Mail Order Cigar Purchases May be Banned!

Mikes Cigar Newsletter ^ | 1-21-04 | Mike's Cigars

[wardaddy]

As early as tomorrow, the House Judiciary committee will be considering House Bill HR2824. In fact, this bill is listed to be considered for online mark up on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 at 10:00am.

Why is this important? Because its sister bill, S1177, which has already passed in the Senate eliminates your right to order cigars by mail!

It is critical that all cigar smokers email, phone or fax these representatives and request that "cigars" and "all other tobacco products" NOT BE ADDED TO HR2824.

A lot of you had problems with the email addresses in our previous email. Here is a revised list along with some fax numbers that were kindly passed along to us.

House Judiciary Committee:

Spencer Bachus, Alabama fax 202-225-2082 http://www.house.gov/bachus

Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee fax 202-225-3004 http://www.house.gov/blackburn

Rick Boucher, Virginia fax 202-225-0442 http://www.house.gov/boucher ninthnet@mail.house.gov

John Carter, Texas fax 202-225-5886 http://www.house.gov/carter

Steve Chabot, Ohio fax 202-225-3012 http://www.house.gov/chabot

Howard Coble, North Carolina http://www.house.gov/coble howard.coble@mail.house.gov

Tom Feeney, Florida http://www.house.gov/feeney tom.feeney@mail.house.gov

Jeff Flake, Arizona http://www.house.gov/flake jeff.flake@mail.house.gov

J. Randy Forbes, Virginia http://www.house.gov/forbes

Bob Goodlatte, Virginia http://www.house.gov/goodlatte talk2bob@mail.house.gov

Mark Green, Wisconsin http://www.house.gov/markgreen mark.green@mail.house.gov

Melissa Hart, Pennsylvania fax 202-226-2274 http://www.house.gov/hart

John Hostettler, Indiana http://www.house.gov/hostettler/ john.hostettler@mail.house.gov

Henry Hyde, Illinois fax 202-225-1166 http://www.house.gov/hyde

William L. Jenkins, Tennessee fax 202-225-5714 http://www.house.gov/jenkins

Ric Keller, Florida fax 202-225-0999 http://keller.house.gov

Steve King, Iowa fax 202-225-3193 http://www.house.gov/steveking

Mike Pence, Indiana http://mikepence.house.gov mike.pence@mail.house.gov

Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, Virginia http://www.house.gov/scott bobby.scott@mail.house.gov

F. James Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin http://www.house.gov/sensenbrenner sensenbrenner@mail.house.gov

Lamar Smith, Texas http://lamarsmith.house.gov lamar.smith@mail.house.gov

Melvin L. Watt, North Carolina http://www.house.gov/watt nc12.public@mail.house.gov

[wardaddy]

Does anyone know if Rush has picked up on this?

[sinkspur]

I don't think he has, but I haven't heard him for a couple of days.

I hear Rush gets his El Productos delivered to him, like George Burns did!! (wink, wink)

[Yudan]

Short Story. They're named for size. Classic, Signature, Epic....

My faves were actually the Hemingway Signatures - Lonsdale-size cigars - 6x42. Lonsdales are the perfect smoke, IMO.

[wardaddy]

I just noticed that the only committee members listed on this e-mail are all Pubbies.

I wonder if they have a voice bank at night or should I wait till morning to call or have they already passed it with the offending language inserted.

Rush should be trumpeting this from his damned stained fingers to his 20 million or whatever listeners. He smokes Fidels doesn't he?

[wardaddy]

Don't we have a smokers ping list around here somewhere.

Wish the King smoked stogies.

[Yudan]

Cuban Montecristo No. 3's may be the best cigars on the PLANET. Scored some at the Mexico City Four Seasons some years ago. Fine, FINE smoke.

[martin_fierro]

Been there already.

<|:)~

[ml/nj]

Maybe they weren't kept in ideal conditions

I buy from real cigar shops. (e.g. Hajenius in Amsterdam) It makes me feel as if I'm giving myself the best chance, and they're usually quite nice places.

ML/NJ

[Mr. Mojo]

Yep, I was going to post this last night right after I received a similiar email for my cigar source -- JR Cigar.

My state (WA) has a 75% cigar tax, so ordering from JR has saved me at least $100 per box (on Macanudos, Partagas, Fuentes).

I was surprised they alerted me to so late though, considering the vote was supposed to be today (although it's now postponed 'till next week).

