Coming to a McDonalds near you soon, hopefully. Mexican senate: Tax on high-calorie food could bite into obesity problem http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/01/world/americas/junk-food-tax-mexico/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 (CNN) -- With their country having the dubious distinction of first place in a global ranking of obese populations, legislators in Mexico have approved new taxes on high-calorie foods and soft drinks. A measure that cleared the Mexican senate on Thursday and that now awaits the president's signature puts an 8% tax on edibles with high caloric contents. Although the legislation does not identify all foods that fit into its tax category or include a specific list, it cites "food that is high in calories such as fried foods ... sweets, foods made mainly with cereal, among others..." Senators also approved a tax of one peso (about seven-and-a-half cents) on every liter of soft drinks. The tax measures come after Mexico jumped ahead of the United States to claim first place in a list of most-obese nations in a U.N. food and agriculture report this year. Meanwhile, in another component of a government effort to combat obesity, the Mexico Health Department is joining with two pediatric organizations in a campaign to prevent childhood obesity. The campaign's goal is to help doctors understand the complications of obesity, as well as the preventative and treatment measures available, said Arturo Perea-Martinez of Mexico's National Pediatric Institute According to the World Health Organization, the average Mexican drinks 163 liters (about 43 gallons) of soda a year, which is 40% more than the average U.S. citizen, making Mexico the largest consumer of soft drinks in the world.
Why do healthy responsible people keep paying taxes for the irresponsible? Instead of coddling overweight people, we should tell them bluntly about their problem, just as we do with those who use tobacco. Their actions are not ok. Their actions are unhealthy. They are not 'plus' size. They are obese.
Not your place, or the government's place, to make men moral (I'm all for the right to judge and shame and scold, just not with force). Also, for some, the pleasures of eating may be a reasonable tradeoff. Never understood the desire to force one's views of proper behavior on another. The left really are scolds, the modern day Temperance League. One day the mob might decide spending time on message boards is unhealthy, and they'll come for you.
When you drink a 12oz soda, you're essentially ingesting a candy bar in liquid form. People should have the right to do so, but I see no issue with taxing and regulating sugar and HFCS similar to how we do tobacco and alcohol.
Good for them; maybe also try and cobble together a Soviet style sports program, they need some kind of niche.
I agree with you in principal. As long as ones actions do not impede on others, then its perfectly fine, regardless of the taboo topic.
I believe the behavior of others can impact me negatively. But that doesn't entitle me to compensation or to use force to limit/regulate/penalize said behavior. The left likes to use externalities as a blanket license to regulate any human behavior in what should be a free country.
Placing additional taxes on food is wrong on a number of levels. The most important is that it will impact those who can least afford it the hardest.
I agree with their objective, but disagree with the means they chose to try to achieve their objective.
no matter the country or the issue, literally every single govt worldwide has a solution today -- taxation. welcome to global sovereign debt crisis.
If you want to help people eat healthier, how about subsidize healthy foods (fresh fruits and vegetables) instead of all of the bull**** that goes into fast food and processed, pre packaged garbage. Most people eat like **** because it's what they can afford.
You don't need to subsidize healthy food, just stop subsidizing GMO infested, highly processed crap food.
All fresh grocery foods are cheaper in bulk than prepared single servings of restaurant foods, people just don't like them enough to justify the extra preparation time.
One problem is there is significant disagreement about whether calories matter as much as content, and also which content is unhealthy (I happen to believe a double cheeseburger at McDonalds is healthier than an apple). But we shouldn't even go there. once you start arguing those details you're conceding the right of the state to control your diet (and taxation is a form of control). But hey, let's let the folks who created healthcare.gov decide what foods should be taxed and by how much. Sebelius can be given the power to set all the numbers. She is part of the elite, an expert if you will. We can trust her.
How far does this go? If an industrial company pollutes the water and causes you to get sick, should you have recourse? Should they be responsible in way for that pollution, or are they free to do anything they want?
Commodore's quote is the fundamental belief of the Right in American politics. Don't like polluted air? Take your breathing business elsewhere!
