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Jim DeMint Explains Obama's Brand New Christmas Tree Tax
You really can't make this up
Crony Capitalism, Christmas Trees, and the Stupidest Tax of All Time
No, it’s not a joke. President Obama really is imposing a special new tax on Christmas trees.
And while the policy seems a ludicrous political misstep – and possibly an unconstitutional one at that – in truth, the Obama Christmas Tree Tax is much worse than that.
The $2 million the Obama Administration expects the tax to raise will not reduce the deficit or cover needed government services. Instead, it will serve as a marketing slush fund for the Christmas tree industry.
The money will set up a brand new government agency called (no, seriously) the Christmas Tree Promotion Board. The CTPB will use the $2 million to hire a staff – most likely the industry lobbyists who cooked up this scheme – and then run advertisements to “enhance the image of Christmas trees and the Christmas tree industry of the United States.”
Don’t the Christmas tree growers and retailers already do that? Yes. Isn’t marketing something that all companies should do with their profits, to grow their business and attract new customers? Yes.
And while we’re asking questions, does anyone in America – anyone? – believe that Christmas trees have a bad image that needs taxpayer-subsidized improvement?
So why should the government-funded Christmas Tree Promotion Board tax us to fund a marketing campaign? So the Christmas tree industry can pocket the $2 million they now won’t have to spend marketing their trees.
That’s it. That’s the whole purpose of the Obama Christmas Tree Tax: to take money from hard-working families celebrating Christmas and give it to clever lobbyists and businessmen running a crony-capitalist subsidy scam.
And while this policy will, by design, help one group of people, it will hurt others: businesses that sell artificial Christmas trees, people who work at your local stores that sell them, and, don’t forget, the consumers who are out 15 cents a tree.
Business groups using government connections to enrich themselves by hurting everyone else. Makes you just want to break into “O Holy Night,” doesn’t it?
Hopefully, the Crony Capitalists in the Obama Administration have gone too far this time, and public backlash will force Congress to shut down the Christmas Tree Promotion Board and repeal the single stupidest tax of all time. I will soon offer an amendment on the Senate floor to do just that.
All I want for Christmas is a free market.
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It does give advice for slaves and masters. Now tell me, what are you? Do you disagree with the advice it gives to masters?
Coming soon - a new Otax on fairy tales & all bedtime stories
Then I expect you to disregard federal law and be at work bright and early on December 25th.
why didn't he put a tax on menorahs or dreidels?
Well the ACLU thinks Christmas Trees are the offspring of Satan (who they'll defend)
satan's law firm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_DeMint
Hard to tell from there. Is he a total tool or partial?
Still waiting for a menorah or mezuza tax....
Yep. And while we're at it, let's tax those ugly-ass sarongs people wear for Kwanzaa, and throw in a tax that hits Ramadan as well. (I don't know what they do - are there candles or something we can get them on?)
If we're gonna be idiots, let's be equal opportunity idiots.
Awesome, a tax for not eating. Genius.
It seems taxing a specific item of a specifc religion's major holiday (even though it is a federal holiday) is government establishment of religion. How about taxing pumpkins for Halloween, eggs for Easter, wigs for Washington's Birthday, union members for Labor Day, etc.
They've been taxes the presents you buy.
Which one, Christianity, communism or, if you believe some folks, Islam? Oh wait, there's a Mormon in the race too.
No fucking way. This has Onion written all over it.
Thanks to real news being absurdly hilarious I haven't needed to visit The Onion in years.
Afraid not:
http://blog.heritage.org/2011/11/08/obama-couldnt-wait-his-new-christmas...
I kept looking for an Onion logo.. couldn't find one. I seriously hope it shows up soon...
LOL... my feelings too.
Not the Onion. Straight off DeMint's official senate webpage.
http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=JimsBlog&ContentRecord_id=1b...
War on Christmas now we know what that move in crude was about. Clever stuff by Hussein.
So, will the IRS raid all of the tree sellers next year for non-payment?
Slash and burn!
It really was one of the last nice cash income streams in the country. Was.
You guys are great.
Just glad I celebrate Festivus.
heard of the "poll tax"?
Is that what you stick in the stripper's thong?
pole tax
We don't need a fucking christmas tree promotion bullshit.
Our President truly is the worst cocksucking piece of shit we have ever had run this country.
Other then that I have no concerns.
