|
I was mostly joking about the communist statement. The UK seems committed to heading down the path of lower individual responsibility, and lower liberty.
I'm less annoyed by taxes on things I don't consume, such as tobacco, and I am happy to see its use has drastically declined. That said, rarely do politicians make policy based on the science or economics of something; it's either lobbyist influence or other political maneuver. While I don't personally care if tobacco has an outsized tax, it opens the door for government to tax something I do care about, like bacon. If I'm going to be about fair taxes for bacon, I must also be about fair taxes for tobacco and sugar. It's up to the individual to make good decisions for themselves, otherwise we give up liberty. Giving up liberty ceeds responsibility to the government, which can keep some people from dropping below certain levels of well-being, but it also limits the ability of the individual to thrive.
To improve health, I'd start by eliminating 90% of the foods people are able to purchase with food stamps. Food subsidy is meant to keep the poor nourished, not treat them to guilty pleasures. Staple food items only like fruits, veggies, beans, rice, potatoes, milk, cheese...
|