Agriculture Department Imposes Christmas Tree Tax

[agzg]

Originally Posted by Mevara

Either way you want to spin it there is still a tax that will apply to Christmas trees to market them to the public. This is about the government charging the American Public to give to another organization for PR. We don't give the money we tax on gasoline back to the oil companies so they can market their product to us, we shouldn't do this with Christmas trees.

Are you serious, right now?

"Got Milk" "Milk: It Does a Body Good" "The Incredible Edible Egg" "Beef: It's What's for Dinner" "Pork: The Other White Meat" are all similar programs. Programs that were created to help out a struggling AMERICAN industry (the Real Tree industry is seriously threatened right now by artificial tree makers, which mostly come from China).

We SHOULD care about helping AMERICAN companies, especially ones that are producing something as awesome and time consuming as Christmas Trees. This isn't Monsano and the Soy Bean Debacle, this is CHRISTMAS TREES. Produced by SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. That have a 7 YEAR TURNAROUND TIME. If something isn't done NOW (and yes, promoting Real Trees via marketing WILL make an impact - ask the Dairy Industry), the industry could easily fall victim to over-production, which will drive the costs down and eventually cause it to fail.

THEN what will you do? Are you just going to get in line at Target and buy fake ones from now on?

The industry ASKED for this. They ASKED for help. And they should be helped.

FURTHERMORE, most oil consumed in the United States does not come from the United States. Most Real Trees do. We're completely dependent on oil. We're not at all dependent on Real Trees. Real Trees NEED marketing. Oil does not.

Originally Posted by Mevara

I never said it was a Bush/Obama plan. I just happened to get the information from a source that pinned it on Obama; I would be just as upset if Bush had passed this.

I also don't agree with the tax on milk going to promote their products.

Oh now I know you're full of bullshit. The first words of the article you quoted are "The Obama Administration."

Have fun with your soy milk and your fake trees. Put some more money in the coffers of Monsano, and support Chinese big business while you're at it. I hope you prefer fake bacon over real bacon, as well.