Rethinking an Argument against Fat Taxes in the US Essay

It is not the government’s responsibility to manage what we eat. “Government is setting aside whether they have the constitutional authority to regulate what we eat (paragraph 2, source 1).” Government regulating what we eat could stop responsible people that eat healthy from treating themselves. People who have long hours of work rely on fast foods because

In 2009, a prestigious think tank in Washington, D.C. proposed a 10% tax on what they called “Fattening food of little nutritional value.” They stated that based on their study, such a tax could raise 500 billion dollars in tax revenue over 10 years, which could be put towards paying off America's ever expanding national debt (Waist). Americans spend an extremely disproportional amount of money on health care costs related to lifestyle diseases. In recent years, Americans spent $190 billion on healthcare related to obesity, which is over one-fifth of total annual healthcare spending (Baird). Because Americans would have more money to spend, a tax on fattening foods and beverages could promote economic growth for private businesses and an increase in revenue for the

It has become common today to dismiss the idea of personal responsibility, however, Radley Balko,  author of “What You Eat Is Your Business,” has not. The article, published on Monday 23, 2004,on the website Cato Institute, reminds us of the importance and significance of personal responsibility in dealing with obesity.  Additionally, he argues that  government’s  attempt to  restrict American diets and without consumers being  held accountable for their unhealthy lifestyles is useless .

Most people say that the government’s role, in our diets, is the key for a healthier life. While others may argue that it is freedom of choice to eat whatever we want. However depending on the point of view, the government’s role in shaping what we consume is either a compulsory intervention or a blatant interference on American free will. Even though we hear a good argument on the government controlling our diets, most research show that the involvement of the government on our diets has shown little to no results.

Judith Warner and Radley Balko have different opinions on the notion that the government is helping people to make healthier eating choices, where one opposes it and the other supports the claim. Radley Balko shares the idea that if the government stops aiding people with health insurance easily, it will stop the poor eating habits and force people to choose healthier foods when shopping. Balko expresses his feeling sin the following statement: “And if the government is paying for my anti-cholesterol medication, what incentive is there for me to put down the cheeseburger” (Balko 397). This statement paints a clear image of one of the reasons behind unhealthy food choices, which is encouraged by the government by providing insurance for citizens spontaneously. Balko is upset

In today’s society a huge issue is that we constantly hear about the food industry in America. We often hear in the news that obesity rates have increased, or that Americans have many diseases that contribute to being obese. “What You Eat is Your Business” by Radley Balko expresses that people are at fault for making such unhealthy food choices. Others argue that the food industry is to blame for being so unhealthy. According to David Zinczenko in “Don’t Blame the Eater” he blames the fast food industry as well as the consumer. Zinczenko asks “shouldn’t we know better than to eat two meals a day in fast food restaurant’s?” (392). So, who is to blame for American’s eating so much unhealthy food? Should it be the consumers’ burden or the fast food companies? On one hand, as consumers we continue to purchase foods that we know are making us overweight. On the other hand, fast food companies continue to offer high in calories foods.

Balko declares that government policies are “bringing government between you and your waistline” (396). While there is no doubt that there is a problem with obesity, Balko hypothesizes correctly that government programs, which are meant to halt obesity, are instead incentivizing it. In the words of Balko “If the government is paying for my anti-cholesterol medication, what incentive is there for me to put down the cheeseburger?” (397). Further, with new legislation that requires insurers to give healthcare to people regardless of pre-existing, or even self-imposed medical conditions, we have completely

Balko also emphasis’s the idea that people who are obese should be paying the price. Radley Balko expands on this by explaining if obese clients are not being charged a higher premium and the government pays for their medications, what is the incentive for them to make healthier decisions regarding their food? He states, “ if policy makers want to fight obesity, they’ll halt the creeping socialization of medicine, and move to return individual Americans’ ownership of their own health and well-being back

