738 square miles, or over 40% of the land area of the United States.
The Space Program
Federal funds made us the first country to send a probe to another planet, put a man on the moon, and develop a mostly reusable space vehicle (the space shuttle).
The Veterans Health Administration and Medicare
The two health systems in America that have the highest customer satisfaction and some of the best work and research in the world are both funded by the federal government.
You may think that “raising the price on soda won't do much to solve the obesity problem,” but people with better credentials than you think it could have a positive effect, as cited in your own blog. Of course there are other factors that weigh into obesity, but high-sugar drinks are significant, and just because it won’t work for everyone doesn’t mean it won’t work for anyone.
Again, you are entitled to your opinion about cigarette taxes, but people who actually understand medical policy disagree with you. A report by the Surgeon General concluded, “An optimal level of excise taxation on tobacco products will reduce the prevalence of smoking, the consumption of tobacco, and the long-term health consequences of tobacco use.”
Some people’s opinions are important. You should find them and cite them next time.
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