When government provides your healthcare, suddenly stuff like this is their business. They take care of you! The costs are their business!

Conservatism is why we have Obama, Einstein. Young people are increasingly insulted by ignorance and lies regarding marijuana and they don't give a damn about gay people. Conservatives in the USA support foreign aggression. Conservatives in the USA support the Federal Reserve robbing the American people. Conservatives in the USA support bailouts and cronyism. They're not exactly an alternative to Obama; they're just like him in most ways.

> East wrote:

> Not sure this has to do with conservatism or not really. E.g. if the entire EU implemented a fat tax it would be a lot more difficult for individual Danes to avoid the fat tax.

You think Danes went across the border for their fries?

If you ruled a country, would you want your people to be overweight and therefore less productive and a more costly to the health care system?

Although, I don't think restricting the supply of sugar is the answer. A better answer would be "If you are not reasonably pro-active with respect to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, then you will pay more taxes." Regarding the latter, I think it's fair. After all, people who live unhealthy lifestyles and expect the health care system to care for them are free riders, and free riders are parasites. That said, it can be argued that universal health care actually causes free riding, so resources would be better distributed in a free-market system.

I just want to add to the argument against Justinian that enforcing his proposal would actually require the IRS to perform physical examinations of individuals as part of their audits.  "Okay, now that we're done examining your books, we need to check your blood pressure."

Kill fatties, burn them for fuel.