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Old Mon, Jul-29-19, 09:28
khrussva's Avatar
khrussva khrussva is offline
Say NO to Diabetes!
Posts: 8,671
 
Plan: My own - < 30 net carbs
Stats: 440/228/210 Male 5' 11"
BF:Energy Unleashed
Progress: 92%
Location: Central Virginia - USA
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I don't like the entire concept of a 'sin tax'. The 'sinful' goods tend to be addictive. It is, IMO, quite unfair to make addicts pay more in taxes. Government becomes dependent on the revenue from these 'sinners', which sort of put law makers in a bind. Is government truly promoting better health by such taxes or are they just capitalizing on addiction? As far as sugar goes, I know that I was an addict. But sugar in all its forms (aka cheap, processed food) also fed my addiction - not just the white stuff. The government would need to officially declare more than half the goods sold in a grocery store as 'unhealthy" and therefore a taxable sin. That isn't going to happen. Singling out only HFCS, table sugar, etc. for extra taxation will generate revenue, but it won't solve the problems. The addicts will just end up paying more than their fair share it taxes.

I am a Liberty loving kind of guy. I have every right to drink, smoke, and eat my way to an early grave if I want to. These days I am better informed as to what is good for me and what is not. I choose not to drink, smoke, or eat crap-for-food. If government should have any roll in this it would be education - providing unbiased, truthful information about our food supply. That's not going to happen either. So I think that it should be left up to us to decide how we eat and how 'healthy' we live out lives.

When I was in my late teens the message was that food is food, a calorie is a calorie. If you get fat, then eat less -- especially less fat and cholesterol. Everything in moderation, but avoid butter and lard. Eat margarine, vegetable oil, and Crisco instead. Nothing wrong with processed foods either. The government was sure to require the junk to be enriched with all the vitamins and minerals that we need. How'd that work out? It didn't work out so well for me. Trust government to make the right call when it comes to healthy nutrition? I don't think so.

I get the sense that the younger generation is starting to get the message about sugar and carbs in general (my kids included). Information on the internet is still in the Wild, Wild, West stage right now, but there is good information out there. We'll figure it out eventually - even faster if the government stays out of it.
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