Tax the fat

[Ruprect]

Yet another call for higher taxes, this time from a GP. Why does every problem have a "solution" that involves higher taxes? And why does every crackpot idea like this make it onto the bbc website?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...st/7938282.stm

[Foxy Moron]

I wish they'd ban fat people from pubs

[thelace]

Ddo you think we're now addicted to the Nanny Society...

Nobody is taking responsibility for themselves.

"we need laws for this and taxes to discourage that"

Bollox we do!

We need people to take care of themselves.

I'm off to get some chocolate while it's still cheap!

[Mich the Tester]

I wish they'd ban fat people from pubs

corridors

[Ruprect]

You'd probably get 90% closure if you banned fat people from pubs!!!

[fckvwls]

I wish they'd ban fat people from pubs

I smoke to keep thin

[expat]

Ddo you think we're now addicted to the Nanny Society...

Nobody is taking responsibility for themselves.

"we need laws for this and taxes to discourage that"

Bollox we do!

We need people to take care of themselves.

I'm off to get some chocolate while it's still cheap!

The bit that gets me is the quick step from "this would be good" to "here comes another law". I do wish that government would pause a bit between these two, and ask themselves whether the mandate from the people, which is their ONLY justification for exercising power, requires them to make this law.

[Mich the Tester]

The bit that gets me is the quick step from "this would be good" to "here comes another law". I do wish that government would pause a bit between these two, and ask themselves whether the mandate from the people, which is their ONLY justification for exercising power, requires them to make this law.

And indeed start from the default position that a law is not necessary until all other options have been exhausted.

[Earthling]

Not another Tax. Do we not have enough of those?

[Doggy Styles]

"I had one patient recently who said to me she thought chocolate was good for you. People are being brainwashed into believing this."

That is deliberate misinformation, which makes me wonder whether New Labour kite-flying is behind this. Chocolate is not harmful, and does not cause obesity or diabetes.

It is refined sugar that does these things and, to a lesser extent, refined starch. They are worse than fats.

So if he truly believes in taxing things that are harmful, it should be the use of these things in food products.