Posted on 09/25/2013 11:56:35 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
President Obama’s plan to raise the federal cigarette tax by 94 cents a pack would put 2 million low and middle-income kids through preschool, a new report has concluded.
Obama’s fiscal 2014 budget proposal calls for a near doubling of the tax, from $1.01 to $1.95 per pack, with the proceeds going toward an expansion of early childhood education. Taxes on other tobacco products would increase proportionally, bringing the estimated additional revenue to an estimated $78 billion over the next decade.
“Taken together, these two measures would help ensure a future of smart, healthy kids nationwide and in every state,” according to the report, released Wednesday by a coalition of nine public health and legal groups.
In the first year alone, almost 335,000 children from low and moderate-income families would gain access to high-quality preschool programs, the study found. By the 10th year, that number would rise to 2 million.
Less than half of the nation’s 4-year-olds are enrolled in public preschool programs, according to the study, which cites research showing that kids with access to early childhood education are more likely to go to college, be employed and live a healthy lifestyle.
At the same time, the groups contend that the higher tax would prevent 1.7 million kids from becoming addicted to cigarettes and, in the first year, prompt 1.57 million adult smokers to quit.
“This report should compel lawmakers to support the president’s proposal because it demonstrates the dramatic educational and health benefits children in every state would receive,” said Chris Hansen, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN).
But conservatives have criticized Obama’s plan, saying it amounts to a tax on middle-class Americans.
Formerly a smoker himself, Obama was overheard this week saying that he hadn’t had a cigarette in six years, citing health-conscious first lady Michelle Obama as the impetus for his quitting.
if the grass roots wanted to realy get some votes, they would work to cancel al the stupid taxes on cig - nobody care and the money does not go for healthcare or research
It’s for the chilluns, future sons of Obama.
Cigarette taxes are already so high they are causing many people to quit. Hence the funding for this new program will be self-terminating.
Won’t be long till they come back and hit us up with an income tax hike “for the children”.
Drango's Dragons ride again! Vincent DiMarco will be pleased.
Nanny State PING!
Didn’t they already hike tobacco taxes for the chilluns through SCHIP?
It’s for the chilluns, future sons of Obama.
So does the growing black market in cigarettes smuggled in from China....
This rather begs a question -
since this will affect the EBT crowd disproportionately,
will they now allow cigs to be bought on EBT?
Thanks for the ping!
If we are making the government dependent on revenue for cigarettes, doesn’t that incent them to keep people smoking?
/johnny
Keep it up morons ... you’ll have turf wars in Compton to see who will control the black market trading.
LoL! Yep. One of the first laws Obama signed. I remember it because my next door neighbor who is a heavy smoker and voted for Obama because he bought the line that "we needed a change" was rather irate that the first thing Obama did was raise the price of his smokes. All I could do was laugh and remind him he got the "change" he voted for...
Where in the US Constitution does it give the president the power to tax? Forgive me, but did Congress actually write a law that surrendered this power to President Obama? I’m being serious. What’s the legal justification for him to do this?
(I know. I know. Laws are for schmucks these days, but sometimes it pays to at least give the appearance a president is following the law.)
2300% increase in the tax on loose tobacco if I recall.
Grow your own and roll your own.
But if you prevent 1.7 million NEW smokers. Who will pay for the children after them? “QUIT SMOKING! BLEEP THE CHILDREN!” BTW, this is why they’re going crazy over E-Cigarettes.
BLACK MARