"Poor Tax" answered... Jan 5. 2010 | Comments (0)
I argue the contrary: If we subsidize the cost of healthy food with unhealthy food taxes, we are aiding the poor, by bringing more nutrition (not more calories) and subsequent prosperity to them (Fact: Obese earners earn far less than no-obese earners when all other criteria is the same).
Currently, Americans of the lowest income bracket have 5 times the obesity rate as the highest income earners because unhealthy food is cheaper and more available than healthy food. We are essentially “writing off” our poorest Americans. Shame on us. We have a nation of obese-malnourished people! Would we provide our own small child with a lollipop vs. a carrot stick because a lollipop is cheaper? – of course not. Then why is it okay to throw cheap, unhealthy food to our poorest Americans? Why is it that only rich people can afford organic lean meats and broccoli for dinner?