Sin Taxes: Should They Be Increased to Help Medical Increases? Will This Hurt More Than Help?
Sin taxes: Should They Be Increased to Help Medical Increases? Will This Hurt More Than Help?
Patricia Murphy
ENG 122: English Composition 2
Instructor Raphael Posey
July 6, 2013
Sin taxes: Should They Be Increased to Help Medical Increases? Will This Hurt More Than Help? Should sin taxes be increased in areas such as alcohol and tobacco to cover the increasing cost of medical care? Sin taxes have been in effect for centuries, while the revenue from these taxes are high other recent efforts to impose sin taxes have sputtered. With the revenue that can be received from Sin taxes should it be used in areas that our country is in need to help the people. Many physicians feel this should be done to help with healthcare amongst our society. If this is done will it help? Some argue yes it will, but others feel it will hurt low-income families and make it more of strain on our society. Sin taxes has been in effect for centuries. In the early 1500s, Pope Leo X underwrote his lavish lifestyle in part by taxing licensed prostitutes, and Peter the Great preyed on Russian vanity two centuries later by charging men who grew beards. The U.S. has taxed cigarettes since the Civil War, although its levies often lag behind those assessed by other nations. To help raise money for the Civil War, U.S. authorities levy the first federal cigarette tax, of up to 2.4¢ per pack. In the Federalist papers, American patriot Alexander Hamilton proposed an excise tax on alcohol to boost revenues and curb consumption. Alexander Hamilton advocates taxing "ardent spirits" in Federalist No. 12. Seven years later, the U.S. liquor tax sparks the Whiskey Rebellion. When some sin taxes are raised it can cause controversy among our citizens and spark issues in a negative manner. While in other cases the revenue from these sin taxes can be positive and help our nation with costs such as helping with problematic issues such as war. Two Mayo Clinic physicians have joined
Patricia Murphy
ENG 122: English Composition 2
Instructor Raphael Posey
July 6, 2013
Sin taxes: Should They Be Increased to Help Medical Increases? Will This Hurt More Than Help? Should sin taxes be increased in areas such as alcohol and tobacco to cover the increasing cost of medical care? Sin taxes have been in effect for centuries, while the revenue from these taxes are high other recent efforts to impose sin taxes have sputtered. With the revenue that can be received from Sin taxes should it be used in areas that our country is in need to help the people. Many physicians feel this should be done to help with healthcare amongst our society. If this is done will it help? Some argue yes it will, but others feel it will hurt low-income families and make it more of strain on our society. Sin taxes has been in effect for centuries. In the early 1500s, Pope Leo X underwrote his lavish lifestyle in part by taxing licensed prostitutes, and Peter the Great preyed on Russian vanity two centuries later by charging men who grew beards. The U.S. has taxed cigarettes since the Civil War, although its levies often lag behind those assessed by other nations. To help raise money for the Civil War, U.S. authorities levy the first federal cigarette tax, of up to 2.4¢ per pack. In the Federalist papers, American patriot Alexander Hamilton proposed an excise tax on alcohol to boost revenues and curb consumption. Alexander Hamilton advocates taxing "ardent spirits" in Federalist No. 12. Seven years later, the U.S. liquor tax sparks the Whiskey Rebellion. When some sin taxes are raised it can cause controversy among our citizens and spark issues in a negative manner. While in other cases the revenue from these sin taxes can be positive and help our nation with costs such as helping with problematic issues such as war. Two Mayo Clinic physicians have joined
References: . Altman, A. (2009). A Brief History Of: Sin Taxes. Time, 173(14), 14. Black, P. A., & Mohamed, A. I. (2006). 'Sin ' Taxes and Poor Households: Unanticipated Effects. South African Journal Of Economics, 74(1), 131-136. Hoffer, A.J, Shugart, W.F, Thomas, M.D (2013, February 5), Sin Tax Costs Outweigh Benefits, U.S News World Report Lorenzi, P. (2010). Taxing antisocial behavior for the common good. Society, 47(4), 328-332. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12115-010-9337-z Lorenzi, P. (2006). The Moral Grounds of Sin Taxes. Society, 44(1), 67-71 Mayo Clinic (2013, June 3). Smoking, sugar, spirits and 'sin ' taxes: Higher price would help health. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 4, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com-/releases/2013/06/130603135517.htm Perry, S. (2013, Jun 05). Mayo doctors propose higher -- and new -- 'sin taxes '. MinnPost.Com. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1365005050?accountid=32521