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Jim DeMint Explains Obama's Brand New Christmas Tree Tax
Zero Hedge ^ | November 9, 2011 | Tyler Durden

Posted on 11/09/2011 10:50:38 AM PST by Zakeet

No, it’s not a joke. President Obama really is imposing a special new tax on Christmas trees.

And while the policy seems a ludicrous political misstep – and possibly an unconstitutional one at that – in truth, the Obama Christmas Tree Tax is much worse than that.

The $2 million the Obama Administration expects the tax to raise will not reduce the deficit or cover needed government services. Instead, it will serve as a marketing slush fund for the Christmas tree industry.

The money will set up a brand new government agency called (no, seriously) the Christmas Tree Promotion Board. The CTPB will use the $2 million to hire a staff – most likely the industry lobbyists who cooked up this scheme – and then run advertisements to “enhance the image of Christmas trees and the Christmas tree industry of the United States.”

Don’t the Christmas tree growers and retailers already do that? Yes. Isn’t marketing something that all companies should do with their profits, to grow their business and attract new customers? Yes.

And while we’re asking questions, does anyone in America – anyone? – believe that Christmas trees have a bad image that needs taxpayer-subsidized improvement?

So why should the government-funded Christmas Tree Promotion Board tax us to fund a marketing campaign? So the Christmas tree industry can pocket the $2 million they now won’t have to spend marketing their trees.

That’s it. That’s the whole purpose of the Obama Christmas Tree Tax: to take money from hard-working families celebrating Christmas and give it to clever lobbyists and businessmen running a crony-capitalist subsidy scam.

And while this policy will, by design, help one group of people, it will hurt others: businesses that sell artificial Christmas trees, people who work at your local stores that sell them, and, don’t forget, the consumers who are out 15 cents a tree.

Business groups using government connections to enrich themselves by hurting everyone else. Makes you just want to break into “O Holy Night,” doesn’t it?

Hopefully, the Crony Capitalists in the Obama Administration have gone too far this time, and public backlash will force Congress to shut down the Christmas Tree Promotion Board and repeal the single stupidest tax of all time. I will soon offer an amendment on the Senate floor to do just that.

All I want for Christmas is a free market.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bhousda; christmas; christmastrees; christmastreetax; demint; obama; tax
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To: Zakeet

They think that too many trees are cut down for this holiday. They’re just trying to save trees.


21 posted on 11/09/2011 11:07:54 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: Zakeet

Why aren’t libs screaming about separation of church and state?


22 posted on 11/09/2011 11:07:54 AM PST by TexasCajun (Fast & Furious , Solyndra & Light Squared would be enough to impeach any White President !!)
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To: Zakeet
The Grinch of the Year award will go to Zero and Any MORON who will vote on this TAX!!

I don't need a CHRISTMAS TREE TAX...you anti-christian ISLAMIC MARXIST!!!

23 posted on 11/09/2011 11:11:31 AM PST by ExCTCitizen (Cain/West 2012....what would the RACISTS LIBERALS say???)
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To: Zakeet
Guess that means everyone will buy a Winter Solstice Holiday Tree instead.

Psst. Hey bud. C'mere. Wanna buy a tree? Widout da tax?

24 posted on 11/09/2011 11:11:37 AM PST by N. Theknow (Idi Obama = Just your everyday, ordinary, 3rd World Dictator)
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To: PieterCasparzen
No, the tax is money being confiscated to fund UNNEEDED and UNCONSTITUTIONAL government services.

One of the goals of the communist movement is to do away with all American traditions.

I don't think this is about "helping" Christmas tree farms. This is about eventually doing away with Christmas tree farms. The communists now have their heads in the tent. They now own the Christmas tree business. It's 15 cents today, but a couple of years from now, it'll be 15 dollars. People will have to stop using Christmas trees, because they'll be too expensive.

Think about who we're dealing with here. See the bigger picture. The left hates Christmas. It's an evil, intolerant, religious holiday, and the tree is it's symbol. All of a sudden, it's so important, a tax is needed to save it ??? Yeah. Right. The left loves Jesus Christ. They always have - NOT.

25 posted on 11/09/2011 11:12:46 AM PST by concerned about politics ("Get thee behind me, Liberal")
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To: TexasCajun

Raising taxes is their religion so this is not considered church and state, it is state and state.


26 posted on 11/09/2011 11:14:07 AM PST by kempster
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To: Zakeet

Sen. DeMint vows to repeal 15-cent Christmas tree tax

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/192659-demint-blasts-obama-administration-for-christmas-tree-tax


27 posted on 11/09/2011 11:14:46 AM PST by Java4Jay
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To: Zakeet

Update: The tax has been DELAYED due to public pressure/ridicule. Obama: Antichrist or Muslim? You make the call!


