Obama Administration to Delay New 15-Cent Christmas Tree ‘Fee’

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: ABC News

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is going to delay implementation and revisit a proposed new 15 cent fee on fresh-cut Christmas trees, sources tell ABC News. The fee, requested by the National Christmas Tree Association in 2009, was first announced in the Federal Registry yesterday and has generated criticism of President Obama from conservative media outlets. The well-trafficked Drudge Report is leading with the story, linking to a blog by David Addington, a former top aide to then-Vice President David Addington, at the conservative Heritage Foundation assailing the president thus: “The economy is barely growing and nine percent of the American people have no jobs. Is a new tax on Christmas trees the best President Obama can do? And, by the way, the American Christmas tree has a great image that doesn’t need any help from the government.”

The National Christmas Tree Association says the fee would fund a program “designed to benefit the industry and will be funded by the growers” and is “not expected to have any impact on the final price consumers pay for their Christmas tree.” According to the Federal Registry, the proposed Christmas Tree Promotion Board, which would be funded by the new fee, would launch a “program of promotion, research, evaluation, and information designed to strengthen the Christmas tree industry’s position in the marketplace; maintain and expend existing markets for Christmas trees; and to carry out programs, plans, and projects designed to provide maximum benefits to the Christmas tree industry” and to “enhance the image of Christmas trees and the Christmas tree industry in the United States.”

White House spokesman Matt Lehrich told ABC News that despite some media coverage, “I can tell you unequivocally that the Obama Administration is not taxing Christmas trees. What’s being talked about here is an industry group deciding to impose fees on itself to fund a promotional campaign, similar to how the dairy producers have created the ‘Got Milk?’ campaign.”

Nonetheless, the criticisms have apparently had an impact as the program is now being delayed.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/obama-administration-to-delay-new-15-cent-christmas-tree-fee/

[sinkingfeeling]

1. If it isn't a tax, but an industry fee, then the Obama Administration isn't delaying anything.

[Ian David]

2. Good Grief: Debunking The Myth Of The Obama Christmas Tree Tax

Good Grief: Debunking The Myth Of The Obama Christmas Tree Tax

Fox News and right wing media have claimed that Obama is taxing Christmas trees, but according to the National Christmas Tree Association there is no tax, just an industry regulated fee used for marketing and research.

<snip>

Carlson claimed that Obama was adding a Christmas tree tax for the holidays, and that the government was grinching fifteen cents out of your pocket on the sale of each tree.

This may come as a surprise, but none of Carlson’s claims are true. Media Matters did some digging and found that the Christmas tree industry is starting their own Checkoff program.

<snip>

Under the authority of the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1995 the USDA oversees the formation of Checkoff organizations. The purpose of establishing a Checkoff is to promote the agricultural commodity with the intent of expanding markets and increasing demand. Checkoff programs also provide funding for research.

<snip>

The live tree industry is advocating for this fee so that they can compete against imported cheap artificial trees, “Keeping the Real Tree industry viable in the face of imported fake trees is the challenge. A National marketing program with increased funding available for industry research is promising. If not through a Checkoff Program, then how?”

More:
http://www.politicususa.com/en/obama-christmas-tree-tax

[Angry Dragon]

3. Why should the government be involved at all

Can't the industry set up their own organization??

[mike_c]

4. Tempest, let me introduce you to my friend, Teapot....

:shrug:

[HillWilliam]

16. Perzaktly

The industry is asking for a measly $.15 on a tree.

As for me, I never could understand the reasoning behind killing something in order to celebrate what's supposed to be a season of life.

Every bit of that is (of course) lost on the nutwingers who (of course) won't miss a chance to play the wounded victims.

[ProSense]

5. Tree Farmers Blast ‘Sinister’ ‘Smear’ Of ‘Obama’s Christmas Tree Tax’

Tree Farmers Blast ‘Sinister’ ‘Smear’ Of ‘Obama’s Christmas Tree Tax’

Ryan J. Reilly

No, America, President Obama didn’t impose a 15-cent tax on Christmas trees because he “Hates Christians,” or because he’s keen to launch another front in the War on Christmas. Christmas tree growers had the plan all along.

Remember those “Got Milk?” and “Beef, It’s What’s For Dinner” ads? Well, Christmas tree farmers and retailers thought those are pretty nifty. Plus, with more and more people buying artificial trees instead of the natural ones, they wanted to protect their brand. So three years ago — before Obama took office — a group of them started studying the pluses and minuses of starting a so-called “checkoff promotion and research program” of their very own.

“It has absolutely nothing to do with Obama, it’s not a tax,” National Christmas Tree Association spokesman Rick Dungey told TPM. “I’m slowly but surely narrowing down who the culprits are who put out that sinister little statement for whatever reasons there were.”

<...>

“This program was requested by the industry in 2009 and has gone through two industrywide comment periods during which 565 comments were submitted from interested parties,” the National Christmas Tree Association said in a statement, adding that nearly 90 percent of the state and multi-state associations who commented on the program supported it.

more

[Roland99]

14. I knew I'd find a post of reason up here. Thanks.

[harun]

6. I've seen the wingnuts on Facebook all over this one.

[K Gardner]

12. yup.. it's been nuts

[russspeakeasy]

7. WTF ?

[rocktivity]

8. If you can't afford to pay fifteen cents extra for a fresh-cut Christmas tree

then you can't AFFORD a fresh-cut Christmas tree!

:eyes:
rocktivity

[Gormy Cuss]

9. By delaying the implementation of this fee, the administration looks like it's caving

only because Drudge and his ilk whipped up the uninformed into a frenzy over the "Obama Christmas tree tax."
Win-win for the right wing spinsters.

[pinboy3niner]

10. Artificial War On Christmas Campaign Launches Fake Obama "Christmas Tree Tax"

Source: Media Matters

November 09, 2011 12:38 am ET by Jeremy Holden


Right-wing media figures are accusing the Obama administration of seeking to impose a tax on Christmas trees; but the Christmas tree industry has been working since 2008 -- before President Obama was elected -- to partner with the Department of Agriculture and establish a marketing campaign funded by tree growers in order to promote the sale of fresh Christmas trees.

On November 8, the Federal Register published a rule establishing a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture "to strengthen the position of fresh cut Christmas trees in the marketplace and maintain and expand markets for Christmas trees within the United States":

...


Led by the Drudge Report and Fox Nation, right-wing media figures immediately leaped on the rule, calling it President Obama's "Christmas tree tax":






Gateway Pundit blogger Jim Hoft said the "Christmas Tree Tax" illustrated that "Barack Obama hates Christians."


Far from a tax initiated by the Obama administration, the proposal to create an assessment on tree growers to fund a research and promotion program through the USDA was begun by the industry during the Bush administration.

...


http://mediamatters.org/blog/201111090001

[jdadd]

11. They'r Off and running.......

Let the War on Christmas begin....

[JJW]

13. How much of that

goes to "free speech" in the form of money into the re-elect O campaign?

[leftyohiolib]

15. David Addington, a former top aide to then-Vice President David Addington

when did addington become a v.p.?

[Uncle Joe]

18. A freudian slip by ABC, they knew Cheney was the real top dog of that maladministration,

so his Attorney of Outlaw; promoting torture and war crimes would've been the real Vice-President.

[leftyohiolib]

19. guess they just eliminated the middle man

[Uncle Joe]

20. Bush's job was to fetch them their tea and try not to drool in it. n/t

[Dallas Dem]

17. Why does he continue.............

.........to let these pathological liars dictate the way he acts?

Here's another example of Obama bowing to the likes of that POS Drudge, and accomplishing nothing but making himself look guilty of having done something wrong and weak.

This type of response by the WH only emboldens these right-wing morons to come up with an even more-outrageous claim the next time.

LEAD Obama!

Get the facts out.

Call them on their BS.

Move ahead with the agenda.

We should be laughing at these people, because this is all they got. Instead, we are now delaying the program, so as to give it a second look.

Good god, almighty........this is a pathetic waste of time.

[JNinWB]

21. I wonder how many tree growers and sellers are GOTPers?

You know, Chamber of Commerce, small business-owner types.

They were probably aghast at the right-wing, Obama hating criticism that capsized their marketing plan.

[underpants]

22. Read this at lunch and laughed - bad headline leads to RW talk radio fodder

it is an internal industry fee created by lobbyists

[Islandlife]

23. What does the USDA have to do with a fee implemented by the National Christmas Tree Association?

I suppose this regulation by the USDA is used to control price fixing. Although delayed for now, it will be revisited. It's a waste of time. Let the fee be imposed and let consumers decide with their pocket books. The 1% is regulating Christmas.