Posted on 04/02/2009 8:53:07 PM PDT by T.L.Sink
The largest increase in tobacco taxes took effect despite Obama's promises not to raise taxes on families earning under $250,000 or individuals under $200,000. He repeatedly vowed "you will not see any of your taxes increase one single dime." Now in office, Obama who stopped smoking but has admitted he slips now and then, signed a law raising the tobacco tax nearly 62 cents on a pack of cigarettes to $1.01. Other tobacco products saw similarly steep increases. "No one making less than $250,000 under Barack Obama's plan will see not one single penny of their tax raised," Joe Biden said, "whether its their capital gains tax, their income tax, investment tax, ANY tax." The latest federal tax increase is by far the largest since its introduction in 1951.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
The expanded SCHIP bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on Feb 4 Raises the FET (Federal Excise Tax) on Roll Your Own tobacco to $24.78 per pound, a $23.68 INCREASE!
Yeah, thanks Obama, glad to know that I’ll be looking for that extra big check in the mail so I too can be over $250k a year for my family... Like that’s going to happen. A $13 bag of tobacco has jumped to over $37 a bag, just because of these new taxes. Tried to buy a few months worth of stock before the tax increase, but alas, RYOcigarettes didn’t bother to tell me they sold out, or offer an option to purchase something else. Oh well, got at least a month’s worth, and who knows, by then, maybe I’ll just quit.
The black market is going to THRIVE!
PING!
If you still smoke now and then you didn't stop smoking. Cut back, yes. Stopped, no.
No level of gov’t., state or federal should be allowed to tax behavior that it disapproves of.
I live in Georgia and they have added their own little tax to cigarettes too. I changed to the cheaper Doral brand years ago and was getting a carton for 24.06. Within the last month they jumped to 26.00 and then to 31.00. I have no idea how much they are now since April 1st.
A guy in front of me in 7-Eleven bought 2 packs of cigarettes and I know the total was over $15. On top of that our sales tax went up yesterday from 8.8 percent to 9.3 percent. Unfortunately more is coming our way.
Washington state here too. Saw on the news that just all of the taxes on a pack was $6. I couldn’t believe it! Then was wondering if they meant for a carton. Obviously not. (I quit a long time ago when the jump from $1 to a $1.50 was a big deal. Which, at 50% increase - it was!)
I hope so. Smuggling and black market trade is a great American tradition going back to Colonial America when citizens were faced with a tyrannical government. Right now we’re hearing about the “tea parties.” That’s an example that goes back to colonial Boston that was an example of this sort of rebellion against British tyranny.
I agreed with her observation, and added that I find it strange that the tax on alcohol, gas, and even the state lotteries, seem to disproportionally target the very people of whom the "do good" party claims to be protecting.
I often wonder just how much of the limited resources of the working Poor in this country is being sucked up by certain taxes, so that they can be recycled into welfare, food stamps, section 8, medicaid, ect, and the so called poor aren't even aware of their contributions?
You gotta give it to the Democrats, because while they have there arm around the poor, and their hand in our pockets, they have their other hand in the pockets of the poor as well.
The sad thing is, while we know what's going on, they don't have a clue, and wouldn't be convinced of it by anyone.
The so-called “sin” taxes are just phony. The government is singling out specific products and users of those LEGAL products to punish them with confiscatory taxation. The revenues raised also never (or very little does) go for the purposes thar were the excuse for enacting these taxes. For example, our huge gasoline taxes are supposed to be only for highway and road maintenance and construction. We should have highways paved with gold if that were the case. But the funds are always diverted. The Social Security trust fund is another example. It goes on and on.
Great photo! It reminds me of a black Humphrey Bogart in Casa Blanca. I guess it’s more accurately Obama in a White House closet sneaking a smoke.
NOBAMA: "I can make a firm pledge," he said in Dover, N.H., on Sept. 12. "Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes."
He repeatedly vowed "you will not see any of your taxes increase one single dime."
NOBAMA'S SHILL: "The president's position throughout the campaign was that he would not raise income or payroll taxes on families making less than $250,000, and that's a promise he has kept," said White House spokesman Reid H. Cherlin. "In this case, he supported a public health measure that will extend health coverage to 4 million children who are currently uninsured."
MR GAFFTASTIC: "No one making less than $250,000 under Barack Obama's plan will see one single penny of their tax raised," Joe Biden said, "whether it's their capital gains tax, their income tax, investment tax, any tax."
Now, who has the cojones to call them out on this? Don't look to the pathetic press.
I’m a very light smoker but here in Florida I went to some stores and all were completely out of stock because of hoarding and people panicking to save some money. The cheapest brand I found is Pall Mall but after the tax goes into effect even they will be about $30 a carton. Maybe I should go to an Indian reservation on my vacation!
I totally agree. They’re all liars and thieves. Rush put it best: “There’s a short expiration date on everything Obama says.”
Exactly right. And the biggest laugh is that the bill included some 40-year-olds as “children.” I guess that could apply to those who voted for Obama!
Snip...National health objectives for 2010 focus on eliminating health disparities among population subgroups (1). Closing the gap in smoking prevalence among persons of different socioeconomic strata will require comprehensive tobacco- control programs that discourage smoking initiation and promote smoking cessation among members of populations at high risk. Comprehensive tobacco-control programs at local, state, and national levels must ensure that their intervention efforts reach persons with inadequate resources and limited access to health care.
Who knew that "comprehensive tobacco- control" meant tax the hell out of 'em?
And it's a known fact that poor people people of "low socio-economic status" smoke more.
Interesting observations. Rush once made the point that because everyone knows that smoking can be injurious to one’s health, if they were completely honest (which government NEVER is) they would legally ban all tobacco products. But, government being what it is, they prefer to TAX it. In fact, they WANT people to continue smoking and purchasing tobacco products because they want the tax revenue! They don’t give a damn about health - THEY WANT MONEY!
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