Fat Tax.

Bob Hubbard

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We keep hearing how it's ok to take money from people who worked for it and earned it and give it to people who didn't and who can't manage to work for a living.

It's ok to further tax them on having health insurance to pay for those who don't.

I say, since the US is the fattest nation on the planet, we need to put in a fat tax.

Here's how it would work.

April 15th, you would attach form 1040-FAT which would be a certified copy of your most recent physical, which should be no more than 6 months old (we can pass a law or tack this onto something else to make it required). You would then look up your weight, compare it to the Federal Accepted Weight Level (or FAWL). For each pound you are over the FAWL you receive a tax credit. For each pound you are under it, you would then pay a penalty. Yes, under this system if you take care of your self, watch what you eat, exercise and manage to stay in shape you will be required to pay for the guy who has 22 twinkies for breakfast, and that woman with the 5 quad whopper lunch. As they are unfortunately unable to do so, it is your American Duty to do it for them.

I can see this being tacked on as a rider this November, along with $100,000 to study the mating habits of the narcaleptic Oswegan Lemming.

This way, the few of us who take care of themselves, who plan ahead, who produce and who succeed can be the FAWL guys for us all.

Thank God I'm a certified member of Team Fat Guy. LOL!

C-H-A-N-G-E!

:D
 

still learning

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Hello, Check? or credit card? ...OK?

One fat spouse? one skinny spouse ...will this ...offset the rates? and make it balance to " zero"?

Aloha,
 

Big Don

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First they came for the smokers...
then they came for the overweight...
why does this sound familiar?
 

celtic_crippler

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It's not far fetched.

Look how expensive cigarettes and alcohol are because of the taxes attached to them.

A major excuse for taxing them so heavily is that the government needs the money to supplement health care costs related to illness they claim as being the result of the use of those products.

So, the precident has already been set my brothers and sisters. It's just a matter of passing legislation making it alright to tax the hell out of a cheeseburger.

Then what? Basically any choice you have will be influenced by the negative repercussions placed on it by the government. Do I drink? Nope, can't afford it. Do I eat a cheeseburger? Nope, too expensive. Do I continue to train in martial arts? Can't do it, taxes are too high. Thank God the government helps me decide what's best for me. :eek:
 

still learning

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Hello, the first purpose of TAXES..was to support our governments..an army,police, fires, trash workers..etc..

Today our government want to support US...with our tax dollars....HUH?

Many people do not realize..just 1% of the populations pays 40% of tax collected by USA..and the other 60% from the middle class...poor...pays less and collect more in returns..

What most of do NOT know? ...is how much is giving to the rest of world...( Please...very hard to get any numbers here!) So call foreign HELP.....giving them countries YOUR TAX DOLLARS...for the friendships (brides)...

Please if you knew...how much giving to each and every country? ....maybe a REVOLT of giving...

is it better to give? ...especially your tax dollars...to other people...in another land?

Aloha,

PS: FAT chance most of us would want the "billions" out of USA...
 
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Bob Hubbard

Bob Hubbard

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I think some misread. I didn't say tax the fat people.
 

CoryKS

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I say we take off and tax the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
 

Archangel M

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Instead of a "tax" how about higher co-pays for health insurance based on obesity?
 

Shuto

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We need to pay for our govt and it's programs and I have no problem with those who are well-off paying more than those who are not. But there is another aspect to this as you point out. People make decisions in their life which can have a direct impact on their level of prosperity. For example, over the years I have watched many of my peers borrow money for things that are unnecessary. Vacations, TV's, big houses, expensive cars, and such. They chose the grasshopper approach to life and lived for the moment. Ms. Shuto and I chose a different path. We never borrowed money for things we could do without. When we bought a home, we bought less of a house than the real estate agents said we could. We just didn't want to be so far in debt. Instead, we saved and invested our earnings. I think that's a big reason that we are riding out the recession so well. The others? They're experiencing some problems.

I have no problem helping the down trodden but I don't feel the same way towards those whose foolish choices put them in their poor predicament. The problem is determining which is which. It's one thing to do that on a personal basis, but how can the govt effectively make that same kind of determination?
 

still learning

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Hello, Instead of a FAT tax a Flat tax (maybe at 15% which was suggested many times...

A equal and fair tax? ....everyone pays a flat rate of 15% or ???

This way....everyone pays ?

Aloha, Flat rate!!!
 

theletch1

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A tax for being obese would never pass, nor would higher premiums for the obese get through. Fact is that a huge (pun intended) portion of folks in this country that live below poverty level are obese. I just had this conversation with my sister in law yesterday. It's truly expensive to buy healthy food. If your budget is already stretched to the limit and you have a family to feed it's just cheaper to buy the high fat, high carb prepackaged stuff than healthy fresh food. Taxing the obese would be political suicide and I just don't think anyone here will convince me that political career is ever going to come second to actually doing something for the true good of the population.

Oh, and Bob was suggesting taxing folks who were physically responsible to pay for those who aren't as a parallel to taxing folks who are fiscally responsible to help pay for those who aren't. I'm sure the idea has been floated and given the "victim" mentality in this country wouldn't surprise me to see it happen. While you may not be able to avoid eating pre-packaged food you can avoid sitting on your tush and letting the pounds add up.
 

celtic_crippler

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A tax for being obese would never pass, nor would higher premiums for the obese get through. Fact is that a huge (pun intended) portion of folks in this country that live below poverty level are obese. I just had this conversation with my sister in law yesterday. It's truly expensive to buy healthy food. If your budget is already stretched to the limit and you have a family to feed it's just cheaper to buy the high fat, high carb prepackaged stuff than healthy fresh food. Taxing the obese would be political suicide and I just don't think anyone here will convince me that political career is ever going to come second to actually doing something for the true good of the population.

Oh, and Bob was suggesting taxing folks who were physically responsible to pay for those who aren't as a parallel to taxing folks who are fiscally responsible to help pay for those who aren't. I'm sure the idea has been floated and given the "victim" mentality in this country wouldn't surprise me to see it happen. While you may not be able to avoid eating pre-packaged food you can avoid sitting on your tush and letting the pounds add up.

Never say never.

There was a time when smoking was socially acceptable and not demonized. At that time I'm sure no one ever thought cigarettes would be taxed the way the way they are or that congress would get involved and cripple the industry costing thousands of jobs as companies like Brown & Williamson shrunk and closed down plant after plant...

Smoking's addictive...they put things in the tobacco to make it more so, or so they say. So the precedent already exists. Why? Becuase places like Micky D's put additives in their food to make it more desirable as well. The argument can easily be made that cheesburgers are addictive and the big red & yellow clown is much more of an attraction to the kiddies than Joe the Camel ever was...

It's also important to point out that obesity related health problems exceed that of smoking and alcohol related problems combined.

Give it time...

Oh...and in reference to those that live below or near the poverty level... who do you think the majority of smokers are?
 
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