Posted on 09/16/2002 10:12:51 PM PDT by chance33_98
Do you own a home? Does it have a mortgage on it? Do you deduct the mortgage interest on your tax return?
Let's say you're two years into a 30-year mortgage. What if the federal government told you that, starting tomorrow, you could only deduct half the interest? And that, in a few years, you wouldn't be able to deduct any of it?
You would've entered into an arrangement, with your finances predicated on a certain set of rules. Then, the government changed the rules on you. These changes are sufficiently severe that they might threaten your ability to afford your home.
Wouldn't you be concerned, just like these farmers are?
The complex system of subsidies, quotas, incentives and penalties that constitute the "farm program" is a disgrace, to be sure. But it's no more "welfare" than your mortgage deduction.
There would go the idea to grow your own tobacco.
Another problem is how to pay for a buyout. Imposing a fee on tobacco companies or raising the federal cigarette tax are options, but a tax increase would be a hard sell in Congress, McConnell said.
And you KNOW where the tax would come from. They ain't gonna tax EVERYBODY, just the SMOKERS!
Gotta love that dry sense of humor on you, Loki.
Joe, people all over the country are growing their own weed
Yes, and looking over their shoulder every time a helicopter or low flying plane goes over.
Checking their windows every time a siren is heard.
I don't want to HAVE to do that if I decide to grow a completely LEGAL product.
If this was ever to be approved you KNOW they would take the wording to mean that ONLY certain people could grow tobacco, even for their own use.
How about imported tobacco? How would this be affected, or is this just in the States?
This is just the tobacco farmers in the States. Maybe just in Kentucky. I'm not sure yet.
You have FReepmail.
You ALREADY have to have permission to grow "backy" commercially. Farmers in tobacco-growing states have a certain amount of acreage that they're allowed to grow the leaf on, and that's called their "base." You can only grow, under most circumstances, the base you have. I'm not in the industry, but if I recall kee-reckly, the base is expressed in poundage. If you sell the farm, the base goes to the buyer.
And there is no prohibition on growing tobacco for your own use. It's an awful lot of work, but if you want to and you can get the stuff to grow, knock yourself out.
Michael
There is not, AT PRESENT, any prohibition on growing tobacco for your own use.
Let them word this thing just right and watch. It WILL be against the law for ANYONE to grow tobacco without a permit.
Yup,I want somebody to justify a welfare program for rich tobacco farmers to me. I have a cousin who rented out his gooberment-approved tobacco growing monolopy for $20,000 a year,and never even got his hands dirty. Hell,he didn't even live in the state where the family farm was! This didn't count the money he got for the rights to drill for natural gas or oil,or the money he got from sharecropping and rental. He was a millionaire running construction crews in another state the whole time.
Look at the guy in the story. He has 2,000 acres,and wants US to "buy him out". What he MEANS by this is he wants US to pay him for NOT growing tobacco. Hell,I've been "not growing tobacco" my whole life! Where's MY money? As far as that goes,what is to prevent him from growing OTHER crops on the land he had been growing tobacco on?
Because they have gotten it for generations now,and have come to expect it as their due. How else do you think King Franklin and the Dims bought votes in the south and other rural areas?
Exactly HOW have tobacco farmers gotten money 'for generations now' from the g'ovt??
Please be specific, and please only describe how TOBACCO farmers get money from the g'ovt.
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