Yet another great Idea

[Chrisj CMA]

Now "president" Obama has invented a new tax.  He now has a .15 tax on Christmas trees to pay for a board created to promote christmas trees.  What a load of governmental crap. We really need the Federal Government to help convince Americans to buy Christmas trees........
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/11/09/merry-christmas-agriculture-department-imposes-christmas-tree-tax/

I remember when I was stationed in England and the local people would tell us about all the silly taxes their government created.  The reason British homes were devoid of closets...yep closet tax.  hard to find a water hook up outside for a garden hose......hose tax.....TV tax.........I remember thinking how burdonsom that seemed and glad America wasnt like that.

Ooooops.  Obama is catching up; Christmas Tree tax.....Really

Boycott Christmas trees.....just bring a plant in for the winter and decorate it.  We do that every year and everyone likes it

[Bob E.]

So the industry lobbies the government for a program to promote fresh Christmas trees.  The government says, "sure, as long as you pay for it".  They all agree...and Obama is the bad guy??

[Chrisj CMA]

So the industry lobbies the government for a program to promote fresh Christmas trees.  The government says, "sure, as long as you pay for it".  They all agree...and Obama is the bad guy??

All Im saying is our government is way to big and invasive....Sure the tree growers want a cheap cheerlearder, why not.........And sure the government wants into yet another pocket.

I say the Federal government should have said.........NOT OUR JOB.  No better yet.....We need to tell the Federal Government.  Hey thats not your job, not what we pay you to do.....

Just because someone likes it dont make it a good thing

[chuckinVA]

So the industry lobbies the government for a program to promote fresh Christmas trees.  The government says, "sure, as long as you pay for it".  They all agree...and Obama is the bad guy??

Yes, but the Christmas tree industry is NOT paying for it.  WE are via the .15cent tax.   

[Bob E.]

So the industry lobbies the government for a program to promote fresh Christmas trees.  The government says, "sure, as long as you pay for it".  They all agree...and Obama is the bad guy??

Yes, but the Christmas tree industry is NOT paying for it.  WE are via the .15cent tax.   

Not according to the industry.  According to the Fox article, the industry said they don't expect the 15cents to be passed on to the customers.  And think about it...where I buy a tree every year...a local family tree farm, the price is $30. Do you think they will raise the price to $30.15?  No...it will still be $30 even.

[Chrisj CMA]

So the industry lobbies the government for a program to promote fresh Christmas trees.  The government says, "sure, as long as you pay for it".  They all agree...and Obama is the bad guy??

Yes, but the Christmas tree industry is NOT paying for it.  WE are via the .15cent tax.   

Not according to the industry.  According to the Fox article, the industry said they don't expect the 15cents to be passed on to the customers.  And think about it...where I buy a tree every year...a local family tree farm, the price is $30. Do you think they will raise the price to $30.15?  No...it will still be $30 even.

You forget how the government works.  This year it will be .15 and it wont be passed on.  Next year, the committe board will be overstaffed and under worked and cost way too much so the tax will be raised to .50 and the tree guys will say BS to that so they will raise the price $1 to make up for the loss of last years .15.  But they will just call it a cost of living increase not "passing the tax" along........and no one will care..........no one will notice the fatter and fatter federal government doing more and more useless things to justify their existance and scoring a new tax to boot

[Serk]

That didn't take long...

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/obama-administration-to-delay-new-15-cent-christmas-tree-fee/

[Chrisj CMA]

That didn't take long...

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/obama-administration-to-delay-new-15-cent-christmas-tree-fee/

Fantastic.......maybe they can be trained.......maybe they can learn what is their job and what is not.

Their Job:

Come up with a budget and stick to it

Secure the border

End the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan responsibly, bring our people and ALL our stuff back home

Make sure trade inside and outside the country is fair and flourishing


Not their Job:

Selling (helping to) Christmas trees

[Bob E.]

So the industry lobbies the government for a program to promote fresh Christmas trees.  The government says, "sure, as long as you pay for it".  They all agree...and Obama is the bad guy??

All Im saying is our government is way to big and invasive....Sure the tree growers want a cheap cheerlearder, why not.........And sure the government wants into yet another pocket.

I say the Federal government should have said.........NOT OUR JOB.  No better yet.....We need to tell the Federal Government.  Hey thats not your job, not what we pay you to do.....

Just because someone likes it dont make it a good thing

While I would question whether this particular issue would be considered "invasive", I'll grant you the point that whether the govt should be involved in this is at least debatable.

