Sugar and Spice and. . . Taxes

There they go again!

In New York, some health wingnuts have convinced the New York Department of Health to run advertising that shows a hand pouring globules of fat from a soft drink bottle.

From the New York Times

The idea is to get folks to stop drinking heavily sugared soft drinks, right?

Guess again, amigo. The ultimate aim is to place a tax on soft drinks with sugars that the wingnuts deem unhealthy and causing the ring around the middle in adults.

Last December, New York Gov. David A. Patterson proposed an 18 percent tax increase on sugary soft drinks and so-called health juices. For now, that tax has been set aside. But remember, no politician has ever encountered a tax he or she didn’t like.

The reasoning behind the tax was to halt obesity, and thus became known as the “obesity tax.” It would produce, according to the governor’s office, $400 million a year, which would be ostensibly earmarked for “health programs.”

Get this, the current advertising campaign is clocking in so far at $277,000 to produce. It costs have been predicted at $90,000 to run for three months on New York’s subway system.

So, you are sitting the in the subway, headed to work, home or just plain traveling to another destination. You look up and see this awful looking stuff being poured from a soft drink bottle. It’s fat. Plain old gobs of fat. Nice.

And who is paying for this piece of genius? The taxpayers of New York, that’s who. Along with some antis with deep pockets.

Now, before you say I have gone off my rocker, don’t think that this doesn’t have a larger meaning. The antis are at work in this particular corner of the world, and looking to stretch it out.

Once again, a governmental agency is trying to legislate social engineering through outrageous advertising or through a tax increase.

Even President Obama said the ad has merit.

Oh, yeah? What happened to the old-fashioned prodding to get out and walk, run, bicycle to help shed weight?

And don’t fail to see the real hypocrisy of this. On the one hand, the federal government is bailing out big business, which advertises all the stuff we eat and drink, and on the other, a state is backing a campaign that says we shouldn’t be eating and drinking all that crap. Huh?

Obesity is a growing problem in America. No doubt about it. When I was a kid back in the Paleolithic age kids had to have gym. No excuses. You ran, played basketball, did track, jumping jacks, whatever to keep you fit. Being fit was part of the educational system. I don’t have to tell you what has happened to the nation’s education system, do I? We have become a nation of couch loungers, watching our big screen televisions, computers, video games, all brought to you by Big Biz.

What’s next? Are we going to find that wearing the wrong clothes is unacceptable? That eating food from a certain large chain grocery is bad for your health, therefore we need to tax those products in an extra special way?

When will Americans wake up and take charge of their lives?

Sure, being overweight is not healthy. But, when your paycheck has remained static for the past three to four years, which allows you less and less expendable income, you buy what is cheap, and not necessarily good for you.

This has been good for Big Biz, but bad for the consumer.

And now they are pouring wads of fat from a soft drink bottle to warn you about drinking a drink that is otherwise plastered across billboards and television advertising.

This is abominable behavior. It is Big Brother stepping into every aspect of our lives.

If you think this is an isolated example, just look around. Soon, you are likely to find a tax on every facet of your existence.

One day soon, some politician or connected anti group will find a way to tax you for the air you breathe, and the pollution you create.

This is just the tip of the melting iceberg.

My advice, if you want it, is to get a grip. Take back your lives and refuse to vote for the people who are fostering off social engineering through increased taxation and idiotic schemes from an elite who want you to live a certain existence.

For me, give me liberty or give me death.

That isn’t original, I hope you know.  It was first spoken by Patrick Henry in 1775.

Here is the opening paragraph of that speech. It would be well if we all thought a little more of our liberties that are being stripped away almost daily, and a little less about our creature comforts:

Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death

Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775.

No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The questing before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.