Mexico and imports, an explainer

The president of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, has canceled a visit to Washington after heated rhetoric from the American president over a border wall he wants to build, which he intends to pay for by placing a 20 percent tax on all Mexican imports. So here’s where things get weird — according to CNN Money, 40 percent …

WHO: Tax soda

The World Health Organization is urging governments worldwide to tax sodas, as a way of combating obesity. Whether countries will take that recommendation is another issue entirely. You can read more here. Let the discussions of Big Nanny begin, but personally? I don’t think this is such a bad idea.

Is American religion really worth $1.16 trillion?

A new study published in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion says that’s the case, but this Relevant article says no. From the Relevant article: Their $1.16 trillion estimate is a staggering amount of money—something like 7% of the United States’ GDP. It’s also, on reflection, a somewhat silly figure. How do you possibly estimate …

A Conn. legislator is seeking to eliminate the tax on tampons

We say good on you, Rep. Kelly Luxenberg, D-Manchester, and your common sense approach to a basic human need. And let us refresh ourselves with a rereading of Gloria Steinem’s “If Men Could Menstruate.” And thanks, Kimberley, for the link.

He caved

On Friday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, in the words of one lobbyist, significantly rolled back his proposed corporate taxes, and he proposed the legislature allow him to cut up to 1.5 percent of any line item in the budget. Whee! The budget process in this state is pretty crappy as it is, and this just …

So the IRS sent me a letter from the future

It arrived yesterday, April 20, and was dated next week, April 27. Evidently, they haven’t received my check for my 2014 tax bill, which wasn’t huge and I’m not complaining, but it’s the IRS and you don’t want to mess with them so: I immediately called their 800 number and spent 10 minutes punching numbers, …

Just when you thought it couldn’t get more fun to be a girl…

…some yahoo suggests women pay a birth control tax, to help clean up pollution caused by birth control pills. At Forbes, Tom Worstall writes: I agree that this sounds entirely absurd, that women who take the contraceptive pill should pay £1,000 ($1,500) a year more in tax, but it is the inevitable outcome of the …