[TheSentry]

Please notice that Pipe Tobacco now taxed $1.0969 per pound increases 258% to $2.8311 per pound and that

Chewing Tobacco now taxed 19.5¢ per pound increases 258% to 50.33¢ per pound and that

Snuff now taxed 58.5¢ per pound increases 258% to $1.51 per pound and that
AMAZINGLY

Roll-Your-Own Cigararette Tobacco: [which WAS taxed the SAME AS pipe tobacco] was taxed $1.0969 per pound
INCREASES to a HUGE $24.78 per pound

This is a $2,244 % percent INCREASE !

This Excise Tax increase is arbitrary, unfair, and unconstitutional as it TARGETS a MINORITY.

It VIOLATES the equal protection clause of the 14th AMENDMENT barring legislation resulting in obvious tax-targeting or unequal taxation of any minority group of citizens.

There is case law upholding the fact that legislatures are
without power to impose taxes arbitrarily,
or, as a "privelege tax" imposed upon a legal product
in excess of some reasonable "percentage" of an established
average "reasonable market value" of the
product being taxed.

FACT:The 14th Amendment HAS BEEN VIOLATED by the enactment of this SCHIP BILL into law.

Please write, call, AND e-mail your U.S. Senators regarding the unconstitutionality of this tax law.

MORE URGENTLY: PLEASE write to EACH member of the
U.S.Supreme Court demanding a ruling on this
obvious move by U.S.Congress and the U.S.Senate
to IMPOSE TAXES ON A MINORITY WITHOUT THE LEGAL CONSTITUTIONAL POWER TO DO SO !
The 14th AMENDMENT to the U.S. Costitution
was written for just this reason. Namely, to STOP political majorities in power from
usurping their tax imposing authority
capriciously, arbitrarily, and for the intention
or result of punishing, controling, or manupilating
the free market access of Citizens of the United
States to legally sold products and merchandise.
ANY Federal regulation of legally sold products
DOES NOT DIMINISH the 14th Amendment's application

and equal protection rights of free access to and freedom from
federal and legislative
hindrance to access to such products.

PLEASE, everyone reading this, tobacco consumers
or not, write in opposition to this VIOLATION of the U.S. Constitution's protection from UNFAIR
TAXATION.

THIS WILL BE A PRECEDENT-SETTING CASE.IF we allow TAXATION to used in this way,
in the near future, ANY OTHER PRODUCT,
soda-pop,candy,bakery goods,fatty foods,fast foods, alcohol,beer,wine,etc.,etc. CAN BE TARGETED
as "HEALTH-RELATED" and IMPROPERLY, then,
connected to further TAXATION "for your own good" in some politician's OPINION.

The reason for Gov't. tax authority was
NEVER INTENDED" to be used as a means
to CONTROL or MODIFY the BEHAVIOR of any
free American Citizen.

Taxation revenue collected by Government
is solely necessary because
it is REQUIRED to pay for the reasonable costs
of operating the necessary depts. of Gov't. and for Nat'l. Defense.

TAXING one group of Americans to "help"
ANY other group of Americans is UNCONSTITUTIONAL, PERIOD.

W R I T E:

Supreme Court Chief Justice: John Roberts
and other Justices:
John Stevens,Antonin Scalia,
Anthony Kennedy, David Souter, Clarence Thomas,
Stephen Breyer, Sanual Alito, R. Ginsburg

ADDRESS LETTERS TO: Supreme Court Justice_________________
U.S. Supreme Court
1 FIRST ST. NW
Washington DC 20543

[BigLittle]

I wonder if “O” pays for his own 2 pack a day habit?

[Old Sarge]

If you honestly think that The Nine Old Men (yes, Ruth Bader Meinhoff is among them) will stop this, then you’re foolishly optimistic. They want to eat lunch at the cool kids’ table.

You must also believe in fairy tales, like a constitutional republic.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

Can’t we all just get together and toss it in the harbor?

[ozaukeemom]

ping

[callisto]

It sure is nice to support 30-year old children who aren't required to produce a Social Security Card. I believe Obama's statement at signage was, "This is a down payment on my promise to cover every American." In actuality it was a down payment to future illegal voters in the 2010 election, just like the stimulus package recently passed does little except except direct paybacks to 2008 campaign supporters, unions and ACORN. He is using Tobacco companies to fund his special interests. Odd for a smoker, but I guess the taxpayers are supporting his habit now that he is in the White house.

[Comparative Advantage]

“Snuff now taxed 58.5¢ per pound increases 258% to $1.51 per pound and that
AMAZINGLY

Roll-Your-Own Cigararette Tobacco: [which WAS taxed the SAME AS pipe tobacco] was taxed $1.0969 per pound
INCREASES to a HUGE $24.78 per pound

This is a $2,244 % percent INCREASE !”

So what does that amount to per tin of dip?

Sounds to me like this bill favors producers of cigarettes over roll your own consumers.

[mylife]

These nonsmokers dont give a crap what they do to us.
They are willing to cut their nose off to spite their face

[martinidon]

I don’t smoke so they can tax it as much as they want; however, when demand drops off they are going to have a hell of a deficit. A lot of State tax revenue comes from the sin taxes. I guess they will just have to pick another popular consumable item to tax, like milk.....

[walsh]

The reason for Gov't. tax authority was NEVER INTENDED" to be used as a means to CONTROL or MODIFY the BEHAVIOR of any free American Citizen.

So you're opposed to using the tax code to get people to marry? To stay married? To have kids? To go to Christian schools? To tithe? To own a home? And all the other behaviors needed to ensure a moral society. (which is the government's job)

IMO, some behaviors should be encouraged by the government.

[Bubbette]

I’ll never forgive Kay Bailey Hutchison for voting for this bill...one of 9 Republicans. She will never get my vote for Governor of Texas. Traitor!!

[spectre]

What's next? A hefty increase in the Beer and Wine tax?

[headstamp 2]

The idiot government and voters will also pay for it on the backside through increases in organized crime.

[Unicorn]

Does anyone have the list of these bozos so we can thank them.