Posted on 01/15/2009 6:25:33 PM PST by Kaslin
Entitlements: Democrats count on a deadly and declining revenue source to rob from the poor and give to the well-off. It kills private insurance and is income redistribution turned on its head.
The bill would provide $32.3 billion over 4 1/2 years to add 4 million children to the 7 million already covered in the program. It pays for the expansion with a 6% tax on cigarettes. A government which insists that smoking imposes enormous health care costs on society intends to use it as a revenue source for health care. Huh?
Smoking has been on the decline for decades, thanks in part to a massive government effort to discourage it and punish the tobacco industry for promoting it. Ever-higher tobacco taxes were intended to accelerate this process. That tax is in addition to state and local tobacco taxes, which are often hefty. These taxes are as high as $3.66 per pack in Chicago and $4.25 per pack in New York City.
As Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., ranking member on Ways and Means, reminds us, President-elect Obama promised that no one making less than $250,000 per year would see their taxes go up. This legislation breaks that promise. Obama has proposed "tax cuts" in the form of rebate checks to the working poor, then raises their taxes to pay for health care.
(Excerpt) Read more at ibdeditorials.com ...
30 year old children, that’s a problem on it’s own.
does it actually define children as 30 years old?
does it actually define children as 30 years old?
It’s a huge problem
Once the Jackasses figure out that they aren’t going to make what they need for their warm fuzzy programs by stealing money from smokers, they’ll have to switch the taxes over to fast food or something along those lines. The ‘RATS are hateful people. They want programs, they just don’t want to pay for them themselves.
This is a boondoggle of the worst kind. Socialism at work.
Still any tax on cigarettes is a good tax. Plus it gets smokers panties in a twist.
Still any tax on cigarettes is a good tax.That is just plain ignorance. There are no good taxes on anything.
What's next, a tax on white bread, sugar, meat, leather, square footage, too much money is good?
I'm not a smoker so don't even go there.
Bet it gives a jump start to the Grow your own (which is completely legal BTW) folks. Now that I think about wasn't there a whole group here on FR that growing and curing tobacco?
“There are no good taxes on anything.”
Negative externalities can be addressed by a tax. I’ll admit that taxes can be abused, but a cigarette tax is a good tax.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Externality
With your comments on this thread, I think it’s time you change your tagline or at least admit your liberalness.
No true conservative supports smoking.
I agree.
No true conservative supports taxing anything or anyone.
I thought this discussion was about raising taxes, which true conservatives abhor.
I did as well.
I dislike taxes. I dislike cigarettes more.
Oh, I see, tax what Drango doesn’t like.
Fine. So don’t smoke them.
What about the externalities of smoking? are you saying there are none?
I don't have a dog in this hunt.
Any questions?
Raising taxes is the issue. There are all kinds of lawful substances and behaviors that may negatively impact others, including many which can be instantaneously lethal even when used/acted correctly. It’s not a perfect world. Deal with it.
We have more costs from alcohol and the inactivity and overeating/miseating that leads to obesity.
There’s no need for law enforcement when someone smokes too much, but there sure is if someone drinks too much alcohol. Or if they have just a couple of drinks, then get behind the wheel of a car.
The problems we see on Friday night in the ER are much more likely to be caused by alcohol or eating more calories than you burn. (How many hours do you need to spend reading or typing on FR, when you should be exercising?)
On the other hand, the alternative minimum tax is a great example of taxing someone for having “too much money.” The deductions for home mortgages and just about everything else is severely reduced or goes away, along with tax-shielded retirement accounts.
The tax for earning too much and the loss of tax deductions for the “wrong” kind of charitable giving (the wrong church, school, or special interest non-profit group) looks like the way this Administration’s ideology will lead: Redistribute the wealth, and punish donations to “anti-abortion,” “hate groups” (that oppose same-sex marriage), and fees and increased regulations for home-schoolers.
Post seven. He’s getting faster. No smarter, but faster.
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