The Obesity Tax (Check This Out!!! )
 

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...e-of-time.aspx



I get emails from this natural alternative health guy, Dr. Mercola. This is a recent email the site sent out. Wicked!! But, I like it. Bring on the Obesity Tax!!! Bwa ah ahhhh!
:dizzy:

More like a junk tax. I mean, we all know people who eat junk and stay skinny.

I think it's a good idea on New York's part. Tax regular soda 18%. I think it's a good idea. Good idea, gov. Patterson! Hope it passes and spreads.

In Australia, they've recently put a tax on alco-pops (mixer drinks like vodka with raspberry soda etc) to discourage teenage binge drinkers who use these as their drinks of choice.

I think this junk tax would be a good idea. People would no longer be able to use the excuse that eating healthy is expensive. I know it is expensive, but it seems like many people who go for processed junk do it because it is usually very affordable. It's cheap to be fat!

True Dat!
 

Too Funny! I agree completely. Fwa fwa fwaaaaa!!!

Ah, but here's a thought! It may be cheap to GEt fat, but it certainly isn't cheap when you get the medical bills for your fat self. Take THAT fattening food rationalizers! :carrot: <-- That's a dancing carrot. :)

I completely disagree with an Obesity Tax. People have personal responsibility for their health.

Think about the additional taxes on a pack of cigarettes. It didn't stop any smokers I know from continuing to smoke. It's unfair to assume that people who eat junkfood primarily because it is cheap. People eat the way they do for various reasons. Price is a factor for some people, sure. But I don't think that's a sufficient reason to implement a tax on everyone who buys junkfood. To me this tax is a way of forcing people to choose other foods-or pay. A forced choice is no choice at all.

Also for thought, who determines what is considered junkfood and which junkfoods will be taxed? What other things will end up being taxed "for the good of the people?" You know, if only we taxed more on sofas and TVs people wouldn't become couch potatoes.

Taxation is not, nor has it ever been the answer. I prefer freedom.

That might be true. But Medicare pays enormous costs for treatment of heart and lung related diseases and cancer. But it seems like the federal cigarette tax goes to pay for all sorts of things not related to smoking-related diseases.

that would be sweet, as long as my diet soda remains unaffected :)

Interesting article. I'm against any more taxes. We are going to be hit with enough because of careless banks and businesses. I'm against sin tax. The tax on cigarettes was supposed to go for education and stop smoking aids. People are going to smoke if they want to do so. People will continue to drink sodas.

What is that Turbo Tapping and Emotional Freedom Technique that was referenced?

It is in his diet book, I think it's the Grain Free diet or something. He talks a lot about it in there. You could probably learn more about it on his website too. www.mercola.com I think it's a way of pressing accupessure points (something like that) to get rid of cravings and binge impulses (or other bad behaviors that you want to modify). I never tried it though.

Diet soda unaffected might not be a good thing.
 

Actually Dr. mercola pretty much said we would be in a lot WORSE shape if people only drank diet soda. Read the article. He's avidly against the use of chemical sweeteners (like the ones used in commercial diet foods.) My dad was a naturopathic doctor for a number of years and he told me the exact same thing. I think it's worth checking into, that's for sure.

Wonder if he has a problem with stevia powder. I tried stevia drops and gave up because I couldn't get it adjusted right. I tried growing it but found out it has to be harvested very young or it becomes bitter.

Well we kind of have that tax here already in Canada. Its called Goods and Service tax, anything that is not a necessity.

Food like milk, eggs, butter, vegetables, etc are not taxed.
Foods like chips, junk food, McDonalds are taxed.

It still doesn't help with obesity.

Stevia may be OK
 

My dad ALWAYS carried a little container of stevia around with him. I prefer xylitol as I would rather go without than handle the stevia after taste, BUT, I have noticed that the aftertaste isn't so bad if you get the powder packets instead of the liquid. Maybe just me, who knows. My husband also told me that trying to trick my body with chemical sweeteners isn't going to work. Stevia is a plant, Xylitol is a sugar that comes from plants. That's why I use it. That and I am really big on Low GI eating and xylitol is suggested for that. Who knows, I'm no expert here, that's for sure.