O'bama is the GRINCH that stole Christmas!

[zimmy]

A “Christmas Tree Tax”? No, Just Good Old Crony Capitalism
interesting read

[UserRemoved1]

SPOT ON too Zimmy.

All you guys can eat ya crow now thread closed

Originally Posted by zimmy

A “Christmas Tree Tax”? No, Just Good Old Crony Capitalism
interesting read

[scottw]

it's a nice distraction from Fast and Furious, Solyndra, Iran, Iraq, Lybia, Syria, the economy, Europe, OCCUPY, the Cain media assasination....etc.....

I guess not important issues.... but throw out a 15 cent tax on Christmas trees for discussion and you get all sorts of facts, figures and argument ....

[scottw]

honestly...is this some kind of joke???

if this what is going on at the Ag. Department we should consider shutting down the Ag. Department




In the Federal Register of November 8, 2011, Acting Administrator of Agricultural Marketing David R. Shipman announced that the Secretary of Agriculture will appoint a Christmas Tree Promotion Board. The purpose of the Board is to run 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).

To pay for the new Federal Christmas tree image improvement and marketing program, the Department of Agriculture imposed a 15-cent fee on all sales of fresh Christmas trees by sellers of more than 500 trees per year (7 CFR 1214.52). And, of course, the Christmas tree sellers are free to pass along the 15-cent Federal fee to consumers who buy their Christmas trees.


this has to be a joke

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by scottw

honestly...is this some kind of joke???

if this what is going on at the Ag. Department we should consider shutting down the Ag. Department




In the Federal Register of November 8, 2011, Acting Administrator of Agricultural Marketing David R. Shipman announced that the Secretary of Agriculture will appoint a Christmas Tree Promotion Board. The purpose of the Board is to run 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).

To pay for the new Federal Christmas tree image improvement and marketing program, the Department of Agriculture imposed a 15-cent fee on all sales of fresh Christmas trees by sellers of more than 500 trees per year (7 CFR 1214.52). And, of course, the Christmas tree sellers are free to pass along the 15-cent Federal fee to consumers who buy their Christmas trees.


this has to be a joke

This is all about the war between those who sell natural Christmas trees and those who sell artificial trees. The artificial trees have been winning, so the naturals petitioned the Ag Dept for help, and, presto, another case of the Federal Govt. taking sides, picking winners and losers, sticking their nose in where it doesn't belong.

[scottw]

Originally Posted by detbuch

This is all about the war between those who sell natural Christmas trees and those who sell artificial trees.

so in Obama Admin. lingo this would be an ....

"OVER TREES CONTINGENCY PLAN"

[zimmy]

Originally Posted by detbuch

This is all about the war between those who sell natural Christmas trees and those who sell artificial trees. The artificial trees have been winning, so the naturals petitioned the Ag Dept for help, and, presto, another case of the Federal Govt. taking sides, picking winners and losers, sticking their nose in where it doesn't belong.

Really? I would think most here would want the promotion of American grown Christmas trees over artificial trees which are pretty much entirely made in China out of oil. That actually isn't what is happening, because all ag. commodities can request this, but still. The rest already had promotion boards for years Most of the boards are major supporters to conservative candidates, too.

[FormerUser]

ANY tax increase is total BS.Love watching the Obama ball lickers defend this guy.

Taxing christmas trees is targeting a very specific segment of our society...christians.In case all of you Obama worshippers have forgotten christmas is a religious holiday,specifically a christian holiday.These trees are grown and sold for one reason and one reason only...the christian holiday known as christmas.Taxing them is unconstitutional and if you think I'm BSing then go to your local christian church and then follow the paper trail and find out if the palm fronds you get on palm Sunday are taxed......from their point of origin to your church they are not taxed.Christmas trees and palm fronds are one in the same.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Added: Bold edited by me...

Originally Posted by basswipe

:Taxing christmas trees is targeting a very specific segment of our society...Farmers who grow Christmas trees, who want more sales and cried to a lobbiest, because more people are buying fake trees

Originally Posted by basswipe

:Christmas trees and palm fronds are one in the same.

Except that the Palm fronds are handed out as part of a religious service... are pine trees in the bible as a Christmas symbol? Or given out like communion? My very lapsed catholicism is a bit rusty...

[zimmy]

Originally Posted by basswipe

ANY tax increase is total BS.Love watching the Obama ball lickers defend this guy.
Taxing them is unconstitutional

Apparently, you don't know the constitution. Selling Christmas trees for profit has nothing to do with tax exemption, unless the farm is a 501c3 organization. However, it is nice to know that there is a lot of support from you tea party types for ending all of these ag subsidies/taxes. That is a dramatic change from the conservative platform for over half a century.

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by zimmy

Really? I would think most here would want the promotion of American grown Christmas trees over artificial trees which are pretty much entirely made in China out of oil. That actually isn't what is happening, because all ag. commodities can request this, but still. The rest already had promotion boards for years Most of the boards are major supporters to conservative candidates, too.

Yes, really. If a business needs government to promote it, its staying power is questionable--not to mention that there is no Constitutional provision for the Federal Government to help one legal business over or against another. There are retail outlets, employees, transportation agencies in this country that are involved with the artificial trees as well as the natural. If American tree growers want to promote their product over the artificial competitor's, let them do it on their own. Nothing is stopping them from informing us where the artificial trees are made. They can hire ad agencies to promote their product as traditional, home-grown, better for America. Going to the government to do so solidifies that corrupt nexus between government and business that "most" object to. Isn't it the traditional American way to keep government out of business. Shouldn't we the people decide what type of Christmas tree we'll buy? Isn't it the traditional American way that we decide what pleases us, what we buy, not the government? I suspect that "most" buy the artificial trees because they are more convenient, less messy, and less costly because they can be used over and over. Those that prefer natural don't need Aunt Sam to promote them. Auntie Sam really has no business here--not legally, morally, spiritually, traditionally. And the artificial trees were made here years ago. The rising costs of manufacturing here is our problem, one that we don't, or can't, seem to be able to solve.

[zimmy]

Originally Posted by detbuch

Auntie Sam really has no business here--not legally

Read the freakin law. It has been in effect for 15 years The exact same thing has happened for practically every agriculture product for 15 YEARS. Not only is it legal, it has more than a decade of precedent