obama's christmas tree tax

[syrenn]

$900.00 for a tree? is it gold plated?

That must be a big tree...

I get by on a $40.00 tree and enjoy decorating it with my family. Having a little glögg and decorating a tree with those you love is just fantastic..

Well it did not help that we got the tree from an old time family tree lot... not from the home depot.

We had to pre order a tree a year in advance... so they could groom it during the year. It would be cut and trucked down.... so we had it in less then 48 hours after it was cut... very fresh.

I love our tree! We topped out on lights at 6,200.... each one hand tied on with no wires showing.

So you pay people to decorate your tree?

We decorate our own tree - I enjoy it... My sisters kids come over and they help - its just a great experience...

No just to deliver it and help stand it up. its to big to put in the truck. The bring it on a long flat bed. It takes a week to put on the lights and 2 days to do the decorations.

 

[uscitizen]

you really can't make shit this stupid up. fee free to defend it; i could use a laugh

"President Obama’s Agriculture Department today announced that it will impose a new 15-cent charge on all fresh Christmas trees—the Christmas Tree Tax—

to support a new Federal program to improve the image and marketing of Christmas trees.

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)."

because you know, without the government, no one would buy a christmas tree.

Obama Couldn't Wait: His New Christmas Tree Tax

wtf?

So there really was a Grinch who stole taxed Christmas...

Just wait to vote for the Gingrinch

 

[Inthemiddle]

If some in the industry wanted to volunteer for higher taxes then why didn't they just work that out for themselves? Why did they have to impose it on all in the industry? This thing just sounds so fishy. A "volunteer" Tax that forces all to pay it just seems ludicrous. I call Nanny State Bullshot on this one for sure.

Why are you such a hack? The INDUSTRY, made the decision IN COLLABORATION WITH EACH OTHER, to set up this MUTUALLY AGREED UPON FEE for themselves. It's not a tax. It's a fee that the producers are adding on to their product, WITHOUT GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT.

 

[Inthemiddle]

Why does the Government have anything to do with it?

It doesn't. Industry spokespeople have said this much. It's been posted in this thread. Why do you insist on ignoring the information available?

 

[Inthemiddle]

A) its not the governments duty to run ads

They aren't. The industry is doing this on their own, without government involvement.

 

[Inthemiddle]

Why not charge 15 more cents for a tree then??

That's what's happening. THE INDUSTRY, IN COLLABORATION has decided to impose an additional 15c fee to their product, to cover their costs for an advertisement campaign. The government is not involved in this decision at all. At best, the government is an agent CHOSEN BY THE INDUSTRY, to serve as a steward of the funds.

NO the government wants the fucking money.

No they don't, and they're not getting any money out of this. It's the INDUSTRY who is SPENDING THEIR OWN MONEY AS THEY SEE FIT.

 

[edthecynic]

Isn't that the 15 cent a tree tax that growers will pay to help fund an advertising campaign to encourage people to buy live Christmas Trees?

That's right, so now the CON$ will flip-flop and condemn Obama for being against supporting Christmas by canceling the tax.

Isn't that the 15 cent a tree tax that growers will pay to help fund an advertising campaign to encourage people to buy live Christmas Trees?

Yep. But no matter how many times that fact is posted, the rightwingloons will ignore it.

They can't help themselves.

Give them time, CON$ will soon call canceling the Christmas Tree Support Tax a "War on Christmas."

Do I know these Right-Wingnut Whackos, or what???

The same CON$ who the day before were attacking Obama for the Christmas Tree Tax are now fighting him for cancelling it!!!!!

White House Sidelines Christmas Tree 'Tax' | Fox News
White House Sidelines Christmas Tree 'Tax'


But the change quickly drew complaints from Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., and others. Scalise described the fee as a "Grinch" move by the Obama administration and vowed to fight it.

 

[Liability]

Isn't that the 15 cent a tree tax that growers will pay to help fund an advertising campaign to encourage people to buy live Christmas Trees?

Astounding.

The growers won't pay shit. They will simply pass that "cost" along.

And no. It is not just for an ad campaign.

It was also for the paying of a commission to promote the sale of Christmas trees.

It was a make work project at 15 cents per tree.

It was a fucking imbecile idea.

Thus, it came from the Obama Administration.

 

[Liability]

Hmmm can you find another thread on here where I've come out in support of checkoff programs?

of course not - you didn't even know what they were until someone told you to be against the X-mas tree checkoff

bolding always imparts gravitas

well played

Bwahahaha.

Ooops.

Of course, I MEANT to say, "Bwahahaha."

 

[Katzndogz]

The very successful Got Milk campaign advertising was paid by the dairy association. The Beef, It's What's For Dinner was paid for by the Beef Council. No special taxes were levied to finance these advertising campaigns.

It is not up to government to pay the advertising bills of private associations. That's what was wrong with this proposal.

 

[Care4all]

Yea sure,those imaginary volunteer Taxes. What about those who don't want to pay this "volunteer" tax? Can they opt out? This thing just sounds ridiculous. Doesn't our Government have anything better to do? Oh well,another Nanny State mess i guess.

Typical conservative trying to take advantage of the sacrifice of others. Let everyone else pay for advertisements on the advantage of buying a fresh tree...let me benefit for free

Why does the Government have anything to do with it? And it all sounds very fishy anyway. There are no "volunteer" Taxes. That sounds like a silly fairy tale. Forcing all to pay a Tax is not a volunteer Tax. Make any sense to you? The Government needs to get a life. Just stay out of the Christmas Tree business period. Then they might have a chance of staying in business.

ummmm, the Christmas tree owners ASKED for this tax....the gvt DID NOT create it or invent it or even suggest it to the Christmas tree industry....they asked for the tax and they want to control the tax monies as well, from what i have read on it...

