Fat Tax

This is the suggestion that those who are overweight and obese should pay more income tax, because they are costing the NHS so much every year. It would be calculated on your BMI - Body Mass Index. This is calculated by multiplying your height in metres by itself, and then dividing that by your weight in kilograms.

Would this be an incentive to lose weight?

However, this is very unreliable, as those with a high percentage of muscle, athletes, etc, would be classed as 'obese'. And what about people who medically can't control their weight? Conditions such as an overactive thyroid gland causes a person's weight to spiral.

A horrendous amount of tax is put on cigarettes to prevent you from smoking, so why not do the same to combat obesity? Where does it stop? Tax for people who have used drugs, ride motorbikes?

Personally, I think this is a ridiculous notion. It's discrimation at one of its worst. What happened to equality? It's only going to portray to youngsters that you have to be stick thin to be happy, to be treated well in life.

Views? THIS LAW HAS NOT BEEN PASSED AND IS UNLIKELY TO BE.

Would you like to see it introduced?

I think the general idea of that kind of thing is good... but it should not be used on overweight people. Because like you said, some people can't help it because of medical conditions. That kind of law should be used on smokers, heavy drinkers etc.
Maybe make McDonalds more expensive?

Pokémon Master.:

I think the general idea of that kind of thing is good... but it should not be used on overweight people. Because like you said, some people can't help it because of medical conditions. That kind of law should be used on smokers, heavy drinkers etc.
Maybe make McDonalds more expensive?

Mc Donalds Can't help that people eat their food. So why should they be punished for another persons actions. As for this whole law, it will never pass. It violates civil rights.

I_worship_tre_Cool:

Pokémon Master.:

I think the general idea of that kind of thing is good... but it should not be used on overweight people. Because like you said, some people can't help it because of medical conditions. That kind of law should be used on smokers, heavy drinkers etc.
Maybe make McDonalds more expensive?

Mc Donalds Can't help that people eat their food. So why should they be punished for another persons actions. As for this whole law, it will never pass. It violates civil rights.

I was just thinking of incentives to make people loose weight... Wasn't meant to be taken too seriously lol.
I agree that the law will never pass but in some ways it seems unfair that people who purposefully damage their bodies and end up in hospital through their own fault pay the same tax as someone who looks after themselves.

I have an idea...if you're fat and costing the NHS too much because of it, and you can help your weight, then you should pay for private care.

Thats an extreme case scenario.

If you can't help your weight then fine, but most people can. Seriously, it isn't my business to pay for your care, because you eat too much. It isn't my business to pay for your care cause you smoke and you got yourself emphysema.

In america it works that way, it may seem harsh but I think we can let people take care of their own mistakes. I'm all for having a NHS to help people who are genuinely ill and need genuine help, but when you're inflicting it onto yourself the rest of the country has to pay and tax is a big, big amount of money anyway.

Bloodraine:

I have an idea...if you're fat and costing the NHS too much because of it, and you can help your weight, then you should pay for private care.

Thats an extreme case scenario.

If you can't help your weight then fine, but most people can. Seriously, it isn't my business to pay for your care, because you eat too much. It isn't my business to pay for your care cause you smoke and you got yourself emphysema.

In america it works that way, it may seem harsh but I think we can let people take care of their own mistakes. I'm all for having a NHS to help people who are genuinely ill and need genuine help, but when you're inflicting it onto yourself the rest of the country has to pay and tax is a big, big amount of money anyway.

I couldn't have put it better myself. I completely agree with you.

Pokémon Master.:

Bloodraine:

I have an idea...if you're fat and costing the NHS too much because of it, and you can help your weight, then you should pay for private care.

Thats an extreme case scenario.

If you can't help your weight then fine, but most people can. Seriously, it isn't my business to pay for your care, because you eat too much. It isn't my business to pay for your care cause you smoke and you got yourself emphysema.

In america it works that way, it may seem harsh but I think we can let people take care of their own mistakes. I'm all for having a NHS to help people who are genuinely ill and need genuine help, but when you're inflicting it onto yourself the rest of the country has to pay and tax is a big, big amount of money anyway.

