Thursday, June 21, 2012

Stuff My Brain Says #39

I read an article that stated that the American Medical Association (AMA) has recommended that obesity education be funded by a tax on drinks containing sugar. That means that the AMA wants to fund a government program with the money coming from the very thing that the government program is setting out to eliminate. In an ideal world, the program would be effective, people would stop drinking drinks containing sugar, and then the program would go away - no longer needed. In the real world (or at least that of government folk), the program would run ad infinitum.

How can this be? Simple. The money received in taxes is placed in the general operating budget. The program pulls from that budget. When that source of revenue (a.k.a. "tax source") dries up, the program continues to pull from the budget. There is less money, so other means are needed to continue funding it (like tax increases on the "evil rich").

I believe it was Ronald Reagan who said, "No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth!"

And now you know how.

© Emittravel 2012

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