The above link refers to a proposed new york tax on strip joints that would have patrons paying an additional $10 upon entering that would go directly to the state. This is wrong on sooo many levels. First off, the government adding a new tax that specifically punishes a particular kind of completely legal business is absurd. You don’t think so…what if we voted in a government that decided they knew what was best for you and wanted to eliminate your intake of saturated fat. To them the best bet would be to institute a cheese tax or perhaps more appropriately a frommage fine. They don’t just want to discourage it they want to eliminate it so hey slap a tax of $1000/pound of cheese served. That adds $62 to the cost of your burger…or $400 to that large pizza. That would be crazy…the government can’t tell me what I can and can’t do. Why is a strip joint any different? Those of you that know me, know I’m not the sort to frequent “gentleman’s clubs.” But if I were, this would really piss me off…actually it pisses me off regardless. To make matters worse they want to spend the money specifically on human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and child prostitution. So, I’m not against spending money on those sorts of things…I think they are important problems that should be dealt with appropriately and unlike many other problems are of such a nature that only the government can really tackle them. However, is it just me or does this stipulation in the proposed law imply that we need to tax an industry as punishment for those crimes. Aren’t they really insinuating that the presence of strip joints and those that go to them are the factors most likely to increase the prevalence of those crimes? Ummm…I really don’t think so. I’m going to have to call bullshit on this one and just go out on a limb and say that this is profiling and discrimination against people who because of social stigma, the government knows will not defend themselves. There just isn’t going to be a protest of stripper aficionados and probably not a protest of strippers either (though I do have my fingers crossed on that one). The government needs to check their backwards morality and ill-informed opinions at the door and start looking at fairness in government and especially in taxation. Patrick OUT!!!
What I’m Listening Too: Pour some sugar on me – Def Leppard
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