A true failure as a man and a leader. Probably explains his wife.
there was a better and less verbose explanation for this in the movie Goodfellas:
"The place burned down? Fuck you pay me. Lightning struck? Fuck you, pay me. Slow business? Fuck you, pay me." -Ray Liotta as Henry Hill in Goodfellas
Dems vs Repubs
Genovese vs Gambino
Both want their protection money, both will break your legs
When will America wake up to the fact that Binary Politics (right vs left, Liberals vs conservatives) is a false dichotomy being run on them by both the Genovese and Gambinos
Remember BOTH the mafia and the catholic church were against legal gambling and prostitution..... Regardless whether or not the population wanted them
That is the truth, and that's why we need to abandon the whole stupid thing and build our own markets.
I seriously doubt this tax is legal, or enforceable. Obama and his cronies just cannot "declare taxes".
did you miss obamacare
It ain't like they have to worry about following rules. If you think it is illegal, YOU have to pay to challenge it, then THEY take YOUR money to defend THEMSELVES.
Fucking grade-A racket they got ain't it?
pods
Someone took away his guns? Doubtful.
I seriously doubt this tax is legal, or enforceable. Obama and his cronies just cannot "declare taxes".
Sadly, they can. All they have to do is find "empowering legislation," of which there is far more than enough.
...or strip all the language out of a House bill that has reached the Senate and substitute this foolishness.
That man has got to go.
It falls under a commodities act. I believe that it was FAIR act of 1996. I am not positive, but they are trying to hide it under a commodities act.
It falls under a commodities act. I believe that it was FAIR act of 1996. I am not positive, but they are trying to hide it under a commodities act.
where is the Burka and suicide bomber belt tax?
Smart move before an election. Why not just quit now and save yourself the humiliation?
The really sick thing is that he may win next year.
Politics is no salvation.
I want an awesome selloff/Sale for Xmas
I'm calling for an American Christmas Tree Party. Cut a tree down from your own backyard or make you own from whatever you got.
"The Tea Party was the culmination of a resistance movement throughout British America against the Tea Act, which had been passed by the British Parliament in 1773. Colonists objected to the Tea Act for a variety of reasons, especially because they believed that it violated their right to be taxed only by their own elected representatives. "
WE cannot accept this Dictatorial Monarchy like tax on Christmas Trees just like the Americans didn't accept the Tea Tax.
History repeats because the nature of man is the same.
I was about to do the same post - you beat me to it - perhaps this will be the impetus for the next American revolution - dumping Christmas trees on the white house lawn - then setting the pile ablaze.
Not sure if you were being sarcastic...but I always cut my own anyway. They grow up like weeds in my fields on the back 40. Then I burn them for heat. Good luck collecting a tax from guys like me - or selling me some puny crappy tree for $25-50 bucks when I have them to spare as "weed control excess trash".
Too many apartment & city dwellers on this planet, by far. You guys always boast about what you gain that way - and forget how much you gave up, never knowing what you're missing having a real life.
Right, we need a "Tree Party" not a "Tea Party".
What's next?
You plant a small evergreen in your yard that cost you $50, then in 20 years when it's matured and you cut it down, now worth $250, you are taxed on the capital gains?
I will be cutting a tree down from federal land this year in protest. With gloves and eye protection of course.
If Republicans can't make hay out of this one they deserve to be the Democrats they mostly already are.
Obama seriously has time to contemplate taxing Christmas Trees? I guess all the really big problems must be sorted out then. That's a big relief - I was under the mistaken impression that there was something unpleasant taking place in Europe at the moment.
I wouldn't want to run for re-election on Taxing Christmas
...unless you're Emperor Obama, the one and only Teleprompter Tyrant!
United States of America. Death by a thousand taxes.
Don't you mean million?
More taxes means more NSA, CIA, FBI folks to monitor and improve the quality of your online life. Rejoice in the honeypots.
and look at his awesome track record with solar
NOTW777
and look at his awesome track record with solar
Lookin mighty fine in his back pocket.
Obama is desperate and only concerned about his reelection.
Ron Paul, please.
The same Ron Paul who thinks the best way to tackle Iran is to befriend them?
yes, they're no more insane, than we are
Seriously, what is there to "tackle" in Iran?
Oh boy here we go again with that crap. Why don't we just stop fucking with them for starters.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_support_for_Iraq_during_the_Iran%E2%80%93Iraq_war
If Iran had helped overthrow our government and then aided the military buildup of our neighbor to attack us, don't you think we would be pissed at them?
