Violent videogame tax

Another fine example of a half-assed politician.

Wants to tax video games with a T/M/AO ratings, totally ignores music with Explicit ratings and movies with PG13/R/NC17.
 
Then, most of politicians should also be taxed, because their appearances usually cause more hate and violence then any video game :)
 
We can't make it illegal, so we will tax it so you can't afford it! Bloody hell, the idea of a "sin tax" is criminal.
 
LeninGHOLA said:
We can't make it illegal, so we will tax it so you can't afford it! Bloody hell, the idea of a "sin tax" is criminal.
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Hmm, I don't necessarily agree. If the activity generates negative externalities that aren't priced into the product, then that shifts the cost burden to others rather than the user. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigovian_tax

However, I don't see any negative externalities being generated by video game playing, so this tax is indeed bullshit.
 
TwistedAegis said:
Hmm, I don't necessarily agree. If the activity generates negative externalities that aren't priced into the product, then that shifts the cost burden to others rather than the user. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigovian_tax

However, I don't see any negative externalities being generated by video game playing, so this tax is indeed bullshit.
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Undefined negative externalities often slanted by what is perceived to be negative, or influenced by change in law. When social and market engineering interfere with freedom of choice, we ask; just how far should progressive collectivism be allowed to proliferate?
 
LeninGHOLA said:
Undefined negative externalities often slanted by what is perceived to be negative, or influenced by change in law. When social and market engineering interfere with freedom of choice, we ask; just how far should progressive collectivism be allowed to proliferate?
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I'm not saying take away the choice, I'm just saying price in the true cost of the activity, based on quantifiable data.
 
Kinda reminds me of NYC Brooklyn assemblyman Felix Ortiz who wanted to ban the use of salt in restaurants and impose a $1,000 to any restaurants that adds salt to their food or use ingredients that contains salt. This was back in 2010 and he even contradicted him when he stated the law was to give restaurant goers the right to ask for less salt (which they do anyway), but the piece of paper that the legislation was printed on clearly stated a total ban on salt.

Hey, everyone's entitled to their 15 seconds of fame whether it makes look stupid or not...

Also reminds of the 2009 NYC college student who sued Monroe College for $72,000 (tuition costs) because her degree did not land her a job... but that's a different story...
 
TwistedAegis said:
I'm not saying take away the choice, I'm just saying price in the true cost of the activity, based on quantifiable data.
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Yet this changes with what data the government has, what new laws are being put into place, and new information coming to light. Take a fat tax, for example - we are learning that a healthy diet depends on the individual, their intake of other foods, how many calories they burn, food allergies, metabolism and so on. Most data isn't properly quantifiable, unless using averages. This is always a punitive model to individuals who don't suffer from these health issues.
 
TwistedAegis said:
I'm not saying take away the choice, I'm just saying price in the true cost of the activity, based on quantifiable data.
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Then it shouldn't be taxed different to any other kind of entertainment, as there has been no correlation whatsoever between videogames and behaviour, good or bad. So the true cost is exactly the same, not "1% higher because it is violent!".
 
Does this mean that the tycoon series will get tax breaks for promoting buisness acumen?

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How come you are 50% more likely likely to die via traffic accidents than via firearms...yet they aren't trying to tax games that promote "dangerous" driving? Like NFS etc. :p Something which is also in and glorified in almost any action film... Wait does this mean that die hard will be taxed too?

Fail said:
Fuck this and fuck them.
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I'm guessing that you probably wouldn't want to...
 
LeninGHOLA said:
Yet this changes with what data the government has, what new laws are being put into place, and new information coming to light. Take a fat tax, for example - we are learning that a healthy diet depends on the individual, their intake of other foods, how many calories they burn, food allergies, metabolism and so on. Most data isn't properly quantifiable, unless using averages. This is always a punitive model to individuals who don't suffer from these health issues.
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Data and knowledge is always imperfect, yet we still need to make the best decisions possible. I'm not sure I would agree with a fat tax either, for example. That would be better suited to be priced into their healthcare premiums.

Revdarian said:
Then it shouldn't be taxed different to any other kind of entertainment, as there has been no correlation whatsoever between videogames and behaviour, good or bad. So the true cost is exactly the same, not "1% higher because it is violent!".
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You missed the part where I said that isn't applicable to videogames. ;) I don't agree there are negative externalities that need to be charged for.
 
I live in Oklahoma.

It's a squirrelly state with all sorts of weird stuff. Also, Oklahoma Democrats are probably closer to Republicans in most other states.

I'd also add that Oklahomans typically seek attention about as much as they can. Please notice us!
 
J W said:
I live in Oklahoma.

It's a squirrelly state with all sorts of weird stuff. Also, Oklahoma Democrats are probably closer to Republicans in most other states.

I'd also add that Oklahomans typically seek attention about as much as they can. Please notice us!
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I recently moved to Montana and can attest to the politics being completely wonky in between coasts. Most people in Montana labels themselves as republicans but it's pretty democratic here socially. We just don't have the issues with having heavy population density here so all the money comes from oil or state tax there's no real need for federal funding so being republican or democrat is kinda moot. We don't even have sales tax which is holy crap awesome. Everything is uber cheap.

on topic. dudes an idiot. Sorry you ran your state into the ground(guessing) and wanna tax something as stupid as games Prince John. Learn to manage your state & local revenue better ass.
 
