Kasz216 said:
Oh and for the short version.
Liberals - Should be against the fat tax because it's regressive. The poor being more likely to eat unhealthy and the tax being flat means they by far will pay more of this tax.
Conservatives - Should be against this tax because it's essentially government telling you what to eat. |
Well, I believe it is more like a Libertarian leaning individual is against government telling you what to eat. A social conservative, like Mike Huckabee, would possibly approve of it (Huckabee did make a push for weight loss and healthy weight while governor). Social conservatives believe that the government has a role and policing personal behavior of individuals. There libertarian-conservative fusion will end up believing heavily in there being a very strong link between personal behavior and outcome in life. This means tougher on crime, tougher on rogue nations, and punishing those who deviate from optimal behaviors and not punishing the successful. It is a common ground between both, usually having the word "freedom" wrapped around it. You see this repeatedly pop up in heated forum talk where the poor are branded as lazy loser who need to get jobs, because there is a strong belief that everyone gets what they deserve in life. You see the likes of Sean Hannity, for example, who sincerely believes anyone can be successful and rich in America, no excuses, if they just work hard and smart enough. America in this is seen as a land of opportunity that rewards the competent and successful. It is NOT about making sure the disadvantage also get ahead.
So, as a result, you can end up getting the other end where you do get taxes raised on less healthy foods. The compromise means you end up giving more money to the poor so they can afford to buy new food. Heck, the tax on corn syrup may end up being given back to those who grow the corn to begin with, to get the bill pass through congress.
