IF we introduced a 100% luxury tax on alcoholic beverages, would that pay for

[Hitpig #1]

healthcare for the uninsured? According to the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, retail sales of alcoholic beverages totaled approximately $115.9 billion in 2003
Read more: http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2127/Economics-Alcohol-Tobacco-U-S-ALCOHOL-SALES-CONSUMPTION.html#ixzz0hzd8uKSf

This is a 6 year old figure, if we taxed it at 100% we could raise 120 billion a year for the 18% of americans who don't have health care.. Would that do it?
Rich, I am sking a question regarding an alternative to overhauling the entire health insurance indistry and health care industry.. WOuld you rahter pay a sin tax for those items that are known to cause helth problems (Cigarettes, Alcohol, low nutritional value foods etc.) Or would you rahter your healcare costs go up ?

 

[I love yanking your chain]

Do it for cigarettes and red meat, too.

 

[Loser]

Oh, absolutely. Meanwhile, I'll just buy mine from Pepe. Why pay tax at all? Because it's my patriotic duty?You just don't get it. Here let me put it in a way you can understand: No.

 

[Mick Jaguar]

That's the most sound idea I have seen on this subject, but since it's incumbent on the current administration to keep the folks anesthetized, it will never happen.

 

[YES WE CAN!]

hahaha liberals never take into account the effect of their policies. If you raise the price on alcohol, less people will buy alcohol...

 

[scaerdrys]

Alcohol sales would plummet, we would kill a thriving industry and create a black market, and another Kennedy family would rise. Unless anyone really thinks that they would pay 16 bucks for a single margarita.
Peace

 

[robot_hooker5]

Why should people have to pay $10 for a single bottle of beer so that the 7 million people who don't have healthcare and want it (and for whatever reason don't want to use Medicare) can be taken care of? And how happy do you think working class people, who liberals used to at least say they cared about, will be with Obama?

 

[Corky]

Sure and let's tax porn, pampers and bubble gum...that will make it "fair" to all citizens.

 

[Warren Peace]

how about we just cut foreign aide.

 

[DukeofDixie]

Maybe a 100% tax on the uninsured would change their mind about getting other people to pay for their health care*********************

 

[Yoda]

Actually, placing a "luxury tax" on alcohol would be wrong.

One alcoholic drink a day is actually GOOD for you.

You don't place a luxury tax on something that is healthful for you just because some people may not drink.

 

[gosam777]

If it was really that big a issue, and such an emergency, we could have used the $4billion we spent buying brand new cars for middle and upper class income earners.

 

[Stella]

Do you believe we spend more than that on our pets? I don't think the conservatives would like more taxes on their alcohol.

 

[Paul Revere's Fan]

What is your gripe with alcohol? Do you think it's "sinful" or something.? anyway, you could place a 1000% tax on it, and it wouldn't even scratch the surface of the funds needed.

 

[Dilligas]

Why does everyone want to tax everything made, consumed, owned, etc. At what point in time do you start holding the politicians accountable for their actions. Stop the special interests and lobbyists from buying them off and start representing the people that elected them.

Its the same thing with the death and doom of Obama and company that have decided its all the insurance companies fault. This is as dumb as a box of rocks, and you idiots buy it. You want to cover the uninsured, expand medicaid. You want to lower costs, make everyone use the same claim form. Stop employee backed insurance and change it to open enrollment. Get the government out as policy makers and let the insurance regulators do their job without political influence.
We don't need self-centered, self-serving, vain, arrogant fruit cakes like Obama, Pelosi and Reid trying to dictate how to run anything. They can't even run their own offices much less a business. Get off this lets pass a law or tax and that will cure everything. That is the height of stupidity.

 

[♥Katie♥]

Well, I don't agree with that... I think that people should just get jobs with benefits... why is that such a crazy idea?

 

[regular american]

better yet, charge a national sales tax on everything a person buys over a certain amount . That way lower income people won't be socked by the tax, but drug dealers and other tax cheats who have "cash" incomes will pay into the fed. revenue system like the rest of us who file income tax.

 

[Desdamona]

Well, we got the smokers pretty good, as their health is impacted. Red wine, a benefit to the heart. Not even a reasonable idea.
You Dem's don't care who you tax, do ya??

 

[carmenlafond]

I think that's a good idea.

 

[KyLoveChick]

By jove, I think you have the answer! It would also boot the economy of Kentucky. Ya know, there would be a big demand for moonshine again.

Either alcohol or Hostess cupcakes. Take your choice. Seriously, I feel we could stand medium sin tax hikes.....on lots of things. Spread out the misery. I would vote for that.