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I'm not saying anything about anything (the dude's married and has a kid), but according to his Oklahoma House of Rep bio he's a former elementary school teacher and also a former nurse.

Statistically, that's gotta be pretty damn rare for a male to have both those gigs, no?

Also a member of the NRA? LOL.

http://www.okhouse.gov/District.aspx?District=86
 
Doesn't he state aggressive behavior being linked to violent videogames as the primary reason for wanting to add the tax? How did Jack Thompson eventually get silenced? Time to whip out those guns again.
 
I'll play devil's advocate, but who is to say something is violent or not? It's a matter of opinion. This idea goes back to the days of modernism movement in art - what is art, and what is considered such?

I can conceed that there are inherently "violent" games, but a lot of games are gray area. The one thing that gets me rolling is that games aren't marketed like they used to be in the 90s: magazines, commercials, free demos, etc. But yes now...now they want to create a tax system for his stuff.

Sometimes I just want to be like,..."life...get one"
 
I have to laugh at the hypocrisy of the anti-videogame crowd,they completely ignore the violence in other forms of media. Are they going to ban or tax slasher flicks or the multitude of zombie movies? Or the more extreme types of rap music? How about books,they could make a fortune off of Stephen King and company. Not to mention the granddaddy of all violent books - the Bible.
 
Fail said:
Fuck this and fuck them.
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This.

I don't even know why obesity and bullying even need funds to correct, parents should step up and be responsible and actually help their children with their issues, that doesn't cost anything!
 
J W said:
I live in Oklahoma.

It's a squirrelly state with all sorts of weird stuff. Also, Oklahoma Democrats are probably closer to Republicans in most other states.
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haha...Do you happen to be a Democrat that doesn't agree with this Democrat politician, so the only way you can make it make sense to yourself is by labeling him a Republican?
 
SBSuperfly said:
haha...Do you happen to be a Democrat that doesn't agree with this Democrat politician, so the only way you can make it make sense to yourself is by labeling him a Republican?
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Nah what J W is saying is typically true. It is why registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans yet the state overwhelming votes Republican for President time and time again.

Both parties also like to shove through legislation that they should know will get struck down then complain about the cost of fighting the matter in court.
 
michael.pa2 said:
I have to laugh at the hypocrisy of the anti-videogame crowd,they completely ignore the violence in other forms of media. Are they going to ban or tax slasher flicks or the multitude of zombie movies? Or the more extreme types of rap music? How about books,they could make a fortune off of Stephen King and company. Not to mention the granddaddy of all violent books - the Bible.
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I believe their argument is that only in video games does a person ACT to perform violence. In movies they merely observe, in books they merely imagine. The physical act has MUCH more influence then anything else.

IMO it's the parents responsibility and this is like them raising their hands up in failure. It's really sad.
 
Youn said:
I believe their argument is that only in video games does a person ACT to perform violence. In movies they merely observe, in books they merely imagine. The physical act has MUCH more influence then anything else.
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I'm not putting this on you, but it's incredible just how deeply retarded that argument is.
 
chockomonkey said:
Yes, thank you for saying it in fewer words than i would have.

Also--- LOL
william-fourkiller.jpg
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This dumbass should not be allowed to vote or pass, or introduce any legislation.

Thank you for letting me know what a dumbass looks like.
 
our government doing what it thinks it does best, societal engineering.... assholes.
 
TheGardenTool said:
Nah what J W is saying is typically true. It is why registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans yet the state overwhelming votes Republican for President time and time again.

Both parties also like to shove through legislation that they should know will get struck down then complain about the cost of fighting the matter in court.
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I think many "Republicans" consider themselves conservatives 1st and register as Independent.
 
TheGardenTool said:
Nah what J W is saying is typically true. It is why registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans yet the state overwhelming votes Republican for President time and time again.

Both parties also like to shove through legislation that they should know will get struck down then complain about the cost of fighting the matter in court.
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I think it's comforting to believe that the Democrats are good guys and Republicans evil or vice versa, but the forced clarity of recent years and the internet(you rock internet) has shown the waters to be a bit more murky. With how much more money is being represented in politics the concept of an altruistic representative is pretty extinct. I think when you run for office it should be the same as becoming a monk giving up all worldly wealth and ties. Is that too much to ask? Good then very few if anybody would actually want to run for office. The best would have to be chosen and not lured. With that I'm gonna get my coat and head out of this topic before I lose more access :(
 
SBSuperfly said:
I think many "Republicans" consider themselves conservatives 1st and register as Independent.
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Well the latest figures I just found in a quick google search says that on Sep. 15, 2010 the state's breakdown of registered voters was: 11.3% Independent, 40.3% Republican and 48.4% Democrat.

I would also imagine that you may be somewhat correct in your statement but also look at the flip side as the democrats in Oklahoma aren't your liberal democrats either. So I'd imagine quite a few of the independents are liberal and just don't align themselves with the views of the conversative democrats around here.

Whoops must have accidentally deleted my last paragraph but all it was is Obama lost in all 77 counties in this state in 2008. Overall it was nearly 2:1 for McCain with roughly 1.5 millions votes. 960,165 to 502,496.
 
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