Summary
This proposed rule invites comments
on the establishment of an industry funded
promotion, research, and
information program for fresh cut
Christmas trees. The proposed
Christmas Tree Promotion, Research,
and Information Order (Proposed
Order), was submitted to the
Department of Agriculture (Department)
by the Christmas Tree Checkoff Task
Force (Task Force), an industry wide
group of producers and importers that
support this proposed program.

 

[Inthemiddle]

It was a fucking imbecile idea.

Thus, it came from the Obama Administration.

You're a fucking imbecile. It wasn't Obama. It was the INDUSTRY who decided to impose the fee on their own product.

 

[Inthemiddle]

The very successful Got Milk campaign advertising was paid by the dairy association. The Beef, It's What's For Dinner was paid for by the Beef Council. No special taxes were levied to finance these advertising campaigns.

It is not up to government to pay the advertising bills of private associations. That's what was wrong with this proposal.

THERE IS NO TAX HERE!!!!!!!!

The Christmas tree industry is paying for the ad campaign. They're doing it by adding a 15c FEE to their trees.

 

[BlindBoo]

Higher Taxes on Christmas Trees? Seriously,Socialists/Progressives? Seriously?

Get caught in a lie much?

 

[Againsheila]

The very successful Got Milk campaign advertising was paid by the dairy association. The Beef, It's What's For Dinner was paid for by the Beef Council. No special taxes were levied to finance these advertising campaigns.

It is not up to government to pay the advertising bills of private associations. That's what was wrong with this proposal.

I agree, however, we do have a history of our tax dollars paying for advertising for big corporations. Check out the Gallo Wine Bill.

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

Isn't that the 15 cent a tree tax that growers will pay to help fund an advertising campaign to encourage people to buy live Christmas Trees?

Astounding.

The growers won't pay shit. They will simply pass that "cost" along.

And no. It is not just for an ad campaign.

It was also for the paying of a commission to promote the sale of Christmas trees.

It was a make work project at 15 cents per tree.

It was a fucking imbecile idea.

Thus, it came from the Obama Administration.

It actually came from Christmas tree growers.

And the period for public comment ended in March.

The industry continues to await USDA's decision on a potential checkoff program. The proposed program was published November 8, 2010. The initial public comment period was scheduled to close on February 7, 2011 and was subsequently extended to March 8, 2011. The majority of public comments submitted and 17 out of 19 trade organizations that submitted comments support the order.

http://www.checkoffstudy.com/

I assume - since you obviously feel so strongly about the issue - you made you comments known during the public commenting period, right?


Also - from same link

- The initial assessment would be 15 cents per tree sold or imported into the U.S.
- Those that produce or import fewer than 500 trees per year could apply for and receive an exemption. In other words, the smaller producers would not have to participate, but they could if they wanted to.
- The funds would be directed by a board of 12 Chrsitmas tree producers, nominated by the industry.

Does anyone know if that exemption made it to the final program?

Right-wing media figures are accusing the Obama administration of seeking to impose a tax on Christmas trees; but the Christmas tree industry has been working since 2008 -- before President Obama was elected -- to partner with the Department of Agriculture and establish a marketing campaign funded by tree growers in order to promote the sale of fresh Christmas trees.

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201111090001?frontpage

 

[rightwinger]

The very successful Got Milk campaign advertising was paid by the dairy association. The Beef, It's What's For Dinner was paid for by the Beef Council. No special taxes were levied to finance these advertising campaigns.

It is not up to government to pay the advertising bills of private associations. That's what was wrong with this proposal.

I agree, however, we do have a history of our tax dollars paying for advertising for big corporations. Check out the Gallo Wine Bill.

I paid that bill

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

The very successful Got Milk campaign advertising was paid by the dairy association. The Beef, It's What's For Dinner was paid for by the Beef Council. No special taxes were levied to finance these advertising campaigns.

It is not up to government to pay the advertising bills of private associations. That's what was wrong with this proposal.

The Beef, Its What's For Dinner Campaign was funded by the Beef Checkoff, which collects $1 a head for every cow sold in the U.S. Its overseen by the Cattlemen's Beef Board and the USDA.

The Christmas Tree checkoff is no different except its trees instead of cows. It was proposed by X-mas tree growers, will be funded by a tax, or fee, or whatever you want to call it per tree - and it will be overseen by both private and government entities.


Here - educate yourself

http://www.popcorn.org/AboutUs/CheckoffPrograms/tabid/116/Default.aspx

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

It is not up to government to pay the advertising bills of private associations. That's what was wrong with this proposal.

Its being paid for by Christmas tree growers. I'm sorry, but are you stupid? You seem to lack basic reading comprehension skills.

 

[edthecynic]

Right-wing media figures are accusing the Obama administration of seeking to impose a tax on Christmas trees; but the Christmas tree industry has been working since 2008 -- before President Obama was elected -- to partner with the Department of Agriculture and establish a marketing campaign funded by tree growers in order to promote the sale of fresh Christmas trees.

Artificial War On Christmas Campaign Launches Fake Obama "Christmas Tree Tax" | Media Matters for America

But that was only until Obama canceled the tax. Now suddenly CON$ have found a tax they like and have VOWED to FIGHT Obama's ending the fee.
No surprise there, If Obama is against the same thing CON$ have been against, suddenly CON$ will be for what they have always been against.

White House Sidelines Christmas Tree 'Tax' | Fox News
White House Sidelines Christmas Tree 'Tax'

But the change quickly drew complaints from Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., and others. Scalise described the fee as a "Grinch" move by the Obama administration and vowed to fight it.