Tobacco tax backers launch campaign with swipe at opponents

Sac Bee ^ | Feb 1, 2012 | staff

[TheZMan]

Pick something you like that you shouldn’t really do, and volunteer a tax on it. Until then you can cram it. I remember $0.98/pack, now they’re $6.50 - and I’m in Texas.

[loboinok]

To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. If we run into such debts, we must be taxed in our meat and drink, in our necessities and in our comforts, in our labor and in our amusements. If we can prevent the government from wasting the labor of the people, under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy. - Thomas Jefferson

[loboinok]

I started at .49 a pack and payed .25 a pack while in the military.

They are charging $14.00 a pack in some places now.

[kingu]

I’m still in favor of it. Econ 101. An increase in price decreases demand. So while the cigarette tax revenues will go down a rat hole...there will be a benefit to society with less people smoking.

Econ 101, when prohibition is applied either through outlawing or proscribing through high taxes or other means, people will seek out another solution. So more black market cigarettes, purchases from out of state, or other means to avoid paying the higher taxes.

Society is never benefited by government mandates, only stifled as opinions of the few are granted higher status than the opinions of the many. You don't like cigarettes, don't buy them. But, on the flip side, Romney's REALLY your man, as he loves mandates, says they work.

[TigersEye]

Always the commie aren’t you? Why not increase the tax on gasoline astronomically so we can stop buying Saudi oil?

[Seabeejas]

If this is really about cancer research, why don’t they contribute the money they were going to spend on the multimillion dollar campaign to that research?

[Seabeejas]

Please detail your life style so we here can decide which things you do that we would like to tax you on. It will be for the good of society.

[tomkat]

You've been on the wrong site all these years.

NannyState.now would prolly be a better fit for ya.

[Godebert]

"One of the few tax increases I would support. Raising the cost of cigarettes decreases the demand. That’s a good thing."

I guess you don't see the irony of your own tagline:

(A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)

[Gilbo_3]

What else do we not like...

drango kills people, tax him to death...???

[Drango]

Hey gayboy...the protocol on FR is if you are going to name someone in a thread, its a matter of courtesy to ping them.

[Gilbo_3]

bite me...