In the essay by Mark Bittman “Bad Food? Tax it, and Subsidize Vegetables Instead,” Bittman offers an idea on how to change the Standard American Diet: making healthy food cheaper and fast, processed food more expensive. Calculating the tax to increase one penny would make a difference in the price and the decision of the people as to whether or not the people will purchase processed foods. With taxes on carbonated drinks and processed foods, profits from the proposal should increase due to the amount of money it would bring into the government and the benefits of a healthier American. Bittman’s results remove chronic health diseases that reinvent the way we eat. In “Nickle and Dimed on Not Getting by in America,” Barbara Ehrenreich

One of the main groups that would be negatively affected by a fat tax are the diabetics. Those who fight hypoglycemia occasionally need candy or soda to raise their blood sugar levels. Why should diabetics have to pay more for something that could potentially save their lives? They already have to pay extremely high costs for their insulin to keep their glucose levels from reaching too high. At Diabetic Care Services and Pharmacy, a box of five Humalog pen Kwikpens cost $339.29, which is extremely expensive, especially if the buyer does not have health insurance. The cost of living is very high for someone with diabetes and they might have very little money left out of each paycheck, after taxes and medical bills, for groceries. “Calorie for calorie, junk foods not only cost less than fruits and

Balko argues that the health care system in our country is shifting towards socialism. Just recently, Congress passed a bill that could cause people to pay for other’s medicine. Also, insurance companies are no longer allowed to charge obese patients higher premiums. This attempt to end obesity just puts less responsibility on personal well-being and more responsibility for other’s. He continues to argue that socialism of private health will lead to further federal restrictions on the freedom of choice. To Balko the way to end the obesity epidemic in America, is to pull the issue of obesity from “public health” and return ownership of health back over to individuals, allow insurance companies to compensate people with healthy lifestyles, stop the socialization of health care, and allow not used medical savings to be rolled into retirement savings. These changes bring back accountability to individuals. We will all begin to eat better and exercise more when we have to pay for our own health care.

With a growing epidemic of obesity in America, some states and lawmakers have resorted to taking unconventional measures in order to counter the growing issue. Many legislators are debating the effectiveness of a “fat tax” would be on limiting the consumption of soda, high fat foods, and high sugar foods, and ultimately reducing the rate of morbidity and mortality due to obesity. The idea is that long term consumption of high fat, high sugar foods and drinks lead to many health problems, so making them more expensive and less accessible should decrease the health issues related to their consumption.

Over the past 50 years, the way we eat has changed more than it had in the previous 10,000. Now, 60% of Americans over the age of 20 are overweight. The fast-food industry is highly responsible for today’s health epidemic. Some people choose to blame the government for not balancing individual rights, and the common good. However, the government is not forcing you to eat. You put yourself at risk of diet related health problems.

Economic costs of obesity are increasing and will continue to do so if nothing is done. Healthy Communities for A Healthy Future state that the estimated annual health care costs related to obesity are 190 billion dollars. This is 21% of total health care costs. This includes direct costs, such as preventive and treatment services, while indirect costs include income lost to days debilitated or future income lost to death. On an individual level, an obese person will cost 42% more in health care than a person of healthy weight. A tax directly related to products known to cause obesity would offset the cost of health care, and hopefully result in less obesity in the Nation.

Balko begins by introducing some of the policy the government put in place to response to the obesity epidemic in our country. He states that “For decades now, America's health care system has been moving towards socialism.” He cites President Bush’s decision to assign $200 million to anti-obesity measure and congress attempt to implement menu-labeling in to a law is a wrong approach to take on obesity. Balko state that the government policies are “bringing the government between you and your waistline” (396). In his opinion, “This is the wrong way to fight obesity” (Balko). He argues that our government should be focused on fostering personal responsibility and accountability among the public concerning individual health. He feels that consumers should take some responsibility of what they eat. Giving this example, “We’re becoming less responsible for our own health, and more responsible for everyone else’s” (Balko). He argues that obesity should be taken out of