Linkstrikesback
Member
So it is ok to just go "fuck the poor" because the ends justify the means?
As I already said. I am fine with the goals of the legislation (more veg... less meat). I just think regressive taxation is the wrong route to take to achieve those goals.
If they insist on taking the route of taxing these foods it should be coupled with a corresponding tax cut on other food items to 0 out the negative impacts on the poor.
People won't change behaviour unless it costs them money. It's not "fuck the poor" to have them change their behaviour. Nobody is suggesting leaving them to starve, just that they have to change to other less destructive to the planet equivalents. Hell. Use the additional money for things to offer services that improve life in the regions, provide cooking lessons or whatever for the public, on how to make vegetables taste great. The idea you suggested of using the money to reduce the cost of other foodstuffs works too.
It's an extremely unfortunate fact that certain foods have an imbalance on how they affect the planet in terms of carbon emissions. The entire point of adding extra taxation to certain foods would be to reduce the number of people buying them, and unfortunately, it seems clear at this point people won't change habits if they aren't practically forced. Lord knows I was dragging my feet on it until the value of the pound cratered and I finally started trying to do a better job myself.