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Understanding Anti-smoking
3/27/02
| TC
Posted on 03/27/2003 10:07:04 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
$206 billion. That was the pie in the sky settlement the tobacco companies agreed upon to end the legal wars and provide health care expenses to smokers.
States received billions of dollars to reimburse Medicaid costs and lawyers received millions for expenses.
Once implemented only a handful of states compensated health care related areas above 10% of their compensations. It became obvious that the settlement was never intended to fund health care.
Recently the Third Circuit Court ruled that states were free to spend their reimbursements as they pleased. It other words Medicaid beneficiaries don’t have any rights to the monies. Many states have spent nothing on health care (California, Nevada, New York…) and simply the state.
The lawyers haven’t quit their quest for additional gold mines.
Smokers continue to feel betrayed by lack of research...
States are supplementing chronic spending habits with money that isn’t theirs.
Destroying smokers freedoms will in turn eliminate unneeded spending and hurt our economy.
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: healthcare; medicaid; pufflist; smokers; spending; tax
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
The "Meathead Tax" on cigarette sales in Kalifornia was also promised to underwrite smoking-related healthcare costs.
So as a nonsmoker, I can expect a corresponding tax CUT, right? Right?
2
posted on
03/27/2003 10:11:17 AM PST
by
martin_fierro
(Mr. Avuncular)
To: Tumbleweed_Connection
Smokers have a choice. I know it is difficult to quit smoking, none the less it is still a choice.
3
posted on
03/27/2003 10:11:20 AM PST
by
thewah
To: Tumbleweed_Connection
In other words Medicaid beneficiaries don’t have any rights to the monies. I don't know if any state tobacco lawsuits named the Medicaid beneficiaries as plaintiffs. If they didn't, then these people have no "right" to collect.
To: Tumbleweed_Connection
Illinois is complaining that the settlement money comming in is slowing and is being reduced.(part of the amount of money is based on sales)
Welcome to the world of unintended consequences.
5
posted on
03/27/2003 10:15:12 AM PST
by
stylin19a
(Having a hard time meeting people ? just pick up the wrong golf ball on the golf course.)
To: Alberta's Child
"A first step towards reimbursing the state for Medicaid costs spent on treating Pennsylvanians with smoking related illnesses." - Atty Gen Mike Fisher
To: Tumbleweed_Connection
So the state of Pennsylvania was the plaintiff in that lawsuit, not "Medicaid recipients."
To: stylin19a
A big AMEN to that. Gotta love unintended consequences!
To: thewah
Smokers have a choice. I know it is difficult to quit smoking, none the less it is still a choice.Over eaters have a choice. I know it is difficult to quit eating so much, none the less it is still a choice.
Yes that is the spirit. Let regulate everyones life.
To: Alberta's Child
The suit was about helping smokers, I don't have time to query details. The smokers were exploited by politicians and attys for money and power.
To: Tumbleweed_Connection
Welcome to the world of the living.
Did you really think otherwise?
Do you think gasoline taxes go for roads? Or that a percentage of your phone or TV taxes go toward the kiddies internet and cable access in schools?
Just look at yourself....isn't that sheep shear marks I see? :)
Gubermint offishull (above)
We the sheeples (below)
11
posted on
03/27/2003 10:50:01 AM PST
by
G.Mason
(Lessons of life needn't be fatal)
To: Tumbleweed_Connection
Here in Taxconsin the state USED their tobacco settlement money (prior to that they SOLD their annuity payments for a lump sum) to help balance the budget.
As Pat Buchanan eloquently said, the tobacco settlements are nothing but government extortion of a private business.
To: Tumbleweed_Connection; *puff_list; Just another Joe; Great Dane; Max McGarrity; Madame Dufarge; ...
13
posted on
03/27/2003 11:05:49 AM PST
by
SheLion
To: G.Mason
14
posted on
03/27/2003 11:07:31 AM PST
by
SheLion
To: thewah
The government has zero valid reasons to assert control over that choice, and by pursuing this route they will put cigarette sales into the hands of organized crime. Tax revenues will (and have been) dropping precipitously after punitive tax hikes due to smuggling and other tax avoidance methods.
There should be some research out there somewhere on the effects of tax rates on tax-avoidance schemes. The basic, intuitive gist of them is that as tax rates rise, the incentive to avoid them rises, and tax revenues will actually fall at a certain point as the rate rises.
Bottom line: Anti-smoking is a vehicle for increased government spending and increased ability of ambulance-chasers to extort from corporations. One day soon those funds will run out and cause widespread financial crises in state governments.
15
posted on
03/27/2003 11:08:55 AM PST
by
thoughtomator
(Al-Jazeera is an enemy combatant)
To: w1andsodidwe
I'm not for gov. regulation.
My point is, people for the last 20yrs have known what dangers smoking causes to there health. With that in mind if they choose to smoke so be it. I don't think someone should get awarded millions of dollars for not heading warnings!
16
posted on
03/27/2003 11:36:14 AM PST
by
thewah
To: Tumbleweed_Connection
bttt
17
posted on
03/27/2003 11:39:26 AM PST
by
Mears
To: thewah
Smoking and stopping smoking are not the only two choices, newbie, but then that's the way control freaks always present an issue; either/or.
Since you're here, I'll assume you're not a control freak, so try to think outside the box here.
Close your eyes and think "Indians".
18
posted on
03/27/2003 11:58:25 AM PST
by
metesky
(My retirement fund is holding steady @ $.05 a can)
To: thewah
I don't think someone should get awarded millions of dollars for not heading warnings!How many of the BILLIONS of dollars extorted from smokers have been awarded to ANYONE? Not very damn many. But scumsucking bottom feeder attorneys have made as much as $200,000 AN HOUR for their assistance in that extortion. This is not about smoking, it's about POWER, GREED and the destruction of common sense in America.
19
posted on
03/27/2003 12:43:15 PM PST
by
Max McGarrity
(Anti-smokers--still the bullies in the playground they always were.)
To: SheLion
Thanks for the graphic "SheLion"!
20
posted on
03/27/2003 12:55:46 PM PST
by
G.Mason
(Lessons of life needn't be fatal)
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