A tax on cigarettes to support health care for children sounds benevolent on the surface, but if all smokers stopped smoking because of the increased tax on cigarettes, who then would pay for the children?   It is disingenuous to pretend that the increased tax is to encourage smokers to stop smoking.  Rather, this is just one more stab at victimizing smokers and grabbing revenue.  Smokers should be awarded a medal for giving the most revenue to the government instead of being denigrated.  Who would pay for all of the programs we already pay for were it not for us?

I know, let’s tax obese people.  How about taxing every meal containing over 2000 calories that is served in restaurants and fast food places?  Better yet, weigh people before allowing them to order.  If they do not meet the standard of weight for their height and age as determined by yet another government standard, then let’s turn them away or, if they insist on stuffing themselves, tax them for the pleasure of killing themselves. 

Obesity is a far larger drain on our health care dollar than cigarette smoking because it affects more than 50% of our population, a population that is plagued by the diseases that obesity encourages like diabetes, heart attack, worn out joints and stroke. Obesity is a primary cause of back aches and joint pain, reasons to stay home from work and be unproductive.  And, obesity compromises even further those that need surgery or anesthesia or have chronic conditions like asthma.

Tax obese people needing wheelchairs because they are so fat they can’t walk and tax them for handicap stickers while you’re at it.  After all, it’s their own fault they’re fat.  What the heck, let’s tax every company that manufactures fat food.  How about a class action suit brought by the government against the food industry on behalf of obese people who die because they overeat? Obese taxes could fund new playgrounds and better athletic programs in schools so our kids would get more exercise.

Let’s level the playing field for a change!  Obese taxes would really rev up the economy.  Have I touched some nerves?  Too bad, mine are over-taxed and you’ll get no sympathy from me.