New Mexico to Tax Video Games, TVs because of Fat Kids

Discussion in 'SHH Community Forum' started by SuBe, Jan 28, 2008.

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  1. SuBe

    SuBe Voluntaryist

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    http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080125230108.k05u9plm&show_article=1

    A Democratic lawmaker in New Mexico wants to tax televisions and video games to raise funds to fight childhood obesity and improve education in the state, officials said Friday.

    "I have asked our legislative council service to prepare the "Leave No Child Inside" bill and am hopeful that it will be ready for me to introduce on Monday," educator-turned-lawmaker Gail Chasey told AFP.
    "Leave No Child Inside" -- a play on the federal education initiative "No Child Left Behind" -- is backed by grassroots environmental group, the Sierra Club.
    "The bill proposes levying a one-percent excise tax on the purchase of TVs, video games and video game equipment and would create the 'Leave No Child Inside' fund to receive those revenues," Michael Casaus of the Sierra Club told AFP.
    The author and sponsors of the bill, who include dozens of other organizations besides the Sierra Club, according to Casaus, expect to raise four million dollars (three million euros) a year through the tax.
    The items that would be taxed have been carefully chosen because of their links to obesity and poor school performance, the Sierra Club says, citing medical studies.
    Around one-quarter of New Mexico's children are obese or overweight, and just over half finish high school, said Casaus.
    "The goals of the bill are to improve the academic performances of our kids, to promote a more healthy lifestyle and to provide our children with outdoor learning experiences, using our state parks and public lands as classrooms," he said.
    According to a study cited by backers of the bill, hands-on, outdoor study leads to better grades among students, including in mathematics and science.
    Another study has shown a 27-percent improvement in the science test scores of students who participate in outdoor education programs.
    Earlier this week, a high school in the US state of Georgia launched another unique initiative to boost the math and science grades of students.
    Creekside High School near Atlanta offered students money to attend remedial classes in the two subjects for 15 weeks and a monetary bonus for maintaining a "B" grade average afterwards.
     
    #1 SuBe, Jan 28, 2008
  2. jaguarr

    jaguarr Be Your Own Hero

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    Ugh. No Big Government, please, from either side of the aisle. And no trying to be everyone's parents, either. :down

    jag
     
    #2 jaguarr, Jan 28, 2008
  3. Erzengel

    Erzengel |-o-| (-o-) |-o-|

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    Maybe New Mexico should work on not being last in the country with their schools and education. :o
     
    #3 Erzengel, Jan 28, 2008
  4. Mee

    Mee 2 E's are better than 1

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    Hahaha, awesome.
     
    #4 Mee, Jan 28, 2008
  5. Colossal Spoons

    Colossal Spoons Paper boi

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    How about taxing junk food instead :huh:
     
    #5 Colossal Spoons, Jan 28, 2008
  6. Fran

    Fran Banned User

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    Yeah, seriously.

    Playing video games doesn't make you fat.
     
    #6 Fran, Jan 28, 2008
  7. Mee

    Mee 2 E's are better than 1

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    Not yet. :o


    That's gonna be Nintendo's next gimmick.
     
    #7 Mee, Jan 28, 2008
  8. SuBe

    SuBe Voluntaryist

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    "Nintendo's Newest Game:

    WiiFat"

    WiiFit was sooooo last year!
     
    #8 SuBe, Jan 28, 2008
  9. Steve Rogers

    Steve Rogers Sidekick

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    How about parents raise their children instead of letting Xbox do it?
     
    #9 Steve Rogers, Jan 28, 2008
  10. SuBe

    SuBe Voluntaryist

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    [​IMG]
     
    #10 SuBe, Jan 28, 2008
  11. Colossal Spoons

    Colossal Spoons Paper boi

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    I'll take 3 soft tacos with wiifried beans please
     
    #11 Colossal Spoons, Jan 28, 2008
  12. Colossal Spoons

    Colossal Spoons Paper boi

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    Idk about you, but Master Chief and Cortana are way more interesting than my parents :o
     
    #12 Colossal Spoons, Jan 28, 2008
  13. Mee

    Mee 2 E's are better than 1

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    I'm gonna let the Hype raise my kids.
     
    #13 Mee, Jan 28, 2008
  14. Steve Rogers

    Steve Rogers Sidekick

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    I don't know...I guess I'm just different. I grew up during the whole Nintendo boom. My mom bought me a Nintendo for Christmas because she thought I wanted one since everyone else in the world wanted one. I hardly ever used. Did you check out that "Did You Play With a Stick as a Child" thread? That was more my speed. I was active and or using my imagination as a kid. Video games bored me to tears most of the time.
     
    #14 Steve Rogers, Jan 28, 2008
  15. Darthphere

    Darthphere Kneel before 'Drox!

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    BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PARENTAL CONTROLS!!!!!

    What is it like on your planet?
     
    #15 Darthphere, Jan 28, 2008
  16. Colossal Spoons

    Colossal Spoons Paper boi

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    Cap's got a ridiculous imagination
     
    #16 Colossal Spoons, Jan 28, 2008
  17. Darthphere

    Darthphere Kneel before 'Drox!

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    I used to board the Imagination Station everyday after school.
     
    #17 Darthphere, Jan 28, 2008
  18. The Lizard

    The Lizard Didn't eat Billy

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    Fatties ruin things for the rest of us once again. :cmad:
     
    #18 The Lizard, Jan 28, 2008
  19. terry78

    terry78 My name is Stefan, sweet thang

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    And subsequently got busted for using that much lsd.
     
    #19 terry78, Jan 28, 2008
  20. Darthphere

    Darthphere Kneel before 'Drox!

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    Nah, it's not our fault. We're too lazy.
     
    #20 Darthphere, Jan 28, 2008
  21. Colossal Spoons

    Colossal Spoons Paper boi

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    Great, now I'm singing the song :(
     
    #21 Colossal Spoons, Jan 28, 2008
  22. Darthphere

    Darthphere Kneel before 'Drox!

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    DRAW! DRAW! DRAW!
     
    #22 Darthphere, Jan 28, 2008
  23. Steve Rogers

    Steve Rogers Sidekick

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    A planet where we don't have to be slaves to electronic devices? Free. Free and wonderful.:cwink:
     
    #23 Steve Rogers, Jan 28, 2008
  24. moraldeficiency

    moraldeficiency Maxwell's Demon

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    yeah, but then apparently we become slaves to wooden sticks.

    Couldn't we just tax fat people?
     
    #24 moraldeficiency, Jan 28, 2008
  25. amazingfantasy15

    amazingfantasy15 Avenger

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    Okay, that article didn't mention how this tax was gonna help fat kids get thin though. Just going on more field trips isn't going to make these kids thin unless they're gonna be forced to walk the whole way to the field trip. I also like how it's modeled after No Child Left Behind, and half their kids don't graduate high school.
     
    #25 amazingfantasy15, Jan 28, 2008
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