[CSM]

Looks like the Senate is trying to upset 25% of the voters!

[Semper Paratus]

This will put Soprano wannabees back in business.

[Sunshine Sister]

Sent my senators a note. Not necessary to do this!

[Orangedog]

Like they give a rats a$$ about 25% of the public. As long as the soccer moms are on board, everyone else gets hosed.

[The Great RJ]

I'm sure the mob is lobbying hard for this bill--it will surely increase their business in bootleg cigarettes. Ditto the Indian tribes who don't pay the white man's taxes.

[Gabz]

Looks like the Senate is trying to upset 25% of the voters!

no, it looks like the Senate is going to allow Philip Morris to become a monopoly at the expense of 25% of voters, because we all know from the expereince of the MSA, every penny of this tax will be passed directly to the consumers.

Smokers - start rolling your own, better yet - Grow your own!!!

[SheLion]

Dig dig dig.............they just won't let us rest, will they? Budget falling........sure.....put the budget on the backs of the smokers again. Most states are doing it, why not the Senators!

BTW, the Senators who smoke buy their cigarettes TAX FREE in the commissary. Why should THEY care!

And yes, 25-30% of their constituents smoke. I guess they think they don't need the 25-30%. They have another thought coming!

[Viva Le Dissention]

Big article in the WSJ last week about how Philip Morris was going around lobbying tobacco farmers to support FDA regulation of cigarettes. Apparently, Philip Morris thinks that if the FDA "approves" cigarettes, they will appear less dangerous to consumers. Philip Morris also has a supposedly less dangerous (healthier?) cigarette that has been developed for the past year or so which they have been waiting to release until the FDA regulates tobacco, so it'll have the FDA stamp of approval.

If I find the article, I'll post it up on the thread. Interesting reading.

[Calpernia]

Philip Morris has found a loop hole around this. They have been shipping cigs at discount overseas and selling them through websites.

One of which is GetMyCigs.com. They are registered in Switzerland and sell Philip Morris brands for approx. $7.00 to $14.00 per carton with free shipping.

I've been contemplating buying my cigs from there...but am a little leary about doing business like that overseas.

[VRWC_minion]

Smokers have become lower than pond scum. They need a makeover. Unless they show themselves to be as considerate of others as cigar and pipe smokers they will continue to be slammed.

This newest bill is simply a huge income transfer from smokers to "farmers". Its as unseemly as being mugged. The only reason that congress even considers it is because smokers, as a group, continue to be inconsiderate and darn right rude. Even worse than telemarketers.

Will they heed the call and act civil in public ? Unfortunately, for them and us all, they will not. They have no idea how repugnant their smoke is so they have no context in which to judge how their smoke effects others.

[Mears]

Are you serious? The senators can buy tax-free cigarettes?

[Pagey]

I hope Mitch "I am a weakling" McConnells kids (if he has any) grow up to be Men, not the kiss_ss that their father is and has always been. If for any reason he comes to California, he should be Freeped and I'll be the first to light up and blow smoke in his face as he gets out of his car, which is still public space in Calif.

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

Smoking has been picked on enough!Let's tax everything that is homosexually pornographic,health food and exercise equipment.Only a political coward would tax smoking.