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House votes to crack down on tobacco black market
AP ^ | 5/21/09 | NA

Posted on 05/21/2009 2:09:35 PM PDT by Drango

The House on Thursday approved tougher enforcement measures against contraband cigarette sales that make money for criminals, but cost federal, state and local governments billions of dollars.

The bill, which passed 397-11, is especially aimed at Internet sales. ~snip

Cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products could no longer be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service except in limited cases. Private delivery companies already have agreed not to ship tobacco products while the Postal Service continues to deliver products purchased over the Internet.

Misdemeanors under current law would be made felonies, and it would be a federal offense for any seller failing to pay state tax laws. ~snip

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives would gain authority to inspect distributors of cigarettes, and anyone refusing the inspection would be penalized.

(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News
KEYWORDS: cigarette; lping; pufflist
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To: Left2Right
So how does taxing cigarettes make it more likely that teens won't smoke? That makes no sense.

Taxing? The article was about distributing.

Well I'll answer your question about taxing anyway. Econ 101. As the price increases the demand decreases. Any other questions?

21 posted on 05/21/2009 3:41:56 PM PDT by Drango (A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
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To: Drango

So if the gov’ment doesn’t approve of one’s life choices, they should tax you out of existance? Very bizzar


22 posted on 05/21/2009 3:47:32 PM PDT by always vigilant
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To: Drango

why are Republicans in Congress going along with this?
Shame on you.


23 posted on 05/21/2009 3:47:37 PM PDT by element92
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To: JSDude1

My dern seeds aren’t coming up.
I’ve ordered an ecig.


24 posted on 05/21/2009 3:47:44 PM PDT by RandallFlagg (Satisfaction was my sin)
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To: bamahead

Its ironic that the same people who think they have some sort of right to smoke / grow Tobacco, don’t have a problem with jailing people who do the same with Marijuana.


25 posted on 05/21/2009 3:53:40 PM PDT by Doe Eyes
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To: robomatik

I haven’t yet, but I think I will (Tobacco was once used as ‘currency’ doncha know ;).


26 posted on 05/21/2009 3:59:11 PM PDT by JSDude1 (DHS, FBI, FEMA, etc have been bad little boys. They need to be spanked and sent to timeout!)
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To: Brookhaven
Overtax something and you create a black market.

Or make it illegal, & you will get even worse results.

27 posted on 05/21/2009 4:26:22 PM PDT by ChrisInAR (The Tenth Amendment is still the Supreme Law of the Land, folks -- start enforcing it for a CHANGE!)
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To: Drango

What, exactly, is good about this? Besides being another illegitimate exercise of FedGoon Power, I mean.


28 posted on 05/21/2009 4:58:17 PM PDT by dcwusmc (We need to make government so small that it can be drowned in a bathtub.)
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To: Drango

What is “cheating” about keeping what is MINE by right of having EARNED it? Which government tax agency do you work for? You surely do NOT belong here!


29 posted on 05/21/2009 5:00:24 PM PDT by dcwusmc (We need to make government so small that it can be drowned in a bathtub.)
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To: Drango

What about it makes it a good law in your mind? The entire issue of smuggled cigarettes would be moot if they didn’t tax it so much that it becomes profitable for criminal elements.


30 posted on 05/21/2009 5:00:34 PM PDT by zeugma (Will it be nukes or aliens? Time will tell.)
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To: Drango
Unfortunately for them tax cheat isn't a conservative value.

So, let me get this straight. Taxes are bad and conservatives opposed to taxation are good.

Confiscatory taxes directed at one specific segment of society are up for YOUR approval and anyone attempting to circumvent such targeted confiscatory taxes is bad.............

This is indeed becoming a bizarro world..........

31 posted on 05/21/2009 5:05:35 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco (This country isn't going to hell in a handbasket, it's riding shotgun in an Indy car....)
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To: Doe Eyes
Its ironic that the same people who think they have some sort of right to smoke / grow Tobacco, don’t have a problem with jailing people who do the same with Marijuana.

Nice try but you are trying to equate apples to oranges. Tobacco is a legal product, potato chips are a legal product, milk is a legal product, ammunition is a legal product.

Marijuana is illegal.......

I have the right to smoke tobacco because it is a legal product, I do not have a right to smoke marijuana because it is illegal.

You want your perfect socialist world? Make tobacco illegal........but you can't because your government is too damn dependent on the revenues from this product........

32 posted on 05/21/2009 5:20:04 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco (This country isn't going to hell in a handbasket, it's riding shotgun in an Indy car....)
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To: Drango; Congressman Billybob
it would be a federal offense for any seller failing to pay state tax laws.

A curious concept. Is it constitutional?

33 posted on 05/21/2009 5:45:43 PM PDT by sionnsar ((Iran Azadi | 5yst3m 0wn3d - it's N0t Y0ur5 (SONY) | "Also sprach Telethustra" - NonValueAdded)
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To: Drango

Go ahead and stick me there, too, you nanny bootlicker.


34 posted on 05/21/2009 5:50:32 PM PDT by 383rr (Those who choose security over liberty deserve neither; GUN CONTROL=SLAVERY)
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To: Drango

Add me there. also. In fact, put me at the TOP of the list. I insist.


35 posted on 05/21/2009 5:58:59 PM PDT by dcwusmc (We need to make government so small that it can be drowned in a bathtub.)
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To: Drango
I think tobacco is WAY over taxed and I don`t smoke or use any tobacco products at all.Whats so good about taxes,especially when leftists tax unPC things but conveniently forget the PC ones,tell me,where`s the rump ranger,turd burglar tax?They soak up a good deal of health care funds too.
36 posted on 05/21/2009 5:59:17 PM PDT by nomad
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To: Hot Tabasco

So you’re OK with the continued trashing of the Constitution with the war on some drugs, but you draw the line at tobacco? Interesting. And rather thuggish behavior...


37 posted on 05/21/2009 6:01:20 PM PDT by dcwusmc (We need to make government so small that it can be drowned in a bathtub.)
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To: 383rr

I enjoy being called a nanny bootlicker by those who pimp death or are addicts.


38 posted on 05/21/2009 6:35:36 PM PDT by Drango (A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
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To: Drango

Seems to me that you ought to read & absorb your own tagline!


39 posted on 05/21/2009 6:55:49 PM PDT by Bokababe (Save Christian Kosovo! http://www.savekosovo.org)
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To: Drango
Otherwise this is a good law and I hope it passes.

Sometimes I think you actually want a nation full of criminals.

Are you an anarchist, or just a control freak?

40 posted on 05/21/2009 8:04:00 PM PDT by elkfersupper (Member of the Original Defiant Class)
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