28 posted on 11/09/2011 11:14:58 AM PST by Genoa (Starve the beast.)
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To: concerned about politics

Obama is now ‘delaying’ the tax. Rush is reporting he’s dropping the idea after Rush reported on it minutes ago.... lol

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/obama-administration-to-delay-new-15-cent-christmas-tree-fee/


29 posted on 11/09/2011 11:15:55 AM PST by Kent C
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To: albie

Nope, I found this on Drudge yesterday evening, later I found evidence that this is part of a USDA check-off program for the Christmas Tree Growers. It does however bring up the question if that type of arrangement is even legal. It has been tested 3 times previously in court and upheld, but the actual question is it legal to force a grower to pay a fee they do not opt-into is still not resolved.

It appears this has been in the making since 2008.

I loath Obozo, but am not sure this originated with him. Wished I could say it did.


30 posted on 11/09/2011 11:18:38 AM PST by Texas Fossil (Government, even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one)
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To: Zakeet

My bet is administrative and regulatory cost will far outweigh the 15 cents collected.

Bigger government running up more deficits, Merry Christmas.


31 posted on 11/09/2011 11:23:51 AM PST by Java4Jay
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To: Zakeet

Re; comparison of the First Frump to the grinch- clever!


32 posted on 11/09/2011 11:28:54 AM PST by patriot08 (TEXAS GAL- born and bred and proud of it!)
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To: Java4Jay

Agreed. Yep, once the government got involved with their 15 cent tax, they some stupid government person would start thinking, hey since we are involved with this, we need to further regulate the Christmas tree industry. Voila, there you go! Just like health care, higher Christmas tree prices.


33 posted on 11/09/2011 11:32:31 AM PST by mtrott
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To: Zakeet
After 6 days of watching the Obamistas use blond white women to try to take down a black man (Herman Cain) Obama found himself out there being tarred with a NEW TAX ON CHRISTMAS TREES.

Yup, he figured that out first ~ onliest way to get out was PUT A STOP TO IT, and he did. But what does he do when they bring the blond white women to darken his door?

i think we can see the bare still borning outlines of the Democrat scheme to destroy Obama ~ first a couple of executive orders that look a bit over the line, then an administratively rendered tax on Christmas trees (at Christmas), next he'll be accused of doing something like abusing bunnies, or maybe pumping Carbon Monoxide into the "Occupy......" tents ~ (that is, killing his own front line constituents).

It's going to be horrible, and terribly ham handed.

34 posted on 11/09/2011 11:35:39 AM PST by muawiyah
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To: concerned about politics
People will have to stop using Christmas trees, because they'll be too expensive.

If the goal is to remove Christmas trees to attack Christmas (and they love doing that) I believe it come about by making it cost prohibitive to grow or import Christmas trees.

Perhaps to get around new laws/taxes/fees, the growers, importers, sellers will have to avoid identifying the product as "Christmas Trees" since that is what is being targeted.

and then you have "Holiday Trees" for the "Holiday Season"

35 posted on 11/09/2011 11:35:56 AM PST by NativeSon
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To: Zakeet

LMAO........I seriously need some oxygen to help me breath. That is toooooooooooooooooooooooo freakin funny.


36 posted on 11/09/2011 11:37:45 AM PST by simplesimon (Never kick a cow turd on a hot day ~ Hank Williams Jr on the Glenn Beck radio show 10-12-2011)
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To: Zakeet; mancini

Unfortunately, this is not a laughing matter. Christmas trees are a symbol of Christianity (regardless of their pagan roots).

Can you say “jiyza”?


37 posted on 11/09/2011 11:38:21 AM PST by piytar (The Obama Depression. Say it early, say it often. Why? Because it's TRUE.)
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To: EagleUSA
I wonder if prayer rugs will be taxed as well ???

Only if used by white Christians.

38 posted on 11/09/2011 11:42:57 AM PST by SampleMan (Feral Humans are the refuse of socialism.)
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To: PieterCasparzen

But, but... it’s a NATIONAL solution to a NATIONAL problem!


39 posted on 11/09/2011 11:53:53 AM PST by pingman (Durn tootin'; I like Glock shootin'!)
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To: Zakeet

Over 13 million trees will need to be sold to collect 2 million dollars. I bet the revenue target is missed, as always.


40 posted on 11/09/2011 11:54:46 AM PST by Cyber Liberty (Cain = National Sales Tax; Perry = Amnesty for Illegals; Romney = Obamacare forever. Who's left?)
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