When Will This Country Start Taking Julian Robertson Seriously?
As you may have heard, over the weekend, Denmark introduced a tax on fat. The measure is aimed at "increasing the average life expectancy of Danes" but obviously it'll make the country a little extra coin, too. Great for them, not so great for hedge fund manager Julian Robertson, who had to sit at home steaming over the fact that his idea had been stolen. For those who supposedly don't remember what we're talking about, perhaps this quote will jog your memory?
"I would love to be the Obesity Czar."
That's what Robertson told Erin Burnett in a live interview on CNBC last November. And yet, here we are, 11 months later, no fat tax enacted, no golden pointer in JR's hand with which he can go out into the streets and poke any “offenders” while offering a knowing glance as part of his official czar duties.
Obviously, he's miffed something fierce but as luck would have it, it appears we have an opportunity to make it up to Julian and to ourselves. Here's the deal: this country's finances are in the toilet, correct? According to JR's rough calculations, taxing fat would save us $1 trillion a year. It wouldn't solve all our problems, but it could help and it'll make a certain someone who sits home nights dreaming about ticketing Twinkies eaters who think they can game the system very happy. Something to think about.
