Tax-a-Cola

[Turtlekid1]

A tax on soda is now being considered/voted on/passed?  What is this dukar!?

This conservative nutjob is of the opinion that it's the kind of dukar that needs to be heatedly debated (for the first two or so pages, anyway, until it devolves into a beastly flame war which both sides will leave embittered and resentful).

[Luigison]

I think a better idea is to do away with all the subsidies for sugar, corn, and meat products, but since that's not going to happen... 

Of course we've bought our way into this citation by subsidizing an unhealthy diet.  The cheapest foods in America today are full of sugar and/or fat because of our policies protecting such industries.  The American diet is also loaded with meat products because of similar legislation, and such diets are rapidly spreading around the world because of these decades old policies that need to be reversed, but likely never will. 

[nensondubois]

Don't worry, I plan on starting a revolution to take our freedoms back as well as making the government size very small and limited forever. Protests and votes just don't do enough, apparently. Maybe we should pour all of the soda in the Mississippi River.

[Lizard Dude]

I find these poll options biased.

[Turtlekid1]

Maybe we should pour all of the soda in the Mississippi River.

"The Mississippi Soda Party"?  I like it.

I find these poll options biased.

There's only one that I put in that was "biased," and I put that in as more of a humorous option; I would be very surprised (and extremely fearful for the future of the country) if anyone took it seriously.

[Weegee]

The second and fourth options both sound rather opinionated, but whatever. Curbing the nation's calorie intake is a good intention, but taxation probably isn't the best way of going about it.

[Lizard Dude]

If this were a "real poll", all four choices would be horribly worded, but I've made some biased joke polls here myself (I think) so I don't really care. I wanted to vote for something like: Yes; it's a good way for the government to get more money while subtly encouraging healthier living (see: cigarettes).

Sidenote: That's improper use of the word dukar in the first post.

[nensondubois]

The second and fourth options both sound rather opinionated, but whatever. Curbing the nation's calorie intake is a good intention, but taxation probably isn't the best way of going about it.

Nor by means of legislation.

[PaperLuigi]

I think we should start taxing religion. :D

[SolidShroom]

I'm all for something that will make humans better as a race.

[Luigalaxy]

Curbing the nation's calorie intake is a good intention, but taxation probably isn't the best way of going about it.

It'd be iffy, constitutional-wise. Taxation is really all they can do without getting flack from us, and even now they're getting static about it.

[Turtlekid1]

They should be getting a lot more flack for taxing a bunch of stuff that they're not supposed to be taxing; "constitutional-wise," the government is only supposed to pay for a criminal justice system and the military.

[Rao]

Pop is poisonous and everyone should stop drinking it.

[Turtlekid1]

Neither regular nor diet pop is bad for you in moderation.

[SolidShroom]

Modern America doesn't even know what that word means.

[PaperLuigi]

Like SolidShroom, I'm all for a tax that will better us as a human race.

Oh yeah, soda is terrible for you. Diet soda is even worse. Just drink water.

[nensondubois]

Water doesn't have that fizz to it. And like Turtlekid said it's unconstitutional and it must be stopped.

[SolidShroom]

In all fairness, I've seen Fight Club like 4 times in the past month, so I'm going to think these sorts of things.

[PaperLuigi]

Water doesn't have that fizz to it.

It also helps you lose weight and speeds up your metabolism.

Denying gays and lesbians the right to marry is unconstitutional. But hey, let's completely ignore that and devote our time and energy to soda.

[Trainman]

Ugh, I don't like the word "pop" in reference to sodas, but I mean, whatever.

No taxes, please.

[Turtlekid1]

It also helps you lose weight and speeds up your metabolism.

Denying gays and lesbians the right to marry is unconstitutional. But hey, let's completely ignore that and devote our time and energy to soda.

The government handing out marriage licenses even for straight couples is unconstitutional.  But hey, let's put that in the topic created for it and devote our time and energy to soda.

Like SolidShroom, I'm all for a tax that will better us as a human race.

The problem with forcing a choice made for the sake of betterment is that once it's forced it loses its value, and it's not really betterment; you could force a decision on people, but until they understand the reasoning behind it and have the responsibility to make the choice for themselves, it's not an accomplishment or betterment of any kind.  Besides, who the heck is the government to tell me what will and won't make me a better person?

[PaperLuigi]

The government handing out marriage licenses even for straight couples is unconstitutional. 

Where in the constitution is that stated?

[Lizard Dude]

He's going to say that marriage is a religious institution, so it violates separation of church and state.

[SolidShroom]

LOL

[PaperLuigi]

He's going to say that marriage is a religious institution, so it violates separation of church and state.

Oh yeah, that's right. We've had this argument before. :/

[nensondubois]

[Weegee]

What possessed Apple to put 1963's "Don't Bother Me" on an EP alongside a bunch of Rubber Soul/Revolver-era tunes?

Yes, this thread is now about the Beatles.

[Glorb]

Jesus ****ing ballsacks, guys. Why exactly would you want the government to (indirectly) decide for us what we can eat? Just because you don't like soda doesn't mean it should cost more.

[nensondubois]

Yes, this thread is now about the Beatles.

Well, Taxman, namely.

[Weegee]

The government's thought process: "Soda is in the same league as tabacco and alcohol in that it will kill you, so we should levy a sin tax on it.

Also, taxing soda will make us look progressive like Sweden."

[Mr. Wiggles]

They should go ahead and tax everything in California since our budget is non-existent and we're knee deep in debt. That money's got to come out of somewhere right?

[SolidShroom]

America should take a page out of its peoples' books. That is, it should use its own fat ass (the collective fat asses of its people) to support itself.

[Trainman]

I should probably rename myself Taxman.

[Jman]

I can't quote it because it's too far back in the thread, but whoever said "modern America doesn't even know what that word means" in referring to "moderation" is right on the button.  Yes, self control (one of the Biblical Fruits of the Spirit) has surely gone right out the window by now, if we collectively ever practiced it in the first place.  Look at the guy who sued McDonalds for making him fat.  It wasn't their fault, you moron.  You simply had no willpower to practice moderation.  Now that I got that off my chest...taxing soda sounds like another way for the government to line its pockets with the dollars of gluttonous consumers.  Anyway, that's all I have to say on this.   

[PaperLuigi]

Yes, self control (one of the Biblical Fruits of the Spirit) has surely gone right out the window by now 

Implying that one needs religion to practice moderation.

[Jman]

Implying that one needs religion to practice moderation.

You're right, PL.  My bad, I misspoke there.  I should have said "moderation" has gone out the window.  I wasn't trying to turn this into a religious debate.  I still stand by what I said, though (the whole "modern America doesn't know the meaning of moderation" thing).