A Dude Named Weed Is Trying to Raise the Beer Tax in New Hampshire (Demoncrat)

The Atlantic ^ | JAN 18 2013 | David A Graham

[nickcarraway]

And other lessons on how morality can affect policy, from New England to the Bible Belt

Some people like to smoke marijuana. Some people like to drink beer. And some people like to do both. The amount that they do each depends on incentives -- for example, easy accessibility or higher prices of one of them -- but it's fair to say that for many people weed and beer are what economists would call substitute goods: if your consumption of one goes up, the other will go down, a phenomenon scientists have quantified in various contexts.

Enter into this tension a dude named weed who's trying to decrease Granite Staters' consumption of beer.

Chuck Weed, a Democratic New Hampshire state representative, has proposed increasing the state beer tax by 33 percent, from 30 to 40 cents per gallon, to pay for infrastructure improvements. (The bill's co-sponsor is from Greenville, for what it's worth.) The proposal would raise an estimated $4 million a year, but there are other proposals for increased revenue, including a higher gas tax. What's more, newly elected Governor Maggie Hassan, also a Democrat, won't raise her glass to Weed's proposal. "I want to let the people of New Hampshire know I oppose increasing the beer tax and I will veto it if it gets to my desk," she told reporters. Hassan might be wise to steer clear of the measure. In the state with the nation's greatest per-capita consumption of beer, such a levy could very well be, uh, kryptonite. (The state is also among the nation's highest consumers of weed.)

Wait, don't go! This isn't just a bunch of pot jokes! There's a real policy lesson here!

Take a look at this map of beer taxes around the country from the Tax Foundation.

[GeronL]

I use to have a soft-spoken boss named David Weed who looked a bit like Bill Gates. Of course I do not make fun of peoples names, because is pretty funny too

[Don Corleone]

The liberals (Progressives) have to go. They are too stupid for their own good and definitely way to stupid for the national good.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

I think this is more a lesson in the fact that Democrats will tax anything and everything as much as humanly possible.

[Hot Tabasco]

has proposed increasing the state beer tax by 33 percent, from 30 to 40 cents per gallon, to pay for infrastructure improvements

Since I don't drink beer very often I'm all for it. In fact, I'd even support a 30 - 40 cent increase per bottle or can.......

How can anyone argue against the fact that alcohol consumption has destroyed more lives than any other consumable product?

[Fedupwithit]

Yeah, and when they came to tax my beer, I was all for it, for I didn't drink beer...

When they came to tax sweet and salty snacks, i was all for it, because I didn't eat those, and so forth and so on...

Soon enough, they will start taxing something that you do care about. Let's hope someone cares enough to stand up for you....

[Fedupwithit]

Yeah, and when they came to tax my beer, I was all for it, for I didn't drink beer...

When they came to tax sweet and salty snacks, i was all for it, because I didn't eat those, and so forth and so on...

Soon enough, they will start taxing something that you do care about. Let's hope someone cares enough to stand up for you....

[Rio]

http://www.beerinfo.com/index.php/pages/beerstateconsumption.html

State	Gallons/Year	Rank
Nevada	44	1
New Hampshire	43.4	2
North Dakota	41.7	3
Montana	41.5	4
South Dakota	39	5
Wisconsin	38.2	6
New Mexico	37.8	7
Texas	37.4	8
Louisiana	37.1	9
South Carolina	37	10
Kentucky	36.8	11
Nebraska	36.6	12
Arizona	36.4	13
Wyoming	36.4	13
Delaware	35.4	15
Mississippi	35.1	16
Iowa	34.4	17
Florida	33.8	18
Ohio	33.5	19
Colorado	33.4	20
Missouri	33.4	20
Hawaii	32.7	22
Alaska	32.4	23
Vermont	31.4	24
Illinois	31.3	25
Minnesota	31.3	25
West Virginia	31.3	25
Maine	31.2	28
Alabama	30.6	29
Oregon	30.6	29
Idaho	30.4	31
North Carolina	30.2	32
Tennessee	30.2	32
Kansas	30	34
Pennsylvania	29.6	35
Georgia	29.5	36
Michigan	29.3	37
Virginia	29.3	37
Indiana	28.3	39
Rhode Island	28	40
Washington	27.9	41
Massachusetts	27.8	42
Arkansas	27.6	43
Oklahoma	27	44
Maryland	26.1	45
California	26	46
New Jersey	24.1	47
Connecticut	23.2	48
New York	23	49
Utah	19.5	50

[Boogieman]

Well, I’d like to see a 30-40% increase in taxes on whatever legal good you enjoy consuming :P

Seriously though, I don’t like coffee, however, that doesn’t mean I support increasing taxes on Starbucks. Live and let live, and focus on starving the beast, instead of throwing it more meat.

[elkfersupper]

Since I don't drink beer very often I'm all for it.

You are posting to the wrong forum.

Try Democrat Underground.

Conservatives (generally) oppose tax increases on anything.

[HenpeckedCon]

Kalifornia is 46th? Are they not counting Cervesa?

[Hot Tabasco]

Well, I’d like to see a 30-40% increase in taxes on whatever legal good you enjoy consuming

You already did my friend, tobacco.

There weren't many so called conservatives around here who supported us smokers against the resident nico-nazis during the tobacco war of a few years ago and now it's coming around to bite YOU in the ass........

I argued back then that alcohol would be the next target and the nico-nazis ignored it and continued their assault on us.

Well, payback is a bitch isn't it?

[Hot Tabasco]

You are posting to the wrong forum.

Conservatives (generally) oppose tax increases on anything.

No I'm not, see my post #12.

[Boogieman]

Hey, don’t direct your wrath on that one towards me, I’m a smoker too, and I opposed all the taxes and smoking bans as well. You see, I’m consistent in opposing vice taxes, and pretty much all taxes, whether they affect me or not. I hardly drink beer anymore either, but I oppose this.

[Boogieman]

Well, the article talks about the substitution effect, so maybe now that they have “medical” marijuana, they aren’t drinking as much.

[elkfersupper]

Apologies.

[Hot Tabasco]

I hardly drink beer anymore either, but I oppose this.

I do too but I'm trying to make a point.......

Very few FReepers stood by us when the nico-nazis were attacking us here on FR so I'll be damned if I'm going to support those same people who are now crying foul on alcohol taxes........

[beandog]

I agree with you. Very few Freepers stood by us when cig taxes were being raised again and again.

[HenpeckedCon]

Na, the real answer is Tequila!

[Senator_Blutarski]

Very few FReepers stood by us when the nico-nazis were attacking us here on FR so I'll be damned if I'm going to support those same people who are now crying foul on alcohol taxes........

Let me go on the record as being in favor of complete freedom as regards vices such as nicotine and alcohol. Just be willing to live with the consequences of your actions...