So apparently Ireland is Communist and thats why you fail

either he's confusing European union with Soviet union or he thinks Ireland is in eastern Europe.

Wazdakka wrote: »

Yo Overheal..

I'm happy for you, I'm gonna let you finish But we don't have a national soft drink tax or communism.

Ireland has imposed and withdrawn their taxes on soft drinks, and is the one most quoted when researchers speak on the subject. In some states in the US, there is already a tax on recyclable soft drink products.

ScumLord wrote: »

Piss?

Yeh, most don't recall it since it was a while back. The States that do tax soft drinks do it in a roundabout way usually, though - and not directly on the drink itself. Only fast food soft drinks may be taxed directly, if I recall. That is usually at the state sales tax rate which can vary between 5-9pct ish. In markets it is considered a food product, and not taxed at all.

However, as it stands, our soft drink tax is at 21pct. Unlike the US where taxes are required to be plainly stated and added only after the sales price is made clear - ours aren't. As a result, few Irish realise exactly how much taxes they actually pay, all considered.

If you buy a car with a 2.5 litre engine, you pay upwards of 58pct taxes on it. Then it's another grand or more a year road taxes. The same car in America cost nearly half as much to start, and then rarely more than 70-400USD a year in road/reg taxes, depending on the state.

Petrol taxes are enormous, totaling more than the original cost of the petrol itself, and now we will see another 8pct added(the second or third increase in the last decade, if I recall).

Be aware that the gov often hit us with both excise taxes and VAT on a products. These add up quickly.

All in all, we are one of the more heavily taxed countries in the world. So a soda tax shouldn't really be a surprise, nor should far less taxed countries labeling us communist surprise you.

What does this mean? It means you don't get to keep much of what you earn. It simply goes to someone else that doesn't make as much as you after the government wastes it on limousines etc. It also creates inflated rent, leases and property prices, amongst other things. As long as we give it, the government will be more than happy to take it. And, as I stated, not knowing how much taxes we pay hinders the knowledge we need to spark reprisals; whether at the vote or in the streets.

There's far more sheep in Ireland than people know...

As an aside, part of the Lisbon treaty[ies] also sought to rectify the discrepancies in tax rates amongst EU countries. We would only benefit from such treatment. Food for thought.

Most pointless thread of the year. Pepsi addling your thoughts, OP?

Reindeer wrote: »

Ireland has imposed and withdrawn their taxes on soft drinks, and is the one most quoted when researchers speak on the subject. In some states in the US, there is already a tax on recyclable soft drink products.

I am not sure that is true. There was a tax on soft drinks in Ireland that had some connection to the Boar War (sp?) that the state "forgot" about. When they decided to remove the tax they simply replaced it with another tax. I think it happened in the early 90s but can't remember the details.