TAX THE INFIDELS !!

[lakota]

 
...This has nothing to do with debt or increasing governmnet size...
 
 
..TM7

 
 

 
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...
 

Government creating a "christmas tree board" where no "christmas tree board" existed before...Sounds like increasing the size of government to me...
 
Next we should impose a beef jerky fee to create a beef jerky board to improve the image of beef jerky.
 
 

[DDZ]

 a case of governmnet acting very responsiblely for a change 

Sorry but don't see this at all. Really I don't think its possible. I understand your point though, that more government works better than the free market. 

[BUGEYE]

a case of governmnet acting very responsiblely for a change 

Sorry but don't see this at all. Really I don't think its possible. I understand your point though, that more government works better than the free market.

apparently someone at the USDA has some friends he wants to employ so just add a dedicated tax and that's the funding for a few more government jobs.

[RaySendero]

Have a nice Christmas...enjoy that tree...while you ponder the meaning of Christ......  
 
 
..TM7

I have a hard time figuring out where your "coming from" on this thread!
 
Help me by answering your own comment.
 
1) How do you plan to celebrate Christmas?
 

[lakota]

I see several possible outcomes from the creation of a "christmas tree board" First and foremost is that a small army of government employees will recieve pay and benefits for 52 weeks out of the year while the christmas tree season lasts what maybe 4 weeks out of the year? Two-More government corruption and cronyism this time in the christmas tree industry. And three possibly the creation of some christmas tree conglomerate that muscles all of the little guys out of the field.
 
Point being-government agencies rarely do anything good for anyone except themselves.

[ironglow]

..A little bit of deductive reasoning is required here...
 
 1)  This Obamanation of an idea is the brainchild of the National Christmas tree assn., the "fat cats" of the industry.
 2)  The "Little Joe" producer with 70 acres of trees is rarely part of that.
 3)  This tax can be absorbed by the big producers (thousand acres or more) who uses illegals to do the planting,pruning and cutting; but can kill "Little Joe".
 4) Fat cats can swallow the tax...until the "Little Joes" are choked out..then we can have another OPEC... of Christmas trees.
 5)  A new beaurocracy would be formed, paying big wages & bonuses from the taxes.  Going by past performance, how many of the tax-eaters appointed are regular Obama campaign contributors ?
 6)  We already know from past history, Obama doesn't do anything because it is sensible or right..for him it is either politics or profit (in contributions).

 
       The drive for this tax and  paychecks only started after Obama was elected, check out what they said:
''''''''''''
     "A 15-cent tax will be added to each tree, but the National Christmas Tree Association that has been pushing for the tax for the past two years says the taxes will be levied on the industry and won’t be pushed onto consumers at all.
“The program is not expected to have any impact on the final price consumers pay for their Christmas tree,” the group announced in a statement Wednesday"
''''''''''''''''''
   It is a good thing for Obama that he has backed down on yet another "big government" scheme, simply because people such as in this link..who know much better are exposing Obama's skullduggery:
    http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?ContentRecord_id=1b5c048c-3715-44a4-9267-1a547661b9a4&p=JimsBlog

[DDZ]

Isn't it the growers responsibility to grow Christmas trees, control disease, insects and market them? What makes Christmas tree growers in need of government marketing help? To make it fair, government should help market artifical tress. There are more of them coming from China than real trees. For that matter why don't government help market every businesses product? If its good for Christmas tree growers, its good for every other business. We have become so accustomed to government sticking its nose into everything. People act like its a good thing when they do, do things that are unconstitutional. Like start a government run Christmas Tree promotion board. Of coarse what does the Constitution matter any more, when we think we want something from the government and the tax payers. Just as long as its helping someone, or giving someone something, its all good. Heck with what the Constitution says.   

[lakota]

Lakota don't let your's and other's negativity get the best of yopu,,,,you're jumping to conclusions, what ifs and maybes....we need more info before turning completely negative on this.
 
...TM7

What negativity? This is experience speaking. When does another layer of government do anything good for anyone other than the members of the newly created layer?

[RaySendero]

I have a hard time figuring out where your "coming from" on this thread!
 
Help me by answering your own comment.
 
1) How do you plan to celebrate Christmas?
 

 
Well Ray, clear as day actually,,,you should have no problem figuring 'where I'm from'...I intend to spend Christmas decorating a small tree, spreading cheer, and pondering the meaning of Christmas and Christ's teachings.,,,,not going to buy alot of stuff.  Where you coming from..?

.....
...TM7

Well TM7, clear as day - I'm trying to understand you.
 
 
And what does Jesus Christ mean to you?

[ironglow]

Really something how this thread has rambled..
  I started it with a tongue-in-cheek ( ) appraisal of the new tree tax..and now we are into holiday celebrations, their origins and authenticity.
  I doubt there is a moderately well trained Christian who does not already have a grasp of this subject.  We know where the tree custom originated, the "Easter" customs..eggs, rabbits etc originated and are not alarmed by them. Most now no longer use the term "easter", preferring instead, "Resurrection Day".
  To rehash this old information is a sophomoric discussion..  The crux of the situation is where your heart is !
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
      King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart
 (1 Samuel 16:7)

[RaySendero]

Ray....lot of things to think about here. natalis solis invicti--Natal Day, and Saturnalia
 
.....
 
What do you think about or get from the Christmas Ray  ...?
 
BTW, I get that some say the Christmas Tree is a bit of a pagan ritual brought into the worship of Birth of the Sun King...but this doesn't bother me....
 
..TM7

Well...to me I think of Jesus Christ as the reason for the season!
 
Thinking of Jesus certainly does not include the natal birthday of a Roman god of the sun.
 
My God gives very clear instructions on this in Isaiah 45:5-7:
 
"I am the Lord and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me.  That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun, There is no one besides Me. I am the Lord , and there is no other, The One forming the light and creating darkness"