[wardaddy]

I'm calling all of them. It galls me to no end we even have to screw around with this crap.

I feel better now though...just spent some time watching the Dem debates and some NARAL celebration on C-Span.....there are worse things than this but I'm going to let them hear from me.

[Mr. Mojo]

Damn these meddling peckerheads. Local shops will charge 10 bucks a stick unless they know the mail order wholesalers like Mikes and Thompsons or Holts can keep them honest.

Indeed they will .....and I'll be cutting back drastically if it passes.

Btw, I don't know about Mikes or Holts, but Thompson's is about 30% more expensive than JR, so you might want to check the latter out.

[Mr. Mojo]

I'll be on the horn with them for they next few days as well, expressing my outrage. My dad's po'd too .....I just talked to him and he'll be telling all his long-time cigar-smokin' buddies about this .......and you can bet the farm they'll be taking action as well.

[BurbankKarl]

hmm...

the Armenian Mafia has been busy in Socal ripping off cigar places.... there is a new headline every week!

[oust the louse]

I'm an H Upman,Fuentes,Carbonera(I love this cigar)kind of guy.....especially with a brewhaha.

[Cultural Jihad]

BTTT

[Cultural Jihad]

How so?

[wardaddy]

Mikes in Bay Harbour is the best source far and away for La Gloria Cubana.

Oscar Bourchin...the boss emeritus of the company is tight with El Credito in Miami and the Dom Rep. Mikes is actually run by some religious Israelis....hence closed Saturdays and Holy Days.

Lew at JR's in Statesville NC is the best on about everything else but for 5 or 6 years I've only smoked La Glorias or a handful of Cubans. Everything else tastes like grass...weedy. I used to like many Fuentes, Punch, Hoya Excalibur, Partagas, Padron all in particular. I sometimes smoke Bauza as well...another Oscar Bourchin connection. The La Gloria seconds called El Credito after the factory are decent and about 60% the price of the first label. Holt's is best for them. Mikes hardly sells them so as not to compete with the prices they can give on La Glorias. I think you can walk in to the Miami El Credito shop and buy too but I'm not sure they do mail order except wholesale.

I used to like the AF Don Carlos series too. Licencinados was ok too.

Now, I'm too far gone. I on occasion will smoke a Lars Teten but don't tell anyone please. And at deer camp, I'll pull out a pouched twist cigar for a quickie or a DeNobli.

I'm calling all those pubbies manana.

[ChefKeith]

Nevermind < /Emilly Latilla voice>

[L_Von_Mises]

I have read through the entire bill and the ammendments and I can find no reference to cigars. Am I overlooking something? The Senate bill refers to cigarrettes and smokeless tobacco where cigarettes are defined as:

`(2) The term `cigarette' means--

`(A) any roll of tobacco wrapped in paper or in any substance not containing tobacco which is to be heated or burned;

`(B) any roll of tobacco wrapped in any substance containing tobacco that, because of its appearance, the type of tobacco used in the filler, or its packaging or labeling, is likely to be offered to, or purchased by, consumers as a cigarette described in subparagraph (A);

`(C) any roll of tobacco wrapped in any substance that because of its appearance, the type of tobacco used in the filler, or its packaging or labeling, is likely to be offered to, or purchased by, consumers as a cigarette; or

`(D) loose rolling tobacco that, because of its appearance, type, packaging, or labeling, is likely to be offered to, or purchased by, consumers as tobacco for making cigarettes.

`(3) The term `smokeless tobacco' means any finely cut, ground, powdered, or leaf tobacco that is intended to be placed in the oral or nasal cavity or otherwise consumed without being combusted.'; This definition seems to explicitly rule cigars out.

It also does not prohibit mail order sales, it just states that you have to pay your local tax. As a residence of Virginia that would have no impact one me but would impact people living in most other states.

They use the typical "It's for the children" argument where it is really a money grab at taxes they are losing to sales from low or no tax states. But Liddy Dole is one of the co-sponsors and she is from North Carolina where JRs is located so my only conclusion about her is my first impression - she is a twit. (vent) There are a couple of online retailers that I buy my VSGs and Anniversarios from, which are difficult to find locally at times so I stock up on boxes when these few online retailers have them. So if it is a ban I would like to know for sure.

Basically, before I call my congressman I just want to make sure I have the correct interpretation.

[chilepepper]

Damn... it just passed.