CONCRETE RIVER Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/washington/6434157.html Beer tax on tap for health care? By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press Writer © 2009 The Associated Press May 20, 2009, 7:58PM — Joe Six-Pack may have to hand over nearly $2 more for a case of beer to help provide health insurance for all.:mad: Details of the proposed beer tax are described in a Senate Finance Committee document distributed to lawmakers before a closed-door meeting Wednesday. Senators are focusing on how to pay for expanding health insurance for an estimated 50 million uninsured Americans, a cost that could range to some $1.5 trillion over 10 years. You can't raise that from beer money alone. Lawmakers are looking at an extensive list of spending cuts and tax increases, including a new levy on the value of job-based health insurance. The latter proposal seems to be gaining ground. It could lead to higher income taxes for some people with particularly generous job-based health care. Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said no decisions were made, but he will use the feedback to shape legislation he intends to introduce in the next few weeks. The committee has a critical role to play in the health care overhaul, since it writes tax law and oversees the government's giant medical insurance programs. Baucus wants to write a bipartisan bill, a goal for President Barack Obama. "Nothing's pushed off the table," Baucus told reporters after the daylong meeting. He said senators have come closer on some issues, but much remains to be resolved. While many of the revenue raisers involve obscure provisions of federal law, most consumers can relate to a beer tax. Taxes on wine and hard liquor would also go up. And there might be a new tax on soda and other sugary drinks blamed for contributing to obesity. A tax of 3 cents per 12-ounce drink would raise about $50 billion over 10 years, according to congressional estimates. Diet drinks, however, wouldn't be taxed. The idea behind the proposed increases is to tax lifestyle choices that contribute to rising medical costs. Obesity puts people at risk for diabetes and heart problems. Alcohol abuse is a risk factor in several types of cancer, liver disease and psychological problems. The soft drink industry and beer and wine producers are already lobbying to stop the proposals before they gain traction. The tax increases would lead to job losses for workers and higher costs for recession weary consumers, say the industries. Wine makers are also pointing to studies that suggest a glass a day can be good for health. "Singling out wine for higher taxes to reform health care is misguided because wine is part of a healthy diet and lifestyle for millions of Americans," said Robert P. Koch, president of the Wine Institute, which represents California's industry. Under the proposal lawmakers are considering, beer taxes would be increased by 48 cents a six-pack, from the current 33 cents. Beer is still the favorite choice of Americans who drink alcohol. Wine taxes would rise by 49 cents per bottle, from the current 21 cents. And the tax on hard liquor would increase by 40 cents per fifth, from the current $2.14. Percentage-wise, wine drinkers would take the biggest hit, a 233 percent tax increase per bottle. The Wine Institute said the tax increase would be even bigger for wines with a higher alcohol content. Hard liquor would see the smallest proportional increase, 19 percent per fifth. The beer tax would rise by 145 percent per six-pack. Proponents of the idea say it would equalize the tax treatment of alcoholic drinks, by charging the same tax rate based on alcohol content to all. But that would put an end to the current tax advantage enjoyed by beer and wine. The higher alcohol taxes would bring in nearly $60 billion over 10 years. discuss.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire15 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Damn dude. 2 dollars. What am I going to do? Life is over. And to help finance health care for everyone. Truly terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screambloodygore Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 meh still cheaper then canada, shame its weak as shit and it takes twice as many to feel it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Doodles Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Healthcare cutting into my drinking? Fuck that, Robitussin for everyone! Fuck you Obama, fuck your administration...My president is black and still nothing's changed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CONCRETE RIVER Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 Damn dude. 2 dollars. What am I going to do? Life is over. And to help finance health care for everyone. Truly terrible. so wait... im already paying $90 a WEEK for my own personal health insurance and now I have to pay for everyone else who is too irresponsible to pay their own like I do(excluding the 3% that are truly in need)? F**k that! Im sorry man, but this game called life is survival of the fittest. Either step up and handle your shit or step down.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire15 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Or just have a program where you dont need to pay 90 a week and be covered anyways. Woops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtydoses Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 hahaha no kidding. and 90 a week? that's a screw. i pay 8 bucks a month for insurance that has the best benefits i've ever received. if i drank i wouldn't give a shit about this, everyone should have health care, its not about "handling" your shit. half the insurance plans you can get from a joe schmo job are terrible anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earmuffs Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CONCRETE RIVER Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 i pay 8 bucks a month for insurance that has the best benefits i've ever received. i find this hard to believe. But yes, there are cheaper insurance packages than what i have but thats not the issue.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtydoses Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 cheaper packages = shitty care. i've been there. i don't care if you believe me or not about my insurance. i know what i pay. you mad? i would be if i lost 360 bucks a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CONCRETE RIVER Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 cheaper packages dont always mean shitty healthcare. Infact most of the time it means a much higher deductible. and i have health issues so there is a reason I chose this package. Wait till u need kemo or a kidney transplant before you assume you get great coverage for $8. lol. But no, not mad or shocked.... but i am upset that BO is taxing the middle class when he claimed he wouldnt. Hes just backdooring us is all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord_casek Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 brew your own. fuck the government. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire15 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Make your own beer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Realism Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I don't really see why this is a big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtydoses Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 if i needed chemo or a kidney transplant my insurance would pay for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suca Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 i kinda support this, just because i grew up in a family where mama worked in public healthcare and i heard some fucked up stories. like it or not, we DO have to help eachother out and all you can do is hope that the people who benefit from this are truely appriciative and are working their way up as best they can. obviously some are not, and intend to die at the bottom, but hey. cant win 'em all. im just about giving the people the benefit of the doubt, so assume youre beer tax is going to help somone who got placed in your city after katrina and is having financial troubles and also has a serious illness and a family to raise. or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CONCRETE RIVER Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 if i needed chemo or a kidney transplant my insurance would pay for it. well good. If this is the case then theres no excuse why anyone else couldnt afford $8 to pay for their own healthcare. So why do we all have to pay for em? just saying... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suca Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 obviously not everyone would be accepted to that plan... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord_casek Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 assume you have responsibility for everyone else? no thanks. i feel bad for people who can't afford health insurance, but not bad enough to throw more money to the government for them to be "the deciders". fuck that. government gets enough of my money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CONCRETE RIVER Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 and taxing beer, fifths of liquor, and cigarettes is only gonna hurt the middle class and strain the poor even harder. if your gonna tax, tax caviar, jet fuel for private planes, five star hotels, crown royal, south african port wine, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suca Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 ^^that part i do agree with. couldve picked a better thing to tax. aint no people with money to blow gonnna drop it on PBR. but i still stand by my previous post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord_casek Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 here's an idea, why doesn't the government lean on the health care providers, insurance providers, and big pharma? other countries get the same pharmaceuticals for far cheaper than we do in the states. same companies, usually made in our own country, and yet other countries get the same drugs for cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nsmbfan Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 so wait... im already paying $90 a WEEK for my own personal health insurance and now I have to pay for everyone else who is too irresponsible to pay their own like I do(excluding the 3% that are truly in need)? F**k that! Im sorry man, but this game called life is survival of the fittest. Either step up and handle your shit or step down.... healthcare should be a right in the "greatest nation on teh planet". if my taxes already go towards shit that doesn't matter so much to me, I'd much rather have a portion go to something that makes a difference in peoples lives. picking on the poor and sick? you kick dogs too? now, on the other side of the coin, i don't care if you all fucking catch on fire tomorrow, I wouldn't piss on you. but i think the reason i posted is to tell you that i hope you get hit by a bus. see if you still have that tired ass Darwin theory of how to deal with Trillions of human beings living together in a global economy. I'll close with this: "It's always been the nature of a child or a half-wit to point out that the Emperor has no clothes. But at the end of the day, the Emperor is still an Emperor, and the half-wit is still a half-wit." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CONCRETE RIVER Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 healthcare is NOT a right. If that was the case then no one would have to pay whether its $8 or $90. thats fucking bullshit, im sorry. Im sick of these leaches soaking up life from other peoples fruits of labor. oh ps- ^ this is coming from a person who has dedicated most of his life to helping the needy as well as animals (no hippie), trust me on this...i do not kick puppies. haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shai Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 The problem with this is simple- how do I know that the extra $2 I'm paying for a six pack is going to actually go towards health care? Do I just have to take the word of the government? Oh, I feel so placated now! Casek is right. The only way the feds are going to be able to create affordable, effective health care for everyone is to tax the fuck out of the medical industry. Don't tax the doctors, nurses, or support staff...tax the corporations that charge $11 for a single generic vicodin and $36 for a ten cent syringe. Once they're getting dinged for a 50% levy on their profit they'll figure it out PDQ or the executives will just have to do without their yearly Benz upgrade. I'm somewhat for the idea of a flat tax, but this is really a sin tax. I can see the logic (large amounts of alcohol and cigarettes do put a strain on the health care system), but we're not far away from having a R-rated movie tax, or a porno tax, or a sex toy tax...and if the feds ever decriminalize weed, they're going to tax the hell out of that too. Shit, one day we're going to probably end up with a "fun" tax in addition to the "existence" tax (you know, the one you can thank the IRS for) where you'll have to itemize every day you wore a Hawaiian shirt and every video game you play. Or how many hours you waste on the internet....actually, that would be easy. "Hmmmmm... that 12 oz site has no informational or educational value. Wait, and it's about graffiti....and he spends HOURS on there! Time for an audit..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CONCRETE RIVER Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 I'm somewhat for the idea of a flat tax, but this is really a sin tax. don't tax "goods" tax "bads"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pfffffffffft Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 the malt liquor tax is still the same though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CONCRETE RIVER Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 The problem with this is simple- how do I know that the extra $2 I'm paying for a six pack is going to actually go towards health care? Do I just have to take the word of the government? Oh, I feel so placated now! Casek is right. The only way the feds are going to be able to create affordable, effective health care for everyone is to tax the fuck out of the medical industry. Don't tax the doctors, nurses, or support staff...tax the corporations that charge $11 for a single generic vicodin and $36 for a ten cent syringe. Once they're getting dinged for a 50% levy on their profit they'll figure it out PDQ or the executives will just have to do without their yearly Benz upgrade. I'm somewhat for the idea of a flat tax, but this is really a sin tax. I can see the logic (large amounts of alcohol and cigarettes do put a strain on the health care system), but we're not far away from having a R-rated movie tax, or a porno tax, or a sex toy tax...and if the feds ever decriminalize weed, they're going to tax the hell out of that too. Shit, one day we're going to probably end up with a "fun" tax in addition to the "existence" tax (you know, the one you can thank the IRS for) where you'll have to itemize every day you wore a Hawaiian shirt and every video game you play. Or how many hours you waste on the internet....actually, that would be easy. "Hmmmmm... that 12 oz site has no informational or educational value. Wait, and it's about graffiti....and he spends HOURS on there! Time for an audit..." im bumping this shit to the next page.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shai Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 don't tax "goods" tax "bads"! And who determines what is bad? The same guys who have the power to charge the tax, so it sounds like the deck is somewhat stacked here. Plus is this going to be voted on by the people? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CONCRETE RIVER Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 oh, agreed 100% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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