The Christmas Tree Promotion Board: Update
I thought this was a joke…it isn’t.
Yesterday, the Department of Agriculture proposed the creation of the Christmas Tree Promotion Board.
And exactly, what will this new government entity do, you ask? Obviously, it will develop,
…new markets and market strategies, increase market efficiency and enhance the image of Christmas trees and the industry…
And, how will the government pay for this, you ask?
There will be a fifteen cent assessment on all Christmas trees cut in this country, or imported into this country.
Personally, I can’t think of a better way for the government to spend your money. Can you?
Update:
Late yesterday the Prisident decided this wasn’t such a nifty idea, so, sadly, the Christmas Tree Promotion Board has been axed.
14 Comments
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?Say it Jim………………………………”You just can’t make this stuff up”
The real kick in the pants will come when they realize that they can’t call them “Christmas” trees anymore!!? LOLOL!?
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I wonder how many millions of our tax dollars it will cost to rectify that transgression of political “correctness”?
First of all this was a proposal from the tree growers assoc in 2008 before Obama…they wanted this assessment to fight fake trees and promote the purchase of fresh ones.
Secondly, the christmas tree is a pagan, not christian symbol.
Another lie by Fox and Drudge “Obama’s Christmas tree tax”. Are we going to start this phony war on christmas again? Wake me in jan.
Who said anything about ?bama?? SOS said that ?bama axed (pun intended) the program!? Regardless of the origin of the symbol, the simple and Christianphobic problem is that you can’t say “Christmas” anymore without “offending” someone.
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Well, I am offended that you are offended!? 😉
Ahh, so some big lobby went to Washington and asked for the federal government to mandate a tax/fee on real trees to help growers market against the artificial trees. (Many small, family-owned growers were not in favor of this.) This is totally beyond the scope of the federal government, and the only reason it was squashed was thanks to Heritage Foundation and other conservative blogs. It had nothing to do with Christmas, rather the feds picking winners and losers again.
Next will be a 10 cent assessment on all Hanukkah candles by the Hanukkah Promotion Board.
This is just another symptom of the disease of statist socialism, the continuing drum-beat of “you can’t do anything yourself, the government has to do it!”.
There exists many Christmas tree promotion associations nationally, regionally and locally.
Thank goodness they are no the ball. The White House, our prez, withdrew the USDA intention to tax Christmas trees due to industry objections.
So, how about a tax on artificial Christmas trees? Or, a tax on Christmas ham and turkey?
Egads!
I can hear my father (who sold Christmas trees as a hobby) rolling over in his grave.
“the Christmas Tree Promotion Board has been axed” – Obama was obviously afraid Perry would “abolish” it in his next debate!!!!
Crystal, you’re right.? The Christmas tree originated in a pagan ceremony celebrating the Babylonian winter solstice.? The “god” Nimrod was believed to leave presents on evergreen trees.? Jer 10:2-4 “Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.” (King James Version).
Gee, I thought it was the druids who celebrated the solstice by sacrificing a virgin and fertilizing a tree…. the reciprocal of which is practiced by many Americans to this day.? Live and learn.
And anyway, Jesus was born in September.? However, the fact that it is a family celebration that does get some people to think of God and be nice to each other is, I suppose, better than not having it.? Just think it’s become such a commercial enterprise that it takes away from the holiness?and spiritual meaning.?
You all missed the obvious reason Obama Axed it. It would have been a tax on an everGREEN? Business.
haha murphy…..hahah plainville…..haha me!