But my point was that your original post attacked Obama for "inventing" an new tax...when he didn't invent it at all.  It wasn't his idea.  The Christmas Tree Industry did.  Your ire is directed at the wrong person.  In addition, this is a program that is supported financially by Industry and promoted by the US Agriculture Dept which is tasked with, among other things, promoting US Agriculture Industry.  And this program, according to the Fox article is similar to the "Got Milk" campaign that promoted the Dairy Industry and others that supported Beef, Pork, and Chicken as well.  

If Obama had come out opposed to the tax, he would be attacked for being against business (the Christmas Tree Industry this time), or worse, against Christmas.

[Chrisj CMA]

So the industry lobbies the government for a program to promote fresh Christmas trees.  The government says, "sure, as long as you pay for it".  They all agree...and Obama is the bad guy??

All Im saying is our government is way to big and invasive....Sure the tree growers want a cheap cheerlearder, why not.........And sure the government wants into yet another pocket.

I say the Federal government should have said.........NOT OUR JOB.  No better yet.....We need to tell the Federal Government.  Hey thats not your job, not what we pay you to do.....

Just because someone likes it dont make it a good thing

While I would question whether this particular issue would be considered "invasive", I'll grant you the point that whether the govt should be involved in this is at least debatable.

But my point was that your original post attacked Obama for "inventing" an new tax...when he didn't invent it at all.  It wasn't his idea.  The Christmas Tree Industry did.  Your ire is directed at the wrong person.  In addition, this is a program that is supported financially by Industry and promoted by the US Agriculture Dept which is tasked with, among other things, promoting US Agriculture Industry.  And this program, according to the Fox article is similar to the "Got Milk" campaign that promoted the Dairy Industry and others that supported Beef, Pork, and Chicken as well.  

If Obama had come out opposed to the tax, he would be attacked for being against business (the Christmas Tree Industry this time), or worse, against Christmas.

you gots a point there............I still think we need a smaller government that is more consumed with their primary tasks rather than a huge disgusting thing that can find the time and hire extra folks to promote Christmas trees (or anything else for that matter).

Im surprised the athiests havent chimed in that this is a government support of a Christian holiday

[RainMaker]

Im surprised the athiests havent chimed in that this is a government support of a Christian holiday

Wouldn't the atheists have to buy a Christmas Tree in order to render support via such a tax? 

Would they still be atheists if they did?

[Hoser]

I will be observing festivus this year, if they don't tax my festivus pole.  I always enjoy the test of strength, but my wife usually wins!    Hoser  

THE STORY OF FESTIVUS CHAPTER 4 THE AIRING OF GRIEVANCES AND FEATS OF STRENGTH SEINFELD	powered by Aeva

[Willow]

Poor government can't win.  American enterprise wanes; unemployment soars; and it's the government's fault for letting it happen.  The government tries to do something to promote the health of an American enterprise and people are in arms because it's "not their job".

Can't win, can they?

[Chrisj CMA]

Poor government can't win.  American enterprise wanes; unemployment soars; and it's the government's fault for letting it happen.  The government tries to do something to promote the health of an American enterprise and people are in arms because it's "not their job".

Can't win, can they?

The government IS the problem, they can help by sticking to their business so the free market can stick to theirs.  Fanny and Freddie are great examples of how government intervention is NOT the solution.

If Christmas tree growers want to better their business, they should build thier own advertising organization and send the .15 there and keep the government out of it, and if the government wants to help them all they have to do STAY out of it.

Now the one thing they (the government) can do is...get to work on the tax code.  Make it fair and simple so small business like Christmas tree sales can profit without a bunch of federal red tape and fees, taxes and confusing,changing rules.  

Thats how the government should be helping

[The Anvil]

So the industry lobbies the government for a program to promote fresh Christmas trees.  The government says, "sure, as long as you pay for it".  They all agree...and Obama is the bad guy??

All Im saying is our government is way to big and invasive....Sure the tree growers want a cheap cheerlearder, why not.........And sure the government wants into yet another pocket.

I say the Federal government should have said.........NOT OUR JOB.  No better yet.....We need to tell the Federal Government.  Hey thats not your job, not what we pay you to do.....

Just because someone likes it dont make it a good thing

And just because someone doesn't like it don't make it a bad thing.

I've always thought that the practice of cutting fresh Christmas trees was horribly wasteful and not at all in the spirit of the season to begin with. Fifteen cents? I'm supposed to get worked up about this?

[Chrisj CMA]

So the industry lobbies the government for a program to promote fresh Christmas trees.  The government says, "sure, as long as you pay for it".  They all agree...and Obama is the bad guy??