Learn the evil history of our government and CIA before painting nations as being dangerous.
Ron Paul is right, if we would stop overthrowing governments and assasinating people (now with drones) we might have a few more friends in the world.
Go ahead, elect another Neo-Con who will spend us into 3rd world status with a bloated military budget. Another Neo-Con will will send thousands of more young men and women to die for corporate interests.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Is_a_Racket
For christs sake, educate yourself before you parrot the main stream media.
semperfail
Hey O'bunghole, How about a MUSLIM RUG tax? If a Muslim buys a rug (to pray on) add a nice juicy tax. If they want to display this rag in public a PUBLIC USE tax can be levied as well.
Is it April 1st?
No new tax on artificial (read Chinese) trees? Discouraging Christmas celebrations through taxes while growing a new government agency? We need a new tax on menorahs- How about that huge menorah on the WH lawn?
I'm putting up a nativity scene this year, just to tic them off.
The only thing that will benefit from this is the FAKE Christmas tree industry! People will find cheaper alternatives to real trees rather than pay MORE for a fresh one!
if legal (ain't!) it'll hurt the local tree lots that have to collect and process the tax (coming soon to coin dealer near you, by the way). Go cut one down and keep the 0.15 if your time is worthless.
"it'll hurt the local tree lots that have to collect and process the tax"
True, and many of those local tree lots are run by Christian charitable organizations.
"If you want more of something, subsidize it; if you want less of something, tax it."
The War on Christmas continues.
In that case, tax the hell out of: Govt, liberals, morons
BTW, happy birthday!
And if you want to fuck everybody, tax something in order to subsidize it.
What's shocking is that it took this long, given that agri-business has been doing this for quite some time now. It's where the "Beef, it's what's for dinner" ad campaign came from, as well as the "Got Milk?"
Next up: "It just isn't Christmas without a house fire. The tradition continues."
don't forget the Incredible, edible egg or that lame ass Cofee Drinkers Association, who paid Heart to stump for them on ads on TBS's Night Trax. Heart could be had for cheap prior to '85, I might add.
Here's your Change, Hope you like it.
"The $2 million the Obama Administration expects the tax to raise will not reduce the deficit or cover needed government services."
probably cost $20 million to enforce and collect it.
But that's in the IRS budget, so it doesn't count.
this can't be real!
The fake tree my family uses has lasted 18 years so far.
I was going to post something witty but nothing would top the original idea of the article.
And libs don't think the government is big enough? They're comfortable with these idiots running their health care?
For the love of sanity, please fucking vote for Ron Paul.
I though this was to cover Michelle's Christmas party expenses...
For that, we're gonna need a bigger boat. Or more cowbell.
Welcome to Wonderland, Alice.
Fuck em, I bought a fake one!
Of course, what do you think the USDA was created for?
SSDD.
pods
I'd love to know that cost of implementing this 2 million dollar tax. Think of the time wasted by each christmas tree retailer to fill out the paper work and send it in. Unreal.
stants black market fake trees, cash only please
This is wrong on multiple levels. It just made my head hurt.
Why stop at Xmas trees? Let's tax all quasi-religious holiday symbols. 1 cent tax on eggs before Easter and 10 cents on pumpkins before Halloween.
Will someone from .Gov show up at my door to collect tax due on the tree in my attic bought two years ago?
The majority of Christmas trees come from Oregon which is a Dem. state. The Republicans may now stand a chance in Oregon in 2012!
as long as people continue to believe in the false Dems vs. Repubs dichotomy...nothing will get better.
I don't know. In boot-camp, I learned that pain was good, and extreme pain was extremely good.
LOL. Pay in sweat or pay in blood.
Ah, that explains the black leather outfit!
so, i guess it's illegal to have evergreens growing on your property then! aaaaaahhh, the sound of chainsaws in the middle of the night!
Who is John gault?
Perhaps you should read the book.
He obviously did.
We can't get the CFTC ti higher people to stop the fraud and manipulation at the CME. We can't get an audit of FT knox because of cost and yet we can to this? Nuts
And here I thought I saw it all.
Next they will tax piss and shit. aka, the play URINETOWN,
lets see the libs and marxists get a shit regulator and pee pac
committee
oh they got one? the Democratic party and Congress, lol,
move along, nothing to see here, get your ASS ets out of this place.
