Posted on 02/12/2005 2:20:01 PM PST by SheLion
This is nuts, if true. If states don't have federal authority to block interstate commerce, then what Spitzer is doing is unconstitutional. State and local officials can be prevented from enforcing these sorts of unconstitutional laws via suits in federal court, can't they? Are there any such suits in the works that you know of? And where the heck is Congress on this anyway?
From the article:
His office has also recently begun negotiations with credit card companies to block transactions of online cigarettes. These efforts were given added push recently as local officials from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives met with credit card executives to alert them to the various ways in which these transactions are illegal.
What various ways are the transactions illegal? I don't follow this subject much, so pardon my ignorance.
I'm about to read your link now. Thanks.
Me thinks I'll take you up on that suggestion Neets!
SL, please tell me that you are not serious in this comment.
When someone encounters opposition on a thread, they just pick up their marbles and go home??
Firebrand is a good and decent conservative herself. Just like you don't like flaming, neither do other good and decent conservatives.
Oh I GOT em. hehe Just rolled a fresh batch.
Ease off on Congress my lady, for after the strain of voting themselves a pay raise, nostrils have to be picked.
How many packs of cigarettes are in a carton? (I honestly don't know, and I'm curious.)
10 packs.
Today I paid $45 for a carton of Newports.
I don't smoke, but I grew up with a smoker (my dad), and I went on to spend six evenings a week for nearly twenty years singing in nightclubs where the smoke was so thick it was difficult to see through it half the time.
And guess what. I'm fine. Perfectly fine.
If anyone is going to "die" from second-hand smoke, it's me, and I'm not the slightest bit worried about it...so I think you can relax.
Thanks, Neets. (I am a dork, I know - but I really didn't know.)
That seems like a lot of money, by the way! I was just looking online after seeing this article, and prices seem to be much lower than that on the 'net.
"What's next? Will you be outlawing coupons used at the grocery stores?"
No taxes will be added before coupons are deducted so you will be paying taxes on money deducted from the total.
I should not give the looters this idea.:)
You are correct. Muchlower on the 'net.
A big part of my carton went to state taxes. Not sure how much..but I know i can get them for much cheaper on line.
But again, i'd have to report those sales on my State Income tax, so I am not saving anything.
That tho, goes for ALL online purchases I have made.
Well, it isn't personal that's for sure.
However when a poster pulls the pin and tosses a grenade my way, if they don't follow it to defuse it all I can do is launch a counter attack before it goes off and hope I survive.
Neets, we have come across so much hate and bashing on our smoking threads that it puts my 'fur' up.
Firebrand said the money was coming out of HER pocket. How? She doesn't smoke, so how can NYC's loss of taxes on cigarettes be coming out her pocket???
Her postings:
Most of the people ordering cigarettes online are buying them in enormous quantities and reselling them. It is $75 million in tax money they are taking right out of our pockets.
Ok. If she doesn't smoke, how can these taxes be taken out of HER pocket?
Why is it not my money? We are already up to $9 for everyone in the five boroughs. If they don't pay it, we do. (If she doesn't smoke, then how is she paying for it?)
but I choose not to die by inhaling other people's cigarette smoke. That's if I have any choice about it, of course.
Why does she insist that second hand smoke is a killer? There are many studies out there disproving this concept. Yet, she insists on believing the anti's spewing lies. And she lives in New York CITY for heaven's sake. Does she wear a gas mask when she walks around the city? The fumes from all those taxi's and all those vending vans???
The status quo is that there is a hefty tax on cigarettes. It is built into the budget. Therefore the money that does not come from cigarette tax has to come from somewhere else. I don't think I'm mixed up--just taxed enough already.
If she doesn't smoke, she is NOT taxed to death from the taxes on cigarettes.
This much is true. The cheaters will find another way.
We don't take lightly to being called "cheaters."
But I do mind when other people aren't carrying what is their fair share by law. That is one of the many little sociopathologies exhibited by New Yorkers.
Fair share of the law??? What is she talking about? Why should 25-30% of the people who choose to smoke a legal commodity in NYC be expected to pay the enormous taxes being imposed on them by lawmakers who have become gluttons?
It just seems to me that breathing is one of the most important things you do, and if you're breathing in cigarette smoke, you're doing that wrong. The idea that you are expected to breathe in carcinogenic particles exhaled by others wherever you go is one of the phenomena that will be looked upon in the future as, quite frankly, insane.
She judges us by saying that because we smoke, we are "doing wrong." That is her own personal opinion and has no basis for being here. We are going to be called 'insane?' Why is it ok for her to form her own nasty opinions about US and we, in your opinion, not expected to stand up to this? We are not Sheeple, Neets.
Nicotine addiction and common sense. Oh, and we mustn't forget libertarian extremists, who side with the addicts.
Nicotine addiction. There she goes again!
Well that does it. Since you admit that I am ahead, and I am tired of the abuse, ta ta everybody
Abuse? And that has not been her intention all along toward us on this thread? I don't know, but it seems like you want a double standard here. Your friend can come in and say whatever she wants, but the minute we stand up for our rights and our knowledge of all the hard work we have done with research and by trying to get the real truth out there, you come down on us. Especially me. Sorry you feel this way. But there IS two sides to every story.
Not to worry. Second hand smoke is not the killer the highly paid professional anti's would have you believe.
I often tell the anti-smokers: you go into your car in the garage with the door down. Run your engine for a half hour.
I, too, will go sit in MY car in an enclosed garage and I will smoke and maybe bring 7 of my smoking friends and we will sit there for a half hour in the enclosed garage and we will all smoke WITH the windows up.
I will bet any amount of money who comes out alive. Guess who that will be? heh!
I'm not comparing apples to oranges. I'm refuting your statement where you unequivocally said that "there is NO law that requires anyone to buy anything form the state or city they live in" which as I noted, is false.
I am only addressing your comment that you made about her having to retreat after she encountered opposition.
That's not the way to do things and you know it.
If that were the case on every and all threads here at FR, there would be many, many empty threads.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions, whether you or I agree or disagree, or agree to disagree.
It doesn't matter if Firebrand is my friend or not.
I am not sure where the written rule can be located here that tells one to retreat from a thread when they encounter opposition.
Have a great weekend.
Point taken, the key word I am refuted for being NO and ONLY, I stand corrected. I meant legal, and unregulated commodities. But should have said that.
Roll your own. :)
Amen!
Oh I will Mom. Thanks. You too.
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