I couldn't have put it better myself. I completely agree with you.

That sounds good. Not charge someone for being overweight - but you should have to pay for your own health care. That makes sense.

All that would do is put even more on the already unbearable amount of pressure there is to be thin. I think its ridiculous.

Trunks <3:

Pokémon Master.:

Maybe make McDonalds more expensive?

i am extremely skinny (im not boasting i would rather be 'normal' size) but im not. I eat more macdonalds than anyone else i know. and i think that blaming maccas for people being over weight is ridiculous. You dont have to eat there. there is quite a few healthy fast food places and you even have to eat fast food at all. Noone makes you eat anything (excepting some parent/care-takers make you but as soon as your 16 noone can make you eat anything if you dont want to)

That wasn't meant to be taken too seriously but nevermind lol.
You are lucky, you must have a very fast metabolism. All I was saying is that if McDonald's was more expensive then people who regularly eat there might not as much therefore it might be an incentive to eat more healthily. Not the best idea I know.

ImBlindAndISmellLikeShit:

All that would do is put even more on the already unbearable amount of pressure there is to be thin. I think its ridiculous.

It wouldn't put anyone under pressure to be thin.. it is trying to make people be a healthy weight, not underweight. There is a difference.

Pokémon Master.:

ImBlindAndISmellLikeShit:

All that would do is put even more on the already unbearable amount of pressure there is to be thin. I think its ridiculous.

It wouldn't put anyone under pressure to be thin.. it is trying to make people be a healthy weight, not underweight. There is a difference.

No, I can understand what they meant.

Think about it. If there was a fat tax, people, mainly young girls concerned about their image would be worried they were fat. Like, even more so than they do now.

ImBlindAndISmellLikeShit:

All that would do is put even more on the already unbearable amount of pressure there is to be thin. I think its ridiculous.

Which is a good thing.
Being un-overweight is great, pressure should be put on people not to endanger themselves into destroying their health.

It doesn't mean you have to be anorexic-thin, i'm so far from that its unbelieveable yet I have a normal, average BMI so I don't see a problem with my weight.

i think that if you get treated 3 or 4 times for whieght problems on the NHS and are told to diet but dont then they should have to do somthing, but i am not only using that case for over wheight people i am using that for smokers aswell, i am some one has waited on the NHS list for years and have seen smokers go into hospital who ahve been on the waiting list shorter time than me and it isnt fair, i look after myself i eat well i excersise and i dont drink or smoke, why shoudl i have to wait for treatment that i need while people who knopw are killing themsleves go into hospital before me, the system isnt fair.

I know some who had her jaws wired to make her loose wheight and she went home and after just 3 days of dieting she was liquidising (sp) fresh cream cakes, they treated her 4 times with the same treatment.

ImBlindAndISmellLikeShit:

All that would do is put even more on the already unbearable amount of pressure there is to be thin. I think its ridiculous.

Which people really don't need. The media puts far too much pressure on you to be thin.

This would be government putting pressure on you, surely?

international_idiot:

ImBlindAndISmellLikeShit:

All that would do is put even more on the already unbearable amount of pressure there is to be thin. I think its ridiculous.

Which people really don't need. The media puts far too much pressure of you to be thin.

So why should we have to pay for their care? You know, when your 300 Lb.s, maybe a little pressure to be thin isn't all that bad. It's hazerdous to your health to be that overweight. I don't really care if they are, it isnt my fault they have a twinkie addiciton, so why should I pay for it? If they want to lost weight, they need to pay for their care on there own. The media puts alot of pressure on people to be thin, but when you're way overweight, it really isnt physically harming you, and if it is emotionally, it really isnt anyones fault but your own. Now, if they have some type of mental disorder, that is different, but I still shouldnt have to pay for it.

