Denmark's Fat Tax. What do you think?

reply to post by CaptChaos


It's about control. Some people want to control others. They always pretend it's to help people but that is lie they even tell themselves.

It's all a ruse for control freaks to do what they really want and that's to impose their wishes on everyone else. That's why politicians use them so effectively to create ways to take more money away from those who did the work to earn it.

These folks are part of the problem and their desire for control is a real weakness that will always be exploited by lying politicians. All they need to do is point out a difference between them and somebody else and they will jump all over it. I think personally they have a self-esteem problem themselves and that explains their desire to control others.

I shouldn't have to pay more taxes on food because people can't control their food intake!

I live in the US and we have a ton of obese people here but it's THEIR fault! Nobody forced those 2 cheeseburgers down their throat. Why should I have to pay more because of their eating habits?

I can control what I put in my body....

People are too damn lazy to cook anymore and just hit the drive thru or pop in a tv dinner. It is not that hard to cook and you can cook healthy and it isn't expensive. I cook all the time and I prefer it. I make my own breads and pasta and it's so much better and it's hella cheap. People are again too lazy to learn or even try. They want everything now.

This is exactly why we should get government out of paying for healthcare in any sort of way. As soon as they start paying for it then its just an excuse to control our behavior through taxation. So they justify it as being a cost to society for you to eat saturated fats, but on the flipside, if you live longer and get old age benefits then ulimately you will cost your society more by living longer. Maybe they should pay our families to convince us to kill ourselves a week or so after retirement.

The U.S government subsidizes corn to make corn syrup cheap so it can tax soda at higher prices. Also it subsidizes tobacco to make it cheap enough for Big tobacco to still be able to be in business so it can keep up it ridiculous tax on it. So when this get to the states over here and it will, just so you know the Government artificially created the obesity problem just so they can get tax money. The big corporations get to sell their products at a cheap price for a good couple of years. Then they have to repay the Government by allowing them to go through with their tax hiking to "protect" us from our bad choices.

WARNING HEAVY SWEARING IN THIS VIDEO -

Originally posted by Jessica6

Originally posted by buddhasystem
The cost to public is still there even in the system like we have in the US. Diabetes is doing horrors to Americans, more than any jihad.

Okay, but how does cutting back on cheese prevent diabetes? I don't see sugar or potatoes being taxed...

Sorry -- I heard they taxed cookies (on the radio) and assume this was because of sugar, I was probably wrong. The point I was trying to make had to do with a huge impact of eating habits on our health as a population.

It IS too Big Brotherish, but it's also wrong-headed. There's nothing particularly wrong with saturated fat, particularly butter.

Is cholesterol not very harmful?

If people eat too much of anything, it's usually packaged, processed food of any sort.

In reality, the fat tax would target these in a large proportion, right?

Originally posted by Blaine91555
Taxes like that have nothing to do with helping people.

From what I see, Denmark has an amazing record of helping people. Oftentimes, the help is financed by taxes they collect. I heard people raving about how the govt there tries to help create new small businesses, finances babysitting through establishing stipends for ladies caring for theirs and other kids at the same time etc. Danes seem to be one happy nation, and a lot healthier than us. Do you distrust them on principle?

Originally posted by buddhasystem

Originally posted by Blaine91555
Taxes like that have nothing to do with helping people.

From what I see, Denmark has an amazing record of helping people. Oftentimes, the help is financed by taxes they collect. I heard people raving about how the govt there tries to help create new small businesses, finances babysitting through establishing stipends for ladies caring for theirs and other kids at the same time etc. Danes seem to be one happy nation, and a lot healthier than us. Do you distrust them on principle?

Exactly. You know those "socialist utopias" that many conservatives claim don't exist? You can look to Denmark or any other in the Scandinavian bloc to find socialist utopias that function. They are examples of democracy controlling spending and benefiting the whole. If they are taxing fat, the citizens are most likely supporting it.

