"Fat Tax", Are You For or Against?

[Coote]

I'm against. It sets a horrible precedence. I mean, seriously if they start with a fat tax, what's next, an idiot tax for those with low IQs?

[Corysi]

Doesn't make it any healthier for you, either.

And on that note, it doesn't matter. I would much rather smoke my cigarettes and eat my fatty, greasy, unhealthy food and enjoy my life than have every day go like "I would love pizza. But it's not healthy. Guess I'll have a salad with no fat dressing." "I would love a cigarette, but it's not healthy. Guess I will chew a piece of sugar free gum instead!"

If cigarettes and unhealthy food took away from the "prime" of my life, it would be one thing. But what does it take away from? The SHITTY end. The waiting to die, the probably have cancer anyways, the can't do stuff for myself anymore, the pee when I cough/sneeze, the god damn, I miss my teeth, the shitty retirement home, etc. That's what unhealthy shit does to you, it makes your life shorter and it's THAT part. I'd rather die at 60 than be 80 and unable to bathe myself, or unable to walk, etc. I don't think anyone has a right to tell me what I can and can't eat/imbibe and yes, this also applies to drugs (but I'm not a user). However, the drug thing is an entirely different story because people murder for drugs, not pizzas.

[Rukentuts]

I'm against. It sets a horrible precedence. I mean, seriously if they start with a fat tax, what's next, an idiot tax for those with low IQs?

The thread doesn't tax people for being fat, it taxes fatty foods. The precedent for this is the sin taxes on booze and cigarettes.

[Yoshimiko]

Food has little to do with weight gain. If you don't exercise it off - you'll never lose it. The worse you eat, the more you have to excercise to combat it. As someone with healthy eating habits, yet still overweight(cannot excercise due to medical reasons) I can tell you, diet alone won't change anything.

We all know the skinny lanky kid who's 20 something, eats mcdonalds every day, never eats healthy, etc... and is roughly 100 lbs, and we all know that 240lb guy who eats health, but simply doesn't excercise. "Fat Tax" Is a terrible thing, I wouldn't be effected by it, but I still wholly disagree with it. Reward companies who serve healthy food in a fast-food style with tax breaks, etc, and you'll see far better results than taxing the bad fast food joints.

[Halabash]

well this would change capitalism at its core. Most companies that have a stake in high fat products would now see their revenues drop as they lose a key competitive advantage,"being cheap". High fat foods are often very cheap to buy compared to healthier alternatives, consequently a disproportionately high number of people highly unlikely to be either afford independent health insurance or cannot gain employment with benefits due to low access to post high school education, will be forced to find something else to eat, for cheap. The problem is their wages won't go up for them to afford the alternative so companies will just cut margin and still sell it cheap enough for fast foood, hot dogs, and slurpies to still be the most food for your buck, hell all that tax would do is make poor folks more poor and thats dangerous, broke people tend to resort to violent crimes as means to live before anyone else.

[Ogretron]

Against. That's got to be one of the dumbest things I've heard.

[Erous]

Lower the cost of healthier foods, or make them in line with today's average prices and I'm all for it.

[Twotonsteak]

I'm again'st a "Fat Tax" that would authorize the Federal Government to tax people based on body weight and food ingested.

However I support denying Federal medical assistance, aid, or what-have-you, to people who are an unhealthy weight. They don't want the government telling them what to eat, I don't want to pay for the ailments they'll get based on a poor diet.

I think that's an even trade.

[Quincey]

I'm against, because there are people who have low metabolism who can't help be be fat.

This isn't a tax just for Fat people, it's a tax against fatty foods. If people genuinely just have a shitty metabolism but generally eat okay they wont be affected anymore than anyone else. Making your argument against invalid.

Lower the cost of healthier foods, or make them in line with today's average prices and I'm all for it.

THIS THIS THIS

in the last 18 months or so ive gone on a massive crusade against my own weight, I'm currently 3/4 of the way to my goal and feel great for it, but my shopping bill these days has also risen like crazy, eating healthy costs a bomb man! stupid in all senses of the word.

[belfpala]

And on that note, it doesn't matter. I would much rather smoke my cigarettes and eat my fatty, greasy, unhealthy food and enjoy my life than have every day go like "I would love pizza. But it's not healthy. Guess I'll have a salad with no fat dressing." "I would love a cigarette, but it's not healthy. Guess I will chew a piece of sugar free gum instead!"

If cigarettes and unhealthy food took away from the "prime" of my life, it would be one thing. But what does it take away from? The SHITTY end. The waiting to die, the probably have cancer anyways, the can't do stuff for myself anymore, the pee when I cough/sneeze, the god damn, I miss my teeth, the shitty retirement home, etc. That's what unhealthy shit does to you, it makes your life shorter and it's THAT part. I'd rather die at 60 than be 80 and unable to bathe myself, or unable to walk, etc. I don't think anyone has a right to tell me what I can and can't eat/imbibe and yes, this also applies to drugs (but I'm not a user). However, the drug thing is an entirely different story because people murder for drugs, not pizzas.

Umm... ok. I'd say cool story and u mad bro, but then I might get an infraction. Have fun while it lasts, though! Hopefully I won't have to pay for it when you drop over half-dead.

[Zechs-cenarius]

For it! If there is a tax on tobacco because of the probability of health issues there should be a "fat tax" under the same reasons.
Forgot to say the inevitable non-sense....BUT ITS DIFFERENT! =P

[Deleted]

It's nobody's business what I eat (as long as it's not people) or how fat I want to be. I bet you were freaking out when SOPA/ACTA tried to take your internet away.

So stay the fuck away from my donuts. -.-

in b4 US-vs-Euro argument.

As a British man, I have one thing to say about what you wrote: You are my hero. It might be off topic, but that's the first thing I've ever read on here I completely agree with. However, as a British man I will never speak of this moment again, and go back to having a moderate dislike for everything that doesn't have a picture of the queens head on it. That is all.

[The Ogdru Jahad]

As cruel as it sounds, I'm sick of you fatties giving the United States a terrible name. You are the problem if your 200+ lbs and go to mcdonalds/burgerking/wendys 3+ times a week. Chowing down on your big macs while your fat rolls over the edges of your seat. If you're fat, and don't exercise you are pathetic.

[Zeek Daniels]

I am going to have to say no to this. There are humans in this world with a high metabolic rate and their are those who have a low metabolic rate. I ate burger king all last year for 2 semesters in college and stayed the same weight. This law is bad for those of us who cant put on weight even if we tried.

[Franklinn]

It depends.

Some people are overweight because they are simply lazy.
Some people are overweight because of medical problems, lower socio-economic status, lack of education, and so forth.

You can't punish people who are less able than ourselves to keep themselves healthy.

[WNYIRISHGUY]

let say this

i am overweight and try to shed the pound " i gain due to be in a hospital for 7 month from my accident " and that i start smoking again i quit smoking "cold turkey" for 10 yrs but the stresses and the isolation got to me and family BS

i just crack !

when i was working i was 240lbs when i was release is was 295lbs but also take in account i am 6'2"

[Cherrysoul]

Lets see insane tax/prices on smokes,(Here in Aus anway) people still smoke, slap a tax on burgers etc, people will still eat them, waste of time and effort IMO

[Melilithia]

I'm torn.

On one hand, it would be good and it would motivate some people to lose weight.

On the other... some people would whine and complain about it, and stay fat... even though it costs more money to be out of shape than it does to be in shape.

It probably wouldn't end up working.

[Lirina]

This isn't a Bill to say if you are over 21% body fat you will pay 20 grand to the government. It's to help lower the cost of 1/2 a lb of Broccoli from $2.50 to 1.00 and make the McDouble go from $1.00 to $1.85. This is so you will be more inclined to eat healthier by buying products that promote a healthy lifestyle. As of now It's cheaper to live off the dollar menu then to buy a healthy meal for 1. This has nothing to do with being over weight....

[Slanderize]

This is more Government regulated bullshit.
It's entirely against any train of thought I've ever understood.
If you're a fat person on disability then sure, any time you use your disability check based cash or food stamps or whatever, YOU get taxed or get denied sugary/bad for you food. But for EVERYONE? Fuck that noise.

There's PLENTY of people out there eating sugary, greasy, fattening food, and not becoming obese, so why the fuck should they have to pay an extra tax?

Here, how about this, for every person that has a car they have to pay an extra two thousand dollars a year in a car tax, for countries that don't have cars.
Shit, just so that sounds "less" retarded, so they can have FOOD. Oh hey guess what? That STILL sounds retarded.