[PacHead]

Take this, all of you anti-smoking zealots ! You want fascist rules in a society, then that's what you're gonna get, all across the board !

About 60 million Americans are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2002, obese individuals dominated the category of adults treated for the top 10 medical conditions contributing to medical spending, including arthritis, asthma, back problems, diabetes and heart disease.

These obese people are a burden to every good tax paying American, and they should pay extra for their unwise and foolish lifestyle choices.

Tackle it like smoking
“We’re going to have to tackle this they way we did smoking - with a variety of big strategies,” Thorpe said.

With tobacco, that included taxes on cigarettes, an aggressive push for new products like the nicotine patch and a big role for government.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8376790/



The smokers have already been taken care of, next up is the fat people, and after that they're coming after you !

[the_glassman]

I completely agree, they are costing the normal tax paying and insurance paying public, billions of extra dollars! I think people that want to do such things to themselves should have to pay more. There should be an obese tax or maybe a junk food tax. If it was regulated correctly it may help bring the cost of insurance down.

I would also support a SUV or fuel rating tax on purchases of new vehicles. The less fuel efficient and heavier the vehicle the higher it will be taxed. (Not just at the pump) This money would go to better our public transportation, add sidewalks and bike paths.
A tax credit for people who walk or ride a bike to work or school would also be used to encourage more people to exercise. I would also support a credit for business that encouraged employees walk or ride a bike to work.

[His Dudeness]

I think people who do dumb ass studies and polls like this one should pay extra taxes.

[Ghoser777]

Always the big question - pay now or later?

[PacHead]

Originally Posted by the_glassman

I would also support a SUV or fuel rating tax on purchases of new vehicles. The less fuel efficient and heavier the vehicle the higher it will be taxed. (Not just at the pump) This money would go to better our public transportation, add sidewalks and bike paths.
A tax credit for people who walk or ride a bike to work or school would also be used to encourage more people to exercise. I would also support a credit for business that encouraged employees walk or ride a bike to work.

I agree, those are good suggestions.

[ajprice]

So do you get a tax discount if you're thin?

[PacHead]

Originally Posted by His Dudeness

I think people who do dumb ass studies and polls like this one should pay extra taxes.

How much do you weigh ?

[His Dudeness]

Enough to be serving in the Navy for 17 years.

And what happens if you can't ride a bike to work, because let's say you live 30 miles from the base and have to take the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel to work everyday? Bikes aren't allowed. Should I be punished financially, because I chose to live in York County where it's nice instead of Norfolk where I could get shot?

[Eug Wanker]

Originally Posted by His Dudeness

Enough to be serving in the Navy for 17 years.

And what happens if you can't ride a bike to work, because let's say you live 30 miles from the base and have to take the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel to work everyday? Bikes aren't allowed. Should I be punished financially, because I chose to live in York County where it's nice instead of Norfolk where I could get shot?

While I don't like the fat tax idea, I don't understand how the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel forces someone to be overweight.

[DeathMan]

we obviously can't leave it up to ourselves to stay in shape. My wife and I exercise 3-4 times a week, and fall within the healthy weight for our height (actually I'm just off with my BMI index, but I blame muscle mass due to cycling and rock climbing - yeah, thats it), but we're the only couple we know who do exercise more that a token jog on saturday morning or something.

We're all getting fatter, and we're already paying the price. How do you increase taxes on the obese, when so many obese people are already paying no taxes at all? Double or triple tax the wealthy obese?

[His Dudeness]

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker

While I don't like the fat tax idea, I don't understand how the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel forces someone to be overweight.

It doesn't. I can't ride a bike to work, so I can't qualify for that tax break...

[His Dudeness]

Originally Posted by DeathMan

we obviously can't leave it up to ourselves to stay in shape. My wife and I exercise 3-4 times a week, and fall within the healthy weight for our height (actually I'm just off with my BMI index, but I blame muscle mass due to cycling and rock climbing - yeah, thats it), but we're the only couple we know who do exercise more that a token jog on saturday morning or something.

We're all getting fatter, and we're already paying the price. How do you increase taxes on the obese, when so many obese people are already paying no taxes at all? Double or triple tax the wealthy obese?

And God forbid an obese person has to buy a Hummer to get around in. That would spell disaster for all mankind.

[the_glassman]

Originally Posted by ajprice

So do you get a tax discount if you're thin?

No, you would pay less for health insurance and won't have to pay as much for things like Medicaid. (<Which is another problem all together.)

[osxisfun]

Originally Posted by PacHead

I agree, those are good suggestions.

Ain't going to happen with these Oil barons in power but I agree completely...

[Eug Wanker]

Originally Posted by His Dudeness

It doesn't. I can't ride a bike to work, so I can't qualify for that tax break...

Ah I see. You were talking about the other message. Yeah, it's a strange idea, although the bike manufacturers would love it... Everybody would buy a bike just for the tax break, whether or not they planned to use it.

BTW, I do sometimes ride my bike to work. It's about 12-13 km which is a nice morning ride. However, I sure as hell hate doing it in the rain, and definitely not in the snow.

[PacHead]

Originally Posted by His Dudeness

And God forbid an obese person has to buy a Hummer to get around in. That would spell disaster for all mankind.

Fat people can buy hummers if they choose to, it's a "free" country afterall. They should have to pay extra for their unwise lifestyle choices though, just like smokers are forced to.

I also suggest that restaurants make seperate sections for obese people and normal people, as obese people stuffing their faces are a bad influence on normal people.

[osxisfun]

Originally Posted by PacHead

Fat people can buy hummers if they choose to, it's a "free" country afterall. They should have to pay extra for their unwise lifestyle choices though, just like smokers are forced to.