All Im saying is our government is way to big and invasive....Sure the tree growers want a cheap cheerlearder, why not.........And sure the government wants into yet another pocket.

I say the Federal government should have said.........NOT OUR JOB.  No better yet.....We need to tell the Federal Government.  Hey thats not your job, not what we pay you to do.....

Just because someone likes it dont make it a good thing

And just because someone doesn't like it don't make it a bad thing.

I've always thought that the practice of cutting fresh Christmas trees was horribly wasteful and not at all in the spirit of the season to begin with. Fifteen cents? I'm supposed to get worked up about this?

No, dont get worked up.......its not really a tax anyway, since if it were a tax (which it is) it would be illegal but who cares, and the fact is the government has many jobs it wont, cant and/or arent doing, so why do I want to pay them to sell Christmas trees.  But youre right, its only .15 to you so dont worry about it.

Thats the mentality the governmet is always counting on........only .15 not to worry then they have their "mitts" into another enterprize so that will guarantee it will get way overpriced and eventually fail.

The American people have had enough of a government that thinks their job is to manage everything for everyone

[The Anvil]

So the industry lobbies the government for a program to promote fresh Christmas trees.  The government says, "sure, as long as you pay for it".  They all agree...and Obama is the bad guy??

All Im saying is our government is way to big and invasive....Sure the tree growers want a cheap cheerlearder, why not.........And sure the government wants into yet another pocket.

I say the Federal government should have said.........NOT OUR JOB.  No better yet.....We need to tell the Federal Government.  Hey thats not your job, not what we pay you to do.....

Just because someone likes it dont make it a good thing

And just because someone doesn't like it don't make it a bad thing.

I've always thought that the practice of cutting fresh Christmas trees was horribly wasteful and not at all in the spirit of the season to begin with. Fifteen cents? I'm supposed to get worked up about this?

No, dont get worked up.......its not really a tax anyway, since if it were a tax (which it is) it would be illegal but who cares, and the fact is the government has many jobs it wont, cant and/or arent doing, so why do I want to pay them to sell Christmas trees.  But youre right, its only .15 to you so dont worry about it.

Thats the mentality the governmet is always counting on........only .15 not to worry then they have their "mitts" into another enterprize so that will guarantee it will get way overpriced and eventually fail.

The American people have had enough of a government that thinks their job is to manage everything for everyone

I don't traffic in infant tree murder so I really wouldn't care if it was a 15 dollar tax.

I'm also not so sure the American people have "had enough" of a government managing things. Some of them may think they have, but those people haven't really proven themselves capable of managing anything either. I just think we need better managers in government.

[DarkMeister]

Clarification via Wonkette, the unbiased, serious news source: 

Evil Barack Obama Now Waging Jihad On Christmas Trees

Even your Xmas holiday decorations are not safe from a secret Mooslim like Barack Obama, who today probably realized for the first time that the National Christmas Tree Association filed a request to the Department of Agriculture to collect a fifteen-cent fee on every live Christmas tree sold this year by a large grower, to raise money for an industry ad campaign encouraging Americans to go back to buying real murdered trees instead of the plastic Tofurkey tree equivalents that don’t accidentally catch on fire as well. Why has Obama suddenly heard about this? Hm, let’s review… “fee”…”Christmas”…”government agency”… ha ha, you know where this is going. “OBAMA TAXES CHRISTMAS TREES” is today’s top wingnut headline!
 
Here is the story about the tiny self-imposed fee, which is fun mostly because it reveals that the world of Christmas tree sales is actually INTENSE and cutthroat and real tree farmers hate fake tree poser super fake farmers. Notably, however, the story does not in any way mention Obama.

Nonetheless, a Heritage Foundation blahg post declared the measure to be Obama’s final offer to fix the country, and thusly finds it to be lacking:


The economy is barely growing and nine percent of the American people have no jobs. Is a new tax on Christmas trees the best President Obama can do?
 
As you might imagine, several thousand wingnut commenters then went completely, off-the-reservation insane. Oh, here’s one at random, from “Dave”:


Is this a fee only on Christians? Is that legal?
 
If I call it a “Holiday Tree,” does that mean I don’t have to pay the 15 cents?

So in conclusion to this tragic tale, Barack Obama gave an annoyed sigh or possibly just one of his aides sighed on his behalf, and now the “tax” has been “delayed,” forever. [ABC News/McClatchy]

[RP#62]

Now "president" Obama has invented a new tax.  He now has a .15 tax on Christmas trees to pay for a board created to promote christmas trees.  What a load of governmental crap. We really need the Federal Government to help convince Americans to buy Christmas trees........
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/11/09/merry-christmas-agriculture-department-imposes-christmas-tree-tax/

I remember when I was stationed in England and the local people would tell us about all the silly taxes their government created.  The reason British homes were devoid of closets...yep closet tax.  hard to find a water hook up outside for a garden hose......hose tax.....TV tax.........I remember thinking how burdonsom that seemed and glad America wasnt like that.