How about raising taxes on food in order to fund an agency which would try to convince people that they need to buy food?
Well, many are obviously too stupid to buy meat and dairy products on their own. Like say, the 100 million people who vote for this disaster.
I will assume that your post was a sarcastic reference to the USDA.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Agriculture
pods
URINETOWN; AKA WASHINGTON Synopsis [edit]Act I
The show opens with a grim welcome from Officer Lockstock, the narrator, assisted by the street urchin Little Sally. ("Too Much Exposition").[6] According to Lockstock and Little Sally, a twenty-year drought has caused a terrible water shortage, making private toiletsunthinkable. All restroom activities are done in public toilets controlled by a megacorporation[7] called "Urine Good Company" (or UGC). To control water consumption, people have to pay to use the amenities. There are harsh laws ensuring that people pay to pee, and if they are broken, the offender is sent to a penal colony called "Urinetown", never to return.
The oppressed masses huddle in line at the poorest, filthiest urinal in town, Public Amenity #9, which is run by the rigid, harshly authoritarian Penelope Pennywise and her assistant, dashing young everyman Bobby Strong. Trouble ensues when Bobby's father, Old Man Strong, cannot afford his urinal admission for the day and asks Pennywise to let him go free "just this once". After Old Man Strong's plea is dismissed ("It's a Privilege to Pee"), he urinates on the street and is soon arrested by Officers Lockstock and Barrel and escorted off to Urinetown. ("It's a Privilege to Pee - Reprise").
Later that day, in the corporate offices of Urine Good Company, the CEO, Caldwell B. Cladwell, is discussing the new fee hikes with Senator Fipp, a politician firmly in Cladwell's pocket, when Cladwell's beautiful daughter, Hope Cladwell, arrives on the scene as the UGC's new fax/copy girl. As a way of introduction to their newest member, the UGC staff sings a paean to their chief ("Mr. Cladwell").
Does the USA really need a "Christmas Tree Promotion Board?" Really? Really???????????????????
We have to fight those godless commies somehow!
I think it's safe to assume this is something Obama authored on his own. I think this shows shows just how stupid this guy truly is and how ill prepared he is to lead this once great country.
Remember the bs about how brilliant this guy was supposed to be. Smartest guy in any room he entered garbage. Holy S this is beyond crazy and I can't believe how much these marxists rule the day.
Brilliant comment. That is if "brilliant" means paranoid and wrongheaded.
As I've stated in other comments, this is all driven by "producer associations."
Remember, these are the same people who bitch-slapped Oprah over mad-cow allegations. They don't play nice.
"I think it's safe to assume this is something Obama authored on his own"
I agree - this is getting into Maxine Waters ("I'm marching because my mother didn't have the choice to get an abortion") territory.
So, Europe is melting down, Israel is driving oil prices through the roof, the US is slipping back into recession for the second (but not last) time in the ongoing depression, the fabric of American society is fraying at the edges, and you're hyperventilating about an X-Mas tree tax so you can squeeze a little bit of partisan advantage?
Are you stupid, or are you evil? That is not an "exclusive OR", BTW.
Big Oil, Big Pharma, and now...
Big Arbor.
Great. Now organized crime can start running black market xmas tree sales. The underground economy is SO MUCH MORE EFFICIENT than the taxable one -- supply always equals demand, and there are no debit fees to worry about because everyone pays cash.
No, no, no. It is organized crime that will run the promotion board, and get their hands on $2M per year. As always, the criminals find ways to raise barriers to entry while profiting from the market stress it creates.
Why would you tax people who are buying Christmas trees to get others to buy Christmas trees?
Let's tax people who buy GM's or Fords to get others to buy GM's or Fords.
This whole thread is inane. It's an industry-sponsored fee like the beef or dairy industry that the Dept. of Agriculture has to approve. You people will fall for anything..
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-1109-christmas-tree-wars-20111109,0,2983619.story
Thanks mpointer. I am amazed at how many people here fell for this.
I hate to break it to you, but the Department of Agriculture is part of the executive branch.
Industry-sponsored = largest, politically connected producers
And damnit, let's close the loopholes while we're at it - which means they'll tax the evergreens in my front yard next.
