President Obama’s Agriculture Department today announced that it will impose a new 15-cent charge on all fresh Christmas trees—the Christmas Tree Tax—to support a new Federal program to improve the image and marketing of Christmas trees.
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. The purpose of the Board is to run a “program of promotion, research, evaluation, and information designed to strengthen the Christmas tree industry’s position in the marketplace; maintain and expend existing markets for Christmas trees; and to carry out programs, plans, and projects designed to provide maximum benefits to the Christmas tree industry” (7 CFR 1214.46(n)). And the program of “information” is to include efforts to “enhance the image of Christmas trees...
Christmas is coming soon. Everyone will enjoy the fun with family and friends. Do you want to have an innovative and memorable Christmas? Look at this: strong a href="http://www.angrybats.com/79-discount-luxury-package-for-christmas.html" target=_blank Christmas gifts /a /strong . There is a big Christmas gift package, you can make your own Christmas tree with your family,and to give children the gift and gadgets they want. Although I am Chinese, but we also like Christmas very much! I has purchased for my child! It was worth: 21% savings and free shipping (you can choose a gift match and enjoy the benefits).Come on! Behalf of the Chinese people in advance bless you, my friends: Merry Christmas!
Hmmm, have I not heard of this before? A corporist economic system is collectivized by the national gov? Isn't there a good old fashioned name for this?
This is happening in such a systematic and absolute way, even the Christmas tree is not exempt from the absurdity. People are not buying the trees because they are losing their jobs, because ..... Same people who create the problem come in with a sympathetic grin and say they are now here to solve it.
Jim Lincoln wrote: Mike of NY, well it might be a job creation scheme, but if memory serves these boards are not governmental at all. Considering the competition the tree growers get from artificial ones (that's all I have (yeah I know shame on me )) I can see why a lot of tree growers would want it. Say I made the above comment even before I found this one -- Michigan Christmas tree growers left hanging as feds pull the plug on long-awaited program to promote real trees ---
It's not the feds job to provide a program to promote privately sold real trees so as to help them avoid competition "from artificial ones." Competition is what free enterprise is about. May the one with the best product for the best price win. It's the seller's job to do his own promotion. If he can't sell trees with his own effort, he needs a different job. What is this, China?
Mike wrote: A misspell is divine, John? That explains a lot, for misspelled is still misspelled when spelled properly. Who among men can understand these things?
Quite right Mike. And I still don't know what a dime is.
John UK wrote: Ah, it does one good to have a chuckle a day, and we can thank God that in his predestinating purposes, by his providence and grace, he permitted Mike to post his new word concerning the murchase of ChristMass trees, which murchase I will not personally spend one dime on, indeed, I will not be murchasing anything over the period, bar what I normally murchase...
A misspell is divine, John? That explains a lot, for misspelled is still misspelled when spelled properly. Who among men can understand these things?
Ah, it does one good to have a chuckle a day, and we can thank God that in his predestinating purposes, by his providence and grace, he permitted Mike to post his new word concerning the murchase of ChristMass trees, which murchase I will not personally spend one dime on, indeed, I will not be murchasing anything over the period, bar what I normally murchase to sustain life, which things be carrots for juicing and all such objects, such as petroleum for my old banger, and by banger, I do not mean that I drive a sausage, rather that my car is of such age as to make strange noises while driving, and causes me to pray, not that I could afford a newer car, but that my old sausage will indeed continue to get me from A to B safely and without stress.
Jim Lincoln wrote: If one is going to have a Commodity checkoff program If this was recommended by a Republican President, as I would think other checkoff programs no doubt have been in the past, the Republican Congress would singing it praises to the Capital Building's rafters. Since Christmas trees are a very seasonable product it of course would have to be applied now. It was just not politically astute to set this up, except oh let's say during summer? Yes, farmers have mixed feelings about checkoffs, but it is obvious (many of them good Republicans) support the idea.
Isn't it interesting how the dumbest ideas get put forth by self promoters in government? Christmas trees need no promotion, as the least bright among us can figure out. It's not a product one has to be talked into murchasing. Never has been. This was primarily a revenue plan for the purpose of revenue. A Christmas Tree Promotion Board? Of course that would require staff, etc. Come to think of it, maybe it's another of Obama's jobs creation ideas.
If one is going to have a Commodity checkoff program If this was recommended by a Republican President, as I would think other checkoff programs no doubt have been in the past, the Republican Congress would singing it praises to the Capital Building's rafters. Since Christmas trees are a very seasonable product it of course would have to be applied now. It was just not politically astute to set this up, except oh let's say during summer?
Yes, farmers have mixed feelings about checkoffs, but it is obvious (many of them good Republicans) support the idea.
This story has it all: the state's insatiable appetite for revenue, its avowed purpose of corporate welfare, & popular, lucrative religious superstition resembling ancient Ephesus (Acts 19).
Note well: The tax was advocated by the National Christmas Tree Association, an industry lobby I never heard of before. The tax is now being delayed, probably for fear of a backlash.
Trivia: the fir tree was popularized by Prince Albert; he brought the German custom to English-speaking countries. And Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" was/is very popular in the USA as well as the UK.
The RCUS(Reformed Church of the United States) considers themselves the 'Guardians of Orthodoxy' for all of Christendom. It must be true, as I read it in their Synod notes.
They proudly display Christmas trees next to their pulpits, how can they be wrong?
kenny wrote: I'm with Rufus. We haven't had a Babylon Bush at our house in 10 years.
Ha! There's always a way to make a buck when you're in guv. Interestingly, I learnt today from my art tutor that there was a time in British history when there was a "window tax". Those who were unwilling to cough up even more dosh to the guv bricked up their windows and paid no tax, or made their windows really small to pay less tax. Hee Hee!
Once again, I shall not be involved in the Christ's Mass nor its manifestations, which Protestants ought to be ashamed of getting involved with. Come out from the world, and get one step closer to renewing God's blessing in his people.
17
There are a total of 36 user comments displayed | add new comment |
COMMENTS | 
)) I can see why a lot of tree growers would want it. Say I made the above comment even before I found this one -- 
