Taxed 2 Debt!

The Sin of Sin Taxes

Katherine Magnu-Ward, editor of Reason magazine, has an editorial in this Sunday’s Washington Post, describing the benefits of sin taxes.

Katherine, in arguing for sin taxes, states what we all know: sin taxes do not change behavior.  She not only argues that this doesn’t matter, but that it’s good for us to pay more for “harmful” things.

“But even the most avid proponents of sin taxes concede that none of the nickel-and-dime proposals on the table is large enough to discourage soda drinking. And they’re not really intended to. Soda taxes, like most sin taxes, aren’t primarily designed to reduce consumption — they’re designed to raise revenue.”

Yes Kathy, “nickel and dime” was probably used to justify the Sugar Act right before the revolution.

Taxes disguised as behavior modification are set in place strictly for revenue.  Their kept in place because usually no one’s willing to get angry about taxes on cigarettes, beer, and now the possible coke.

But where does it stop?  Who gets to label the sin in our lives?

Lying is sinful, I know that.  Can we, as the American people, propose a lying tax every time a politician doesn’t tell the truth?  That’s the kind of behavior modification that’s most needed, a hope for honesty.  They’d fund Medicaid and space exploration in the first week.

So, if the public is to have a sin tax, how about we send the idea back to the politicians.  You can tell us how to live by taking our money, if you do the same.  Fair is fair.

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1 Comment to The Sin of Sin Taxes

1. 

   I guess everything we do is a sin because I can promise we are taxed on it!
fedup on September 27th, 2009

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