Retarded Government, Retarded People

There is a reason why the word retarded is no longer associated with mental conditions. It is not just for political correctness. It is to separate the otherwise persons with pure intentions and noble heart from the less noble ones. The word retarded thus finds its way to disparagingly describe a people who thinks of and acts so little for others.

Time and again, our government has proven that they keep a handful of retarded people in their ranks. For what can be more retarded than a government refusing to raise taxes on sinful products like tobacco and alcohol but arbitrarily increasing the taxes and levies imposed on books?

Last time I checked, books are good for all people of all ages, gender, and social class. Indeed, books are the complete remedy to ignorance, apathy, and all sorts of other problems one encounters throughout a lifetime. There only downside? They are pretty expensive.

Tobacco? It kills. That is certain. Alcohol? Makes you dizzy and vomit at best. May induce you to kill or maim someone at worst. And depending what type you take, alcohol can either get you into thinking you were raped or you were having a consensual sex too. Their only upside? They come cheap in this country.

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Sin Taxes and Sinful People in the Philippines

The House of Representatives yet again stood up to its monicker as the premier HORE (pronounced whore) government institution in the country by freezing the needed increase in the excise taxes imposed on tobacco and alcohol products. By being a Lucio Tan and Danding Cojuangco lackey, Ways and Means committee chair Exequiel Javier of Antique should be ashamed of himself as he has dishonored the memory of his father, who is considered by many as a hero during the martial law years.

The urgency of increasing the excise tax on tobacco and alcohol has been certified urgent by the Department of Finance since the collection resulting from the proposed changes would yield at least 20 Billion, which will be used to cover a ballooning budget deficit. Revenue from tobacco and alcohol products has been steadily eroded by inflation because they are currently taxed on the basis of volume rather than value. For example, many of Lucio Tan’s cigarette brands are still being taxed at their 1996 selling price when in fact these are now being sold more than twice their 1996 value.

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