I also suggest that restaurants make seperate sections for obese people and normal people, as obese people stuffing their faces are a bad influence on normal people.

Trough? or Non-Trough?

[DeathMan]

Originally Posted by His Dudeness

And God forbid an obese person has to buy a Hummer to get around in. That would spell disaster for all mankind.

The natural resources problem is a mosquito bite compared to the quadruple bypass heart surgery of the upcoming health care disaster.

[DeathMan]

Originally Posted by osxisfun

Trough? or Non-Trough?

Do we have to pay extra to use the vomitorium?

[osxisfun]

Originally Posted by DeathMan

Do we have to pay extra to use the vomitorium?

I'm thinking that would some sort of rebate situation.

[DeathMan]

sort of "Try before you buy"

[Stradlater]

Not a bad idea. Obese people who show that it is a greater medical problem than laziness and overeating will be exempt from the additions, but in general, a fat tax would be desirable.

Of course...it would cause an uproar.

[osxisfun]

Originally Posted by DeathMan

sort of "Try before you buy"

Exactly.

[Ω]

Shouldn't this be in the Pol Lounge?

[Axo1ot1]

I have vague memories of an attempt at instituting a "snack tax" in California around 10 years ago. The idea was that any food that was deemed 'junk' would have a tax associated with it, while normal, healthy food would remain tax-free. It got slapped down pretty hard if memory serves. I always thought it was a decent idea. The additional tax revenue could go to public health awareness and subsidizing Gym memberships or something.

[CreepingDeth]

More taxes? Good Lord, we already have enough. If the government wasn't so involved in medicine and healthcare, we wouldn't be having this discussion. While we're at it, let's tax video games, TV, radio, and CD's. They make little kids into porkers. And how about all hardware and software? After all, every minute you spend on the computer is one less minute you could be out excessing to keep down the enormous taxes we pay on subsidized healthcare.

You don't cure a problem by adding taxes. Besides, it is likely that there is a solid line for healthy and obese, which is different for every body. I doubt the government would take every factor into consideration.

[Axo1ot1]

For the record, I'm anti-sales tax. But I'd make an exception for foods with no nutritional value.

[CreepingDeth]

Why make an exception? Why a double-standard? Because people aren't responsible enough? Because we have useless healthcare subsidization programs? Because we have to be paternalistic and tell people what they can and cannot do? Because we own them? Why?

[powertrippin]

Originally Posted by His Dudeness

I think people who do dumb ass studies and polls like this one should pay extra taxes.

I think people who don't realize that 'dumbass' is a compound word need to go back to 3rd grade.

[xi_hyperon]

A tax deduction for gym membership or exercise program is an idea. Don't know how actual usage could be verified on an individual basis though.

[Stradlater]

Originally Posted by CreepingDeth

More taxes? Good Lord, we already have enough.

That's exactly what a fat person would say.

[CreepingDeth]

Originally Posted by Stradlater

That's exactly what a fat person would say.

I'm underweight. I just don't like people suggesting we weave a larger web of bureaucracy.

Here's a great example of how government criminalization and/or taxes work in the real world. Take pot for example. It's illegal. People still smoke it.

Put a tax on food. People will still eat it. An extra 20¢ a meal isn't going to stop people. It will probably hurt businesses (tax revenue) than stop people from eating a Triple Bypass Burger at Wendy's.

[Captain Obvious]

Yeah in about 10 to 15 posts either mindfad and blackgriffen are going to come in and start defending fat people because its "not their fault" they are heavy. Maybe Karl will come in and give another dissertation about self esteem. All I know is that obese people are on the road to a fast heart attack and an early death and we shouldn't impede their path with silly things like government supported medical care and proper nutrition advice at that point.

[GSixZero]

Originally Posted by CreepingDeth

Put a tax on food. People will still eat it. An extra 20¢ a meal isn't going to stop people. It will probably hurt businesses (tax revenue) than stop people from eating a Triple Bypass Burger at Wendy's.

Perfect. The loss of business would be made up many times over by the savings in health care.

If someone who eats fast 8 times a month cut back to 5, that would be an appreciable difference in that person's lifestyle. 1000 calories per fast food meal, 3 meals a month, that averages to 100 calories a day that that person isn't eating.

Someone who lives this way, and is on track to gain 12 pounds this year wouldn't gain any weight under this diet.

[AB^2=BCxAC]

Obese people, like smokers, already pay a higher insurance rate, why tax them more? Why not just tax junk food like cigarettes?

I just see this as a cash grab from a demographic that's significant and could mean a lot of extra revenue, and a way to distract you from present taxing inequities that favor the rich (who can generally afford to eat better and spend leisure time working out: and if you disagree, you're probably wealthy and thin and are ignorant of the correlation between poverty, lower social standards regarding nutrition and education, and obesity).

[powertrippin]

I'm not wealthy, but I'm fairly thin. I shop at a natural foods store, and I don't eat crap all the time. Here's an idea: Tax McDonalds everytime it comes out with some ebonics slogan targeted at poor black people. I'd be lovin' it!

[Ghoser777]

More manual labor. You'd lose a lot of weight if you had to walk to work and toil in the fields all day. Let's go bak to the Good Old Days!™

[CreepingDeth]

I hope you're joking. But I do agree that McDonald's new marketing scheme is funny as hell. As in pathetic funny.

[PacHead]

Originally Posted by CreepingDeth

I hope you're joking. But I do agree that McDonald's new marketing scheme is funny as hell. As in pathetic funny.

That link was damn funny !

[CreepingDeth]

Word up mother****er! Jammn' to da Allman Bros. Band! Hizzle!

[TailsToo]

Does that mean that women should pay more since they get breast cancer more often than men?