Posted on 11/10/2007 8:15:04 PM PST by Bowtie52
Less than a month ago, Congress planned to ram through a tobacco tax that would have all but killed the cigar industry. The outrageousness of the tax they intended to levee on tobacco products was intended to be crippling. Cigarettes as well, were to sustain a .50 to $1.50 per pack increase. Ostensibly, this tax was to fund a health care package for children. The link between socialized health care for kids and tobacco smokers has not yet been made clear, not so for the intentions of Congress.
Recently, rumor has it that Mike Huckabee who has billed himself as the great hope of the Christians or Evangelicals or Right wing nuts or whatever label the press has assigned them this week, has publicly called for a ban on smoking in all public areas. While the merits of tobacco smoking are completely arguable, the term “freedom” is not nearly so nebulas.
While the Democratic Congress has made no secret of their intent to loose the war in Iraq, support the candidacy of Hillary Clinton and explode the concept or religion of global warming as an immediate threat, they have not been nearly as accountable for doing their jobs. So far, they have passed several non-binding resolutions regarding Iraq, surpassed prediction of the wildest, most obscene package of earmarks of any Congress etc. The problem is that, to date, they have yet to deliver the budget items to the President or secure the peoples business. It seems that anything beyond their pale of responsibility is plausible yet those things for which they are responsible are left to languish and take second place to party politics. Now, Congress seems to have focused their attention on smokers.
After re-reading the Constitution, there were no hidden clauses or sub-texts found that allude to Congress taking a position, one way or the other, regarding smoking. Since smokers have not united and claimed victim or minority status, the individuals who do smoke are simply individuals and as such, subject to Congressional steamrolling. Today, smokers are feeling the hot, foul and corrupt breath of Congress as it breaths down the back of their necks. Who will feel it tomorrow? There is a very unhealthy trend here. The unhealthiness of it is far more lethal than any tobacco product could ever be.
At some point the American people are going to either be content to be spoon fed by the government or reclaim their God given rights to their heritage. Certainly, the freedom to smoke should not be a contentious issue. The concept of the typical American who chooses to indulge in tobacco products, having to bow to economic pressure inflicted on them by their own government, is diametrically opposed to the concept of freedom. We should not forget the price hike of the mid 90’s where the price of cigarettes doubled. Who won the proceeds of that event? The attorneys who brought the suit! Those dollars were billed as going to some worthwhile charity at that time as well. Congress is supposed to be responsible TO THE PEOPLE, not the other way around! A choice needs to be made. With the technological advances being made today in personal surveillance and personal information retrieval, a line must be drawn somewhere before American’s become robotic extensions of Congressional will.
I quit smoking, finally, after 30 some years, but now the government is after my food. Controlling our short lives is what government and all the little special interest liberal groups live their short lives trying to do.
Seriously, this Marxist invasion of our once free country has to be stopped.
Oh, ye of little faith and unbounded cynicism.
Excess will always result in a re-balancing.
Don’t know about elsewhere, but a tin of Skoal in Washington State goes for about 6 bucks, discount brand about 4. Marlboros go for about 5 bucks a pack. From what I’ve heard, WA State has the highest taxes on tobacco in the country.
Whenever I can, buy as much out of state or duty free, to avoid the taxes. By the Canadian border I can get 10 cans of Skoal for 21 bucks, Blaine truck crossing.
The demonization of tobacco is as transparent as the global warming nonsense. This is a revenue issue, pure and simple, and demonizing the minority works well. The non smokers that enable the govt, are either stupid, or jack booted freedom stealers themselves.
Canada recently voted a conservative govt, for the first time since the 80s. I’d say the average Canadian had about enough of liberal govt.
Why not just tax Democrats/ left wing lunatics and the parents of these “children” who want this health care package instead?
The “good” news it that many of them smoke so they will be helping to pay for this.
This issue is all smoke and mirrors. Right now it seems to be about smoking but it really isn’t. It’s all about getting control of everything.
What’s with this “God given rights” stuff? If God gave the right what man could take it away?
State run lotteries?
the cigar tax thread
Cigarmakers in a panic: The federal tax on each cigar could rise from 5 cents to $10.
St Petersburg Times ^ | July 17, 2007 | JAMES THORNER
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1867180/posts
Sorry if I offend anyone BUT I'm fed up with the hypocrits' deciding what is good or bad for children.
Starting with Hillary's "It Takes a Village", I'd respond that if the woman had made her motherhood a priority, rather than her political ambitions, she wouldn't have recommended that a "village" take care of her child. Also, what lesson did she pass onto her daughter when she endured the internationally publicized news that her husband has been an adulterer, allegedly for many years.
I'm beginning to wonder if she has substituted the warm-sounding "village" word for "it takes a government".
I never hear her, or her fans, say that divorce can really mess up children's lives; that children born to unwed parents pay a heavy price, despite their innocence; that schools are way out of line when they indoctrinate children to believe that a homosexual household with children is just as valid as one headed by a male father and female mother; and that abortions are a dichotomy of a sincere desire to protect children.
I just plain don't give her an ounce of trust.
So who will be paying the cigarette taxes after all the smokers are gone? Everybody, thanks to the biggest tax scheme of all time - global warming. Anyone who isn’t ‘green’ enough or fails to pay the upcoming carbon tax will become the new “smoker” and treated as such... the scourge of society.
So what? They passed a Constitutional Amendment to outlaw the manufacture, sale and consumption of booze and that didn't stop anybody who wanted a drink from getting one, they outlawed weed in 1937 and more people than ever smoke weed today. In fact judging by the people I've met in the ten years I've been in Maine, SheLion is the only person in the state who doesn't smoke weed.
:O)
Tobacco will always be available to those who want it regardless of any laws they make.
Who will feel it tomorrow?
That’s easy ... anyone who enjoys a Big Mac or other unhealthy foods.
Not true. They will never pick on the majority. They need to pick on demonized minorities.
Oh yea..........and who is going to pay for the "kiddies health care!" Give me a break!!!
(Is it SCHIP or Schit??????) heh
I pray to GOD that that woman doesn't win the election!!!!!!!!!!!!
hehe
You got THAT right!!!!!
Li’l Abner. I remember it well. Sung by Li’l Abner and the preacher. Good old Senator Fogbound.
hehe
I'm ALWAYS up! LOL
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