Magne:

i think that if you get treated 3 or 4 times for whieght problems on the NHS and are told to diet but dont then they should have to do somthing, but i am not only using that case for over wheight people i am using that for smokers aswell, i am some one has waited on the NHS list for years and have seen smokers go into hospital who ahve been on the waiting list shorter time than me and it isnt fair, i look after myself i eat well i excersise and i dont drink or smoke, why shoudl i have to wait for treatment that i need while people who knopw are killing themsleves go into hospital before me, the system isnt fair.

I know some who had her jaws wired to make her loose wheight and she went home and after just 3 days of dieting she was liquidising (sp) fresh cream cakes, they treated her 4 times with the same treatment.

I agree. I think that someone who has purposefully damaged their bodies (eg. smoked, eaten unhealthily etc) shouldn't have priority over someone who has looked after themselves.

Bloodraine:

No taxes.

At all.

Quote

In america, I believe that if you get sick you have to pay. Which I agree with.

So, if someone is poor to begin with, then get sick (most likely because they can't afford conditions that would allow them to prevent this illness), they should then have to pay for their sickness in a state where they cannot earn money because of the sickness?

Hooray for fairness in the capitalist system.

WillkommenZumPolizeistaat:

Bloodraine:

No taxes.

At all.

Quote

In america, I believe that if you get sick you have to pay. Which I agree with.

So, if someone is poor to begin with, then get sick (most likely because they can't afford conditions that would allow them to prevent this illness), they should then have to pay for their sickness in a state where they cannot earn money because of the sickness?

Hooray for fairness in the capitalist system.

okay class, this is what we call the, "puppies and poor people Propaganda technique" in which you give up your argument because if you don't feel sorry for the puppies and poor people you'll be made out to look like a jackass


anywho, the government shouldn't pay for all of your medical bills and I think that they're giving out enough pills and paying enough bills for now....I was about to make a cheap joke about poor people migrating to Canadia....then I stopped myself

spill_no_sick:

WillkommenZumPolizeistaat:

Bloodraine:

No taxes.

At all.

Quote

In america, I believe that if you get sick you have to pay. Which I agree with.

So, if someone is poor to begin with, then get sick (most likely because they can't afford conditions that would allow them to prevent this illness), they should then have to pay for their sickness in a state where they cannot earn money because of the sickness?

Hooray for fairness in the capitalist system.

okay class, this is what we call the, "puppies and poor people Propaganda technique" in which you give up your argument because if you don't feel sorry for the puppies and poor people you'll be made out to look like a jackass


anywho, the government shouldn't pay for all of your medical bills and I think that they're giving out enough pills and paying enough bills for now....I was about to make a cheap joke about poor people migrating to Canadia....then I stopped myself

Or we could get the government the fuck out of our business and destroy the capitalist system that either causes illness, or denies the less fortunate the means of preventing or curing it.

WillkommenZumPolizeistaat:

Bloodraine:

No taxes.

At all.

Quote

In america, I believe that if you get sick you have to pay. Which I agree with.

So, if someone is poor to begin with, then get sick (most likely because they can't afford conditions that would allow them to prevent this illness), they should then have to pay for their sickness in a state where they cannot earn money because of the sickness?

Hooray for fairness in the capitalist system.

oh Hooray for fairness indeed, hmm fairness in Britain

well because Billions of pounds gets fed in the machine that is free Health care (tax payers money not so fair), that money has to come from somewhere, be it fireman, nurses wages, School money yep that always seems to go in there, Other parts of the public sector lose out, Don't forget good ole Prescot needs a pay rise, lets stop that anti-smoking campaign.

If you want to go all Bob Geldof and free the world go help out in Africa, stop complaining about the systems set up in the USA, you have it good deal with, it might break your heart that your not living in a card board box somewhere, oh boo hoo the middle-class hero.

anyone here arguing that being taxed for health care seems reasonable cannot fathom the unfairness of it until you start paying taxes yourself. My husband owns his own business so mr tax man likes fucking us up the arse anytime he can.

the NHS is jaded people are taxed unfairly and in doing so forced to support those who not only don't need it but are capable of contributing themselves.