Hate the Sin, Tax the Sinner

According to what I've read, now that we have largely squelched the threat that tobacco posed to our society, a move is afoot to take on the growing "crisis" of obesity. It has been discovered that an alarming number of Americans are technically "obese." We are told that this is not simply an ascetic problem, but a public health problem. And, since it is a public health problem, it affects our economy. Studies have been done showing how obesity leads to higher rates of illness and injury. When people are sick or injured, not only do they cost society money in terms of using up valuable health care "resources", but, as importantly, they cost us money because the ill and overweight are more inclined miss work; therefore costing the economy.

There has been a tendency over the years to evaluate everything in terms of how it affects the economy. Ignorance is no longer a liability borne by the ignorant, it is also borne by the economy. Likewise, poor health is no longer simply a burden to the person who is ill, it is a burden to the economy because the ill often cost more to maintain than they produce. Where once we were told that smoking or being obese were bad because they harmed your health, we are now told they are bad because they harm the economy. This is simply part of a trend whereby nearly everything is evaluated in terms of its affect on the economy. Ignorance is bad not simply for the ignorant, but the society that must suffer their ignorance. At least the original casuists had the salvation of the soul as their objective.

Today's casuists are only concerned with the economy. What's more, it is not simply the obese, ill, and ignorant that are in jeopardy of losing their soul and being punished for their economic impiety, those that lead them into sin shall be judged as well. Companies that entice the wayward into sin, such as fast food restaurants and tobacco merchants shall also be singled out for economic judgement and condemnation. The penalty for economic impiety is taxation. Those whose sins have hurt the economy shall be charged for their errant ways. As they say, hate the sin, but tax the sinner.

If they are serious about addressing obesity, perhaps they should tax people by the pound. For that matter, they should give a tax break for every grade completed.