Fining fat people (Arizona)

[Puddz]

Surely this law is against some law regarding human rights?
Forcing people to eat something they don't want to, or forcing them to eat less and feel hungry surely amounts to torture.

But being fat, I would kinda like this law. Might just be the motivation people need.

 

[Joel`]

Ugh, please dont play the 'i pay taxes therefore i am a demigod' card. Everyone pays taxes, for everything - and most of those things you will never use, experience or even learn of. Everyone pays taxes that pay for the NHS - some people need to use it, the luckier set don't. People are always going to be sick, we as a community all pay those taxes so that we all have the best chance of survival. As I've said, if someone has caused the medical problem upon themselves, they should pay for it out of their own pocket, but that's not how it works - imo that is the thing that needs to be changed.

p.s don't take any of this personally, most of your other opinions I've read seem to be pretty spot on!

I get the tax argument, but all this is essentially doing is taxing the fat at point of access. People who smoke are heavily taxed indirectly, but it's difficult to say "you're fat, give me some money". So they're charged in this way instead. I don't see how that's unfair at all. The aim of the tax system is to pass on the bad consequences to those that do it. Firms that pollute, cigarette smokers, car users etc. all pay tax to those that don't use that. By your logic, everyone should pay more tax to cover for those causing more expense.

EDIT: Actually just read the article. Don't get what you're arguing against in that case, we're just saying if you try and eat yourself to death, then that's your problem, not that "I don't use this so I shouldn't be taxed for it".

 

[Chaz Sexington]

Ugh, please dont play the 'i pay taxes therefore i am a demigod' card. Everyone pays taxes, for everything - and most of those things you will never use, experience or even learn of. Everyone pays taxes that pay for the NHS - some people need to use it, the luckier set don't. People are always going to be sick, we as a community all pay those taxes so that we all have the best chance of survival. As I've said, if someone has caused the medical problem upon themselves, they should pay for it out of their own pocket, but that's not how it works - imo that is the thing that needs to be changed.

p.s don't take any of this personally, most of your other opinions I've read seem to be pretty spot on!

Naturally most people pay taxes, but some pay more than others. The thing is that unlike Norway, the UK doesn't have a sugar tax added to unhealthy foods to encourage people to eat healthier. Essentially, I mind my taxes going to fat people when I think they should be paying it out of their own pocket instead of putting strain on an already stretched NHS. There's a big difference to me about slowly eating yourself to death, being put on benefits because you're too fat and then leeching off society for treatment and having a nasty sports injury or being born handicapped.

Edit - I think we actually agree.

 

[curtis290]

I think this is reflective of how much blatantly sizeist our culture is!

In all seriousness I don't know how I feel about this...but remember, it's for Medicaid recipients; in other words, people who are receiving state-sponsored health care. Obesity is a huge problem in the US (much moreso than in Europe) and it's unfair that the taxpayers should have to pay to support the unhealthy decisions made by lazy people. On the other hand, I do agree with that quote in the article that said the state should do much more to encourage healthy eating habits rather than penalize those who don't have them. The problem is that in the US and some other countries, unhealthy fatty foods are cheaper than healthier foods...this is really ****** up, and those foods should be heavily taxed (like alcohol, cigarettes, gasoline, etc.) while the government should somehow subsidize healthier foods, or at least make them more accessible to poorer people.

 

[Chaz Sexington]

I think this is reflective of how much blatantly sizeist our culture is!

In all seriousness I don't know how I feel about this...but remember, it's for Medicaid recipients; in other words, people who are receiving state-sponsored health care. Obesity is a huge problem in the US (much moreso than in Europe) and it's unfair that the taxpayers should have to pay to support the unhealthy decisions made by lazy people. On the other hand, I do agree with that quote in the article that said the state should do much more to encourage healthy eating habits rather than penalize those who don't have them. The problem is that in the US and some other countries, unhealthy fatty foods are cheaper than healthier foods...this is really ****** up, and those foods should be heavily taxed (like alcohol, cigarettes, gasoline, etc.) while the government should somehow subsidize healthier foods, or at least make them more accessible to poorer people.

Taxing petrol as opposed to subsidising it wouldn't work in the US for demographic and geographical reasons - it's not possible to run an efficient public transport city outside the main cities. As for ridiculous taxation of cigarettes - a simple survey in Oslo found out that 1/3 of all cigarettes were foreign. Excessive levels of taxation just force people to buy it from other places as the demand is still there.

Maybe tax incentives for being healthy or added welfare bonuses for keeping slim? Better knowledge maybe? I don't like the principle of government doing this, as it should be each person's responsibility. However, people are dumb worldwide.

Personally, I don't think this is a US-centric problem. Scandinavian countries were last I looked bucking the trend actually, but aside from that we're getting fatter.