Posted by Tina
UPDATE II: President Obama has stepped in to remove the Christmas tree tax…little Cindy Lou Who is said to be smiling!
UPDATE: My apologies to the President…the culprit is the Christmas tree lobby not the President!
The news that the Obama Department of Agriculture is implementing a “Christmas Tree Tax” has provoked outrage from folks worried about a War on Christmas — and also those worried about taxes.
The tax, however, wasn’t the Obama administration’s idea. It was the Christmas tree lobby’s creation. Real Christmas trees have been steadily losing market share to artificial trees, so growers and retailers lobbied the Department of Agriculture to institute a checkoff tax and use the funds to promote real trees. The USDA has similar programs for a number of commodities, e.g. “Got Milk?” and “Beef: It’s What’s for Dinner” The feds are authorized to raise revenues for such programs under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996. (emphasis mine)
The industry should pay for promotion of its product. The Ag Department says it’s a fee that tree sellers will pay.
Original post:
The people of Whoville are shocked and depressed! The spirit of Christmas is under duress!! So many good citizens, out of work and broke, are feeling the pinch and don’t need another yoke hung round their necks as Christmas draws near, still the man in the White House chooses to dampen their cheer. He has hung a fat tax, in a heartless decree, that the citizens must pay for a green Christmas tree.
Even Cindy Lou Who, so sweet and disarming, won’t melt the heart of the O-Grinch Christmas morning. It’s quite sad and alarming that the O-Grinch can’t see; the people need relief, not another tax decree!
The President’s determination to bypass Congress (and buy a few more votes) has prompted him to use the Agriculture Department to impose a new tax on green Christmas trees.
Yes, you heard that right! In a year when at least 40% of Americans say they will spend less on Christmas gifts this year, the President has decided it’s time to promote the use of green trees by imposing a tax of fifteen cents on each tree purchased. Could the man be any more out of touch with the conditions the average citizen is experiencing?
The good news for the progressive establishment is that the collected money will not go into the government’s general fund but will be used to support a newly formed “Christmas Tree Promotion Board”. The board (expanding the size and scope of government) is being established to “promote and strengthen the Christmas tree industry”. Anyone selling 200 or more trees will be subject to the collection and payment of this new tax.
Source: The Heritage Foundation
Today’s news indicates that the Chosen One has called off the Christmas Tree tax. I guess the Grinch In Chief decided that his timing was way off.
However frivolous this issue appears to be it is a perfect indicator of just how big government think works.
It is the business of government to intervene in every aspect of commerce. (Not to mention our lives.)
“Oh, cmon, get real, Pie! It is only a 15 cent per tree tax.”
Right?
Yep, only 15 cents to inject a brand new government responsibility and create a brand new government bureaucracy that every year will demand more funds to do what? Promote Christmas trees.
Like Christmas tree sellers couldn’t do that for themselves.
That this is even an issue is a testimony to just how insane government and politics has become.
The Left loves to tax things that most normal people in this Country take joy in. I say its time to slap some stiff taxes on things the Liberals love doing. How about a tax on killing babies. How about a tax on the votes they buy. How about a tax just because every place they go, they make a huge mess.
Toby: “How about a tax on killing babies.”
Funny you should say that. The left just lost their bid (temporarily) to force tobacco companies to put graphic pictures on their products. I was thinking if they won the pro-lifers should insist that abortion clinics put graphic murals on their signage depicting aborted babies.
The tax idea is a good one…taxes on MJ to start here in California, taxes on “organic” products, taxes on taxpayer paid pension benefits, union dues and healthcare…or how about a 15 cent fee for every cup of designer coffee.
The reason they keep insisting on taxing the rich is because they have decimated the middle class.
The last thing I read on this tax is that it has been temporarily tabled. They never stop wanting more!