Let's Tax Blogging

On the way to the office I was listening to the radio and was hearing about the amount of sugar cola's and soft drinks we consume in a year. I immediately was struck with one of those big embarrassing gassy belches that only come after chugging a coke. Just kidding, I made that up. But, what made me want to belch was the commentator was saying that some people are considering taxing soft drinks because they cause obesity and obesity drives up health care costs. My immediate reaction is "where does this stop?" Do we start taxing everything that may have some adverse reaction to somebody? Should government dictate lifestyle choices? My opinion is that the only time the government should stick its nose into lifestyle is when those choices endanger someone else. Like those idiots that drive around with their two year old on their lap. And, especially those that wrap the seat belt around them both. Your big fat a** squished your baby to death, now how do you feel about that. Come on, give them a big ticket.

But, let's take second hand smoke. Arizona recently passed a law that prohibits smoking in public places. It passed overwhelmingly. This doesn't tell me that it was overwhelmingly right, it just tells me that there was an overwhelming amount of non-smokers that voted. I don't like to smell cigarette smoke. And, I think it is only reasonable and just that public places be allowed to ban it within their walls. But, if a grown adult is dumb enough to smoke, who am I or you to dictate his or her lifestyle. If someone wants to own a bar and allow smoking inside, knock yourself out, I just won't come in. There is a famous blues bar in Phoenix that I haven't been to in years because I didn't want to reek when I came out of it. That was their choice. If parents wish to smoke they should be smart enough to smoke away from the children. If they don't, some good friend should slap them and get their attention.

And, how about blogging. How healthy is that? Sitting on your butt, getting no exercise, maybe drinking one of those 44 oz. slurpys while you are doing it. Maybe getting carpal tunnel syndrome. Aggravating the arthritis in your fingers. Helping out those saddle bags on your hips. Yep, I'm thinking a $1.00 per blog tax. Send it to me and I'll see it gets into the right hands.