Comments on: Alabama Imposes “Fat Tax”

By: Haven

Haven — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:37:39 +0000

I guess it should be looked at differently. America’s problem isn’t because we are lazy and that is why we are unhealthy. It’s due to the stresses of everyday life and this new tax that is going to be introduced just makes it that much worse. take an average joe for example, has a 10.00 an hour job and 3 kids and a wife that has a 8.00 an hr job. Both are unhealthy because they work hard to give the kids what they need and a few wants and struggle to pay their bills, they don’t have time to make it to the gym. Most working at this pay rate can’t even afford to buy fresh food items such as vegetables and fruit. (Believe me I know) It’s cheaper to buy the pastas, breads and canned food. The $ 50.00 a month took from them were does that come from? You think it will make them healthier to have to work harder to make up for that loss? I think it’s comformaty, What happened to choices and freedom? Where will it end, when no one smokes, drinks and everyone is a smitten size 5 and wears the same clothes?Now let’s take a look at other countrys such as Canada. they live longer than us and better than us. They have people that smoke, drink and unhealthy residents, nut not as many. They have a free health care system. Everyone pays the same amount through taxes (minimal) and they can go to the doc to find out whats wrong with them. their prescriptions don’t cost much if anything. there is no one that can’t seek health care. They take care of one another. From the poor to the rich they recive the same care verses here you cut your fingers off and they ask which ones do you want back attached because it cost a lot per finger, there they just attach them back. Women that want children and can’t have them here pay an arm and a leg to get pregnant. There nothing. And it’s not just Canada, look at France. Look up the documentary Sicko, it really will make you sick to your stomach.

By: Governor Paterson Not Sweet on Soda: Fat Tax Proposal

Governor Paterson Not Sweet on Soda: Fat Tax Proposal — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:02:04 +0000

[...] in the footsteps of Alabama and countries like the UK, the state of New York is considering imposing a so-called “fat [...]

By: JoAnn

JoAnn — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:36:35 +0000

What about taxing the homosexual because that’s where aids get started.

By: pat

pat — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:19:26 +0000

sounds to me the government is trying to take more personal choises from the people.

By: Melody

Melody — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:27:49 +0000

I’ll tell you what, when I lost my job in 2004 I found out really quickly how much private health insurance costs. I had a pre-existing condition (a wimpy littly leukemia in 2002) which forced me to a HIPPA policy. My rates went up about $100/mo every year because people in my insurance class are unhealthy (gee . . .). I never made a claim on the insurance, but that didn’t stop the increases. If I only had to pay an additional $25/mo for cheaper insurance, I’d jump at it. When the bill finally got to $1000/mo, I had to cancel the policy; so now I’m uninsured. Because of that, I take much better care of myself now than I ever did when I had insurance — can’t afford to get sick! So, stop complaining and count yourselves lucky you have insurance through work, people.

By: angie

angie — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 05:40:24 +0000

MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES MORE TAXES

By: CJ

CJ — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:18:43 +0000

Considering that they’re taking the time to actually screen people’s health then I think this is pretty good. Not everyone who is fat is unhealthy. Not everyone who is skinny is healthy. Some of us are doing everything we can to improve our health and being penalized for not having yet achieved our goals is unfair. But since this is based on participation and progress then it’s something I can support.

By: Skip McQuaid

Skip McQuaid — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:17:55 +0000

I don’t really consider this a tax. It is a cost of doing business. Governments are a business. They are charged with taking in money and paying out money and getting the best return they can for that money, whether it be the best roads at the cheapest cost or the least operating expenses (so that more would be available for the roads). There is a price to pay, no matter where you work, for behavior against the common good and that includes smoking, drinking and other unhealthy habits (I smoke and drink and eat very, very irregularly by the way) and if our state government can save a few bucks by charging folks for their unhealthy habits then good for them. Not that I believe, for one second, that the savings will reduce government expenditures thus taxes.

Skip McQuaid
Geneva, Alabama

By: Anne

Anne — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:05:31 +0000

This is only the beginning…..first the smokers, now everybody else!
Those who control the purse strings OWN YOU. What’s next I wonder. The
government is injecting itself in every facet of people’s lives, and everyone seems to welcome this? They make it sound good, and everyone is being lead like sheep to the slaughter. What will the world look like
in a mere 10 years?

By: Alexandra S.

Alexandra S. — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:03:26 +0000

Perhaps not a ‘Fat tax’ so much as how about raising evreryone’s rates then giving “healthy choices” discounts (say, $25 a month) if they participate in the free screenings and available modification programs if recommended (and if they’d add discounts for belonging to and attending a healthclub, that’d be even better). Sort of the let’s reward the good behavior so those whose behavior (and yes in some cases it isn’t behavior and can’t be helped) and choices are less healthy have incentive to make better choices (and something to grumble about besides how bad they are being treated).