Ooooops.  Obama is catching up; Christmas Tree tax.....Really

Boycott Christmas trees.....just bring a plant in for the winter and decorate it.  We do that every year and everyone likes it

That actually goes back to colonial days.  Tax on colonist's homes was based on the number of rooms.  Closets were counted as rooms for tax purposes.  The solution......they quit making houses with so many closets and started using armoires.

-RP

[bigvalkriefan]

I don't traffic in infant tree murder so I really wouldn't care if it was a 15 dollar tax.

I'm also not so sure the American people have "had enough" of a government managing things. Some of them may think they have, but those people haven't really proven themselves capable of managing anything either. I just think we need better managers in government.
[/quote]

Really? That has got to be one of the most ignorant things you have ever said on this board. Instead of limiting the size of government you really think that if they get "better" managers that will solve the problem? Government is incapable of being good at anything but what the founders designed it to do, protect the interests of the American people and get out of the way.

[alph]

yep, we'll be pulling our fake tree out of the closet again this year, putting the pieces together is "our" family tradition, won't be killing any "organic" christmass trees at our house!! 

oh, and by the way, thanks to that governer of ours, it's officially a "CHRISTMASS TREE" this year in Madison!!  (the teachers unions are going crazy with that one!!)

[Chrisj CMA]

Now "president" Obama has invented a new tax.  He now has a .15 tax on Christmas trees to pay for a board created to promote christmas trees.  What a load of governmental crap. We really need the Federal Government to help convince Americans to buy Christmas trees........
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/11/09/merry-christmas-agriculture-department-imposes-christmas-tree-tax/

I remember when I was stationed in England and the local people would tell us about all the silly taxes their government created.  The reason British homes were devoid of closets...yep closet tax.  hard to find a water hook up outside for a garden hose......hose tax.....TV tax.........I remember thinking how burdonsom that seemed and glad America wasnt like that.

Ooooops.  Obama is catching up; Christmas Tree tax.....Really

Boycott Christmas trees.....just bring a plant in for the winter and decorate it.  We do that every year and everyone likes it

That actually goes back to colonial days.  Tax on colonist's homes was based on the number of rooms.  Closets were counted as rooms for tax purposes.  The solution......they quit making houses with so many closets and started using armoires.

-RP

I have one of those wardrobe armoires from England.  Its beautiful......I keep guns in it though not just clothes

[Daniel Meyer]

That actually goes back to colonial days.  Tax on colonist's homes was based on the number of rooms.  Closets were counted as rooms for tax purposes.  The solution......they quit making houses with so many closets and started using armoires.

-RP

The 3800+ square foot Old Vic me and the wife are owned by was built with ONE closet Similar deal...was a "bedroom" tax at the time it was built, and bedrooms had closets by definition.

[G-Man]

So the industry lobbies the government for a program to promote fresh Christmas trees.  The government says, "sure, as long as you pay for it".  They all agree...and Obama is the bad guy??

Yes, but the Christmas tree industry is NOT paying for it.  WE are via the .15cent tax.   

Not according to the industry.  According to the Fox article, the industry said they don't expect the 15cents to be passed on to the customers.  And think about it...where I buy a tree every year...a local family tree farm, the price is $30. Do you think they will raise the price to $30.15?  No...it will still be $30 even.

Maybe, or the price might be $35 even.  Around here, they could raise the price a buck or two and nobody would even notice the difference because every size and shape and type is a different price anyway.

What pisses me off is that the gov't is getting involved and picking another industry to back.  Why won't the gov't just let the market dictate what people want and will pay for?  If folks choose to go with fake trees, what gives the gov't the right to to step in, tax, and create a governmental agency, that it has to staff, equipt, pay for office space, pay for electricity, paper clips, toilet paper, etc., to try and change peoples minds?  And who approves such nonsense?  Who is the person who sees something like this in writing and says, "This is just what the country needs, I can't wait to sign this one." 

[musclehead]

That didn't take long...

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/obama-administration-to-delay-new-15-cent-christmas-tree-fee/

Fantastic.......maybe they can be trained.......maybe they can learn what is their job and what is not.

hehehehehehHAHAHAHAH, BWAHAHAHAHAHAH, hehehehehahahahhaheheheh, *inhale*

yeah right!