I think there's bigger picture motivation behind this; as it's just too effing dumb otherwise. I don't remember ever buying a Christmas tree with anything but cash. I imagine sales tax compliance has been historically low for the Christmas tree industry, so what better way to increase compliance than creating some special new tax, albeit small, likely with some severe penalty for non-compliance.
Even Ayn Rand couldn't make up this shit.
Was going to say nothing surprises me anymore, but I said that months ago...
Nothing surprises me anymore, anymore?
This is not a tax on a Tree.
This is a tax on Christianity.
To go from a nation of innumerated powers to one that regulates Christmas is one hell of an impressive fall.
President Grinch, Bitchez. Hide little Cindy Lou Who
Yes, you can make it up: http://mediamatters.org/blog/201111090001. Because, you'll believe anything.
Give me a tax free tree or give me death!!!
I want a tax on ketchup. Hot Dog Austerity FTW
This is actually real, and not from The Onion, or some talk radio host's opiate delerium. Here's the notice that ran in the Federal Register Tuesday... http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-11-08/pdf/2011-28798.pdf
I hope while obama-dama-ding-dong sleeps on x-mas eve, Santa squats and takes a big dump on the presidents head.
Like Sir Alistair Sims once said, " I must stand on my head. I must stand on my head"
Some times it is not just the message, it is the messenger that matters. These are the same people who sensationalized non existent "death panels." Demint is a republicrook and a corporate tool. I fade him. In fact, I fade all the politicians.
Hey, lets get back to some actual information about what the hell is really going on instead of gold pumping (woooo-hooo say goodbye to 17XX gold) or not........ CME HIKES MARGIN RATES for ALL ...... or not ........... Theres a christmas tree tax.. or not........ Greece and Italy are done, kaput...... or not... CME LOWERS margin rates for ALL (its total destruction I tell ya).... again, sadly.. NOT
Mortgage the trees then foreclose the birds nests. Bloody xmas voodoo black magic. This guy wants people out on streets killing each other. Fake trees for fake familes in a fake democratic country run by fake goverment.
Hell this is nothing, the idiot Clinton is stumping for THREE TERMS for POTUS.
After FDR kicked off, the citizens changed that real quick, they were not ready for another ALMOST dictator.
Just think of the damage Obummer could do in TWO, much less THREE.
I can't bear to think it.
It's a decoy. It was really successful in diverting attention.
Boycott Christmas. Jesus would not want his birthday used for this fucked up political bullshit!
Well, I guess it'll be another year of taking one of the guitars, setting it on its stand atop the PA with a festivus skirt, and wrapping it with garland and lights then.
Archer Daniels Midland must have a new mutant strain of engineered Christmas Tree: the Franken Tree. No, not like Frankincense.
When it warms up in the house it starts gassing dioxin zombie fumes..
This is back door regulation. What do you want to bet that in a few years you will not be able to get a tree unless its from a full federaly regulated christmass tree farm! It will happen.....
FUBAR beyond all imagination. Dearest leader and his klack are simply tinsel!
This and a lot of things I see are an obvious attempt to strip America of their customs/beliefs/traditions/religion/etc. The problem is, when you value something higher than the state it takes priority. It also makes you a lot more difficult to rule. TPTB want you to be thoughtless, soulless, worker-drones.
DOW chart reveals very overextended price action and another Wile E Coyote scenario...
http://stockmarket618.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/2011-11-09_dow_4_zb.png
OK, at the risk of providing "excess truthiness":
here's an explanation
a response from one of the largest Christmas tree growers in the country (who is coincidentally a Republican):
So this is an example of the Heritage people spinning garbage in any way to make Obama look like an ass. This is called a checkoff program – the tree growers asked for this. All major agriculture groups have this, corn, soybeans, pork, beef, eggs, dairy all of them. This isn’t a tax this is a program that we asked for, the USDA collects the $$ and we elect/nominate a board of people from our industry to direct the funds toward a program of promotion, research, evaluation, and information designed to strengthen the Christmas tree industry’s position in the marketplace; maintain and expend existing markets for Christmas trees; and to carry out programs, plans, and projects designed to provide maximum benefits to the Christmas tree industry” (7 CFR 1214.46(n)). And the program of “information” is to include efforts to “enhance the image of Christmas trees and the Christmas tree industry in the United States” (7 CFR 1214.10).
But the point remains, the government view of the world is:
1. If it moves, tax it;
2. If it keeps moving, regulate it;
3. If it stops moving, subsidize it.
Free markets, anyone?