Posted on 01/12/2009 2:16:37 AM PST by nateriver
It is one thing to raise cigarettes taxes to discourage people from smoking, especially the poor for benefits to their health. I guess the democrats figure they can raise cigarette taxes and people will keep smoking so the government can afford to give these working poor people Health Insurance for their children. (Let’s not get into the 2nd hand smoke stuff). Is this making sense? Maybe I read the press release wrong!
I have no problem raising taxes on cigarettes. It’s an optional tax meaning you don’t have to smoke. My problem is what they plan to use the tax for - SCHIP. Declaring 25 year olds children.
T-shirt slogans:
Got Gov’t Insurance? Thank Me, I’m a Smoker
My Cigarette pays for your kids Healthcare
My smoking keeps your taxes low
I can’t quit~Thousands are depending on me
Support SCHIP - Buy a Pack of Cigarettes Today
Non-smokers are Selfish tax cheats
Smokers are the backbone of the American tax rolls
America NEEDS you to smoke
A Carton of Cigarettes Saves Lives!
Buy a pack of cigarettes per day - It’s for the children.
25-year old illegal alien children recieving extended extended unemployment benefits for the 3 quarters of work they put in waiting until they can get social security benefits someone else paid for.
All these attempts at behavior modification an/or control by the use of tax increases by the government are wrong and likely unconstitutional!
Make that 29 year old children... it’s called backdoor socalized medicine...
Maybe this comment doesn’t exactly fit this theme, but ....
Aren’t you peoples out there getting tired of the MSM running this country?
Congress, Senate and the Pres elect have nothing to do with what is being decided EXCEPT the MSM, we need to decide if WE, the voters are in control or is we need to have a ‘shadow government’ of reporters to elect.....
Sorry, still no sympathy for smokers. Quit if you don't want to pay the tax.
All these attempts at behavior modification an/or control by the use of tax increases by the government are wrong and likely unconstitutional!
No argument there. Although, when they are crafting these laws I doubt very much that they are saying, behind closed doors, that "we have to raise the tax in order to get people to quit".
It's more like, "We have to raise the taxes on this stuff because we know they WON'T quit".
We really need to clean out every Congressman's office using an exterminator and start all over. The federal govt is a runaway train with tax dollars stoking the engine.
I have a problem raising taxes on anything.
Well, they can’t have it both ways. Either the tax is to discourage their use or to produce revenue. And like a lot of things in life the two are at cross-odds with each other. If they raise the tax on smokes they will find out which of the two is true in reality.
Like so many things government does the likely actual outcome of the action is directly the opposite of what was intended. Ah yes, the tried and true “Law of Unintended Consequences.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.