Well maybe the government should tax us for all choices we make that may be harmful to our health. Do you or your kids play sports? You should get taxed because you could tear your ACL and thats a cost to society. Do you ever speed? Well they should install monitors in our cars and everytime they exceed the speed limit, you get a ticket. Suck on a lemon while jogging? That causes mouth cancer. Tax. Like to get a tan in the sun or at a tanning booth? Tax, its bad for you. Work outside? Tax. Like to hunt? Tax. Ever go skydiving? Tax. Own a motorcyle? Tax. Ever get stressed? Tax.....

Then they can take all of these tax dollars and hire each person their own safety supervisor and to put our children in plastic bubbles so nobody makes a bad choice and children are always protected from their foolishness.

reply to post by buddhasystem


I distrust any government who takes money by force (taxes) from those who earn it by pitting one class against another. I distrust those who want to control peoples personal lives who pretend they are for freedom, when the opposite is demonstrably true.

Slowly they take more and more control of our lives one step at a time. The outcome cannot be good. I think its foolish to support that and not think it will not eventually lead to a world of slaves, which is where this is going.

For instance take smoking. The money won in the law suits in the US did not go to help the victims, it went into federal and local general funds. They said in court it was to offset the medical costs, but the victims never got a dime. It was the same sort of lie. Truth is they want money, period end of subject in my mind. Do you see them now admitting, as we all know, that all along the taxes more than covered any other costs. Now its just a hate thing. Yes smoking is wrong, but this is worse.

What is your limit on what they cannot control? Promiscuous sex is bad and causes disease. Should they tax sex? You can't say no without exposing hypocrisy if that helps explain my beliefs. Mountain climbing is dangerous so should they tax the equipment more? Skiing kills many every year, should that be hit hard with a new tax? Bodybuilders die young and bodybuilding shortens peoples lives, should they tax that heavily? There is no end to how they can pit one class against another to control us.

reply to post by Cuervo


You so easily give over control of your life to others? You really think these governments will ever give it back?

What happens if something you do is singled out for control? Will you say the same then?

Perhaps they should put cameras in our kitchens to monitor what we eat? That OK, because that is where we are headed. Freedom has been short lived all throughout human history and it's slowly slipping away again.

First they came for the Smokers...but I wasn't a Smoker...

Now they are coming after butter and cheese...and quite frankly, freedom of choice.

What happened to the Liberal 'my body my choice?' Ironic huh?

A free people are free to make the choices for themselves and their families. Period.

This is the Nanny State on Politically Correct Steroids...and EXACTLY what we will 'get' in the US under ObamaCare...which is why it MUST be repealed, removed, the 2000 plus pages burned, the ashes thrown to the four corners, and the ground salted. Yes. High sodium table salt.

Originally posted by buddhasystem
I personally support this kind of measure (and am getting ready for flames). In our country with its obesity rates we could only do better to cut the fat.

How about we let people eat what they want to eat, and leave them alone with the taxes. If we cut the length of the work week, had less stress at work, and better quality of life, it will do the same thing.

Originally posted by Blaine91555
reply to post by Cuervo

 

You so easily give over control of your life to others? You really think these governments will ever give it back?

What happens if something you do is singled out for control? Will you say the same then?

Perhaps they should put cameras in our kitchens to monitor what we eat? That OK, because that is where we are headed. Freedom has been short lived all throughout human history and it's slowly slipping away again.

You are describing what corrupt governments do with that sort of control. Just as the US is an example of a corrupt government trying to pull off capitalism. Denmark is an example of it working. It is still more democratic nature than the US. Those things you fear I'd imagine being implemented by corporate interests here in the states long before I'd expect to see it in a place like Denmark.

I alwasy favor rewards, so a tax break for being healthy makes more sense

reply to post by Cuervo


There is no such thing as a government that is not corrupt. Our only control is through legal guarantees of freedom and courts that enforce it. Government has no money, creates no wealth and the more power they have the more money they need. Only free people can create wealth and support the costs of freedom.

Ignoring history is a fools move. Like I said, freedom has not been a part of our history except in rare cases and it must be protected with a passion. If you want to control others, there are those who want to control you or use you.

Big Brother is no joke. When freedom is gone, it's gone. Does not matter what country.

The way I perceive Progressives hell bent on control is that they have fooled themselves into thinking the reason their idea's have always failed, is that they were not in charge. That is absurd and history will repeat itself. Look at all the kids rioting in the so called free socialists countries for more handouts. All of Europe is in danger of failing and you can be sure those who want control will take advantage of that. Soon Europe will be like the old Soviets no matter what lies people tell themselves.

Taxes like this are just one of the steps towards a society no sane person would want to live in.

Those that go along with them will get special treatment. Those who want real freedom will pay dearly. Watch it devolve into a two class system as it always does. Kiss opportunity and real freedom goodbye, while the upper class takes it all. The lower class will be equal in their poverty and servitude while those at the top will enjoy a life of luxury on the backs of the lower class. They will keep willing pets as a cushion and reward them for helping them to remove freedom while they sit in luxury eating steaks, smoking Cuban Cigars and enjoying the freedom they reserve for themselves.

Originally posted by Ultraman2011
I may support removing subsidies to Fast food companies and providers of fast food (as I have heard these exist in some countries to a great degree). This, however, is too intrusive. Why should I be punished for buying a slice of pizza (I am not fat)? This is big brotherish and not something the State has a right in infringing on.

You're Cdn
We already have a junk food tax, our GST includes it.

Goods and Services Tax (GST) This federal tax of 5% is added to almost every transaction for consumer goods and services. Groceries are the major exception (but note that non-food items bought in a grocery store are subject to GST, and that "junk food" such as pop, chips, and baked treats purchased in quantities less than 6 is also taxed).

www.tripadvisor.com...:Taxes.html

All chocolate bars, all restaurant foods, the above mentioned pop, chips, and baked goods ( under 6 pcs only ).
Now there's all these news articles coming out suggesting we need to be taxed like Denmark
We're already taxed on junk food and have been since the gst started. We don't need them taxing us on bacon and butter and similar stuff too :shk:

www.huffingtonpost.ca...

The taxes don't help. I'm going to go open a bag of chips now.....

Originally posted by Blaine91555
reply to post by buddhasystem

 

I distrust any government who takes money by force (taxes) from those who earn it by pitting one class against another.

Well it's a matter of how you phrase it. You used a pretty dramatic imagery of one class fighting the other. There can be a completely opposite description, whereby classes work together to create a more harmonious society.[]

And again, you can distrust all you want, but I find it pretty stunning that you chose to ignore the thing that matters, i.e. the results. Bad governance leads to bad results, for sure (Greece), good governance leads to good results (Germany). Germans value the freedom and privacy enough that they outlawed Google Street in many places in the country. And they still make great cars. And they still have excellent education and healthcare. How all of a sudden these signs of success are damning the govt?

Was it right for the US govt to ban the use of asbestos?

It's your choice to be paranoid. I like to look at a broader picture.

Originally posted by Blaine91555
... while the upper class takes it all. The lower class will be equal in their poverty and servitude while those at the top will enjoy a life of luxury on the backs of the lower class. They will keep willing pets as a cushion and reward them for helping them to remove freedom while they sit in luxury eating steaks, smoking Cuban Cigars and enjoying the freedom they reserve for themselves.

As Europe demonstrates, taxation if one of the tools that help resolve some of that. But you would have none of it, right?

reply to post by Blaine91555


Ok, well I'll let you try to convince the population of Norway that they are not happy with their free university education and universal healthcare. They get heavily taxed but minimum wage for basic entry level union labor is about 30/hour.

Now, I'm not saying this would work for us. Just like the fat tax. Of course I wouldn't trust our federal government with something like this. But to say they shouldn't do it in Denmark just because it wouldn't make sense here unfair. You keep making the argument from an American perspective when this is not an American issue.

Originally posted by Cuervo
reply to post by Blaine91555

 

Ok, well I'll let you try to convince the population of Norway that they are not happy with their free university education and universal healthcare. They get heavily taxed but minimum wage for basic entry level union labor is about 30/hour.

...and you can try to convince the French that their wonderful high-speed train system is inferior to the utter cr@p we have here in the States. And of course the French system is owned by their govt. Must be devil's handywork, for sure.