Allen West: Tanning Salon Tax 'Racist'

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) may support parts of President Obama's health care law, but he has a problem with the 10 percent tax on tanning salons. He told a mostly Democratic group of seniors at a retirement home near West Palm Beach, Florida, that he thinks the provision is racist, according to the Palm Beach Post.

"You want to talk about something that's really racist? They have a tanning tax," he said. "I'm not tanning."

It was not the first time a conservative has made the claim that the tax discriminates against light-skinned people.

At another event Wednesday, West blasted the Affordable Care Act but admitted he likes two of its provisions, the requirement that insurance companies allow children to stay on their parents' plans until age 26 and expanded coverage for people who have pre-existing conditions.

"The things I just outlined could probably fit in about 10 to 15 pages," he said. "It's the other 2,680 pages of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act that will be detrimental to the United States.

Like all House Republicans, West voted to repeal the entire law last year.

Sarah Palin and Nikki Haley have named West among their top picks for the GOP vice presidential candidate.

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[svalbard777]

07:07 AM on 04/13/2012

Looking at what is considered the mainstream of the Republican Party today - Allen West, Palin, Cain, Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Glenn Beck, Bush, Cheney, Newt, Santorum, Clarence Thomas, Michelle Bachmann, Christine O'Donnell, Trump - just to name a few - it's like watching a freakshow. Either these people have lost their minds or they're on some powerful hallucinogens. Seriously, the GOP has hopped on the crazy train and headed full speed toward Nutville. You can't even satirize them anymore because nothing anyone could imagine could be more bizarre than reality. It would be great comedy if they didn't have the power to destroy us all.

[Nita Felton]

07:53 AM on 04/29/2012

What a fool. Getting a tan is not a necessity, Having health coverage is. West is one of the biggest fool that I have heard of in a long time.

[12crunch]

01:21 PM on 04/11/2012

"The things I just outlined could probably fit in about 10 to 15 pages," he said. "It's the other 2,680 pages of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act that will be detrimental to the United States"
I seriously doubt he read all 2,695 pages. Neither have I, hence I'd never make such a statement. The tax on tanning is to discourage people from going and giving themselves skin cancer. Whether I agree with it or not since when is caring about peoples health racist? Is not supporting legislation that woman should be able to use their earned employer sponsored health benfits (which are a part of their compensation packages) to get birth control sexist? This guy will say anything.

[dalascby]

12:31 PM on 04/11/2012

More proof that Republicans will spew all sorts of nonsense in order to provoke fear and anger in people (propaganda tactic #1). Strong emotions like fear and anger often promotes irrational thought, irrational enough to vote Republican is their hope.

The facts on this particular issue is that "doctors themselves" lobbied hard to both Democrats and Republicans to have this tax added. Indoor tanners are over 70% more likely to develop skin cancer, which is a hit to healthcare costs not to mention...deadly. The Skin Cancer Foundation has stated that this tax will literally save lives.

West is a token puppet and a fool.

[Ken Ratcliff]

02:21 AM on 04/10/2012

This is the one guy who actually believes he's one of them. No...take that back.He's one of a few who actually believe he's one of them. The 999 man Herman Cain, Alan West. Armstrong Williams, Juan Williams, Michael Steele, Shelby Steele, But this one is taylor-made. He can't even find something interesting to talk about. Does the word "Irrelevant" come to mind. They must have got him out of a Soldier of Fortune magazine.

[fattrucker]

11:16 AM on 04/09/2012

i find it very difficult to take black republicans seriously

[Jced]

01:59 PM on 04/09/2012

Or Gay ones
Or Female ones
Or middle-class ones
Or poor ones
Basically voting republican is not in 98% of the American Populations best interests.

[fattrucker]

02:32 PM on 04/09/2012

or jews

[davidsherr]

10:50 AM on 04/11/2012

It's called Feeding The Hand That Bites You.

[Ralph Boyd]

07:11 PM on 04/08/2012

West says something stupid every few days now. I think Huffpo is the only media outlet that pays attention to him.

[Adonijah]

01:24 PM on 04/09/2012

LOL!

I am vowing NOT to click on another one...lol.

[southingtonian]

01:24 AM on 04/10/2012

when the Koch brothers say 'speak', the right wing speaks, no matter how irrational or ridiculous the script.

[Freedomaphile]

05:11 PM on 04/08/2012

Allen West, defender of whites facing racism.

And haven't those booths been shown to contribute to skin cancer.

[southingtonian]

01:25 AM on 04/10/2012

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/news/20090728/who-tanning-beds-cause-cancer

[DWM]

04:44 PM on 04/08/2012

He's so irrelevant.

[LONDON3]

03:58 PM on 04/09/2012

Sooooooooooo !!!! Dated haircut wearing, bs spewing ........ always TRYING to get attention seeking .....

[Phil Ochs]

12:43 PM on 04/11/2012

Actually, he's surreal. It may all just be some kind of performance art. Like Andy Kaufman.

[sunbeltvoter]

12:38 PM on 04/08/2012

Looking at it another way, if this is the worst criticism West can come up with about Obama and Obamacare, then Obama must be doing a pretty good job as POTUS and there is no reason to vote for Rmoney.

[Adonijah]

11:42 AM on 04/08/2012

I'll pay somebody $200 to muzzle this person. SMH!!!!

[donnablinger]

12:48 PM on 04/08/2012

Agreed!

[UKGAL36]

10:44 AM on 04/08/2012

The man is unhinged! Go away west, you not jealous much of Pres Obama? He is everything you are not: smart, good on the eyes, a gentleman, a scholar and POTUS

[Adonijah]

11:54 AM on 04/08/2012

Hear, hear!

[exitor]

10:44 AM on 04/09/2012

Right - a good looking gentleman; all the traits I look for in the leader of the free world.. what a joke..
Funny - no one ever described Churchill that way..

[Caymus77]

02:37 PM on 04/09/2012

All you picked up on was Obama's looks? How about Obama's intelligence(smart),his good manners(gentleman),his knowledge(scholar), and his being the first person of color being elected to the Presidency??

Contrast that with Bush.

[cloudmaker]

08:31 AM on 04/08/2012

What a stupid comment. Does he think a tax on makeup is wrong because men don't use it.

[Freedomaphile]

05:09 PM on 04/08/2012

The tax on makeup is sexist.

[jayx002]

07:33 AM on 04/10/2012

now now , i have seen many guys wear make up
if you go to the men section at a department store you, you will find make up for guys!
first time i saw that i laughed, but then i saw it was selling alot!
i live in TX now, and many guys here do their eyebrows and go to tanning salons

[Mr-Mikey]

07:06 AM on 04/08/2012

Geneva Conventions Violator, and War Criminal says what?

shaddup West. We don't need your commentary.

[Whoahox]

06:16 AM on 04/08/2012

It's now pretty ungentlemanly to comment on Allen West or Sarah Palin. Unfortunately, I'm not much of a gentleman. Do these folks believe that they are as well known as they have become because so many people think that they are smart?

[mollybeejay]

05:17 AM on 04/08/2012

"Sarah Palin and Nikki Haley have named West among their top picks for the GOP vice presidential candidate."

What a ringing endorsement. This will surely be the kiss of death for him.

[rickie007]

06:39 AM on 04/08/2012

it reallyh should be

[donnablinger]

12:48 PM on 04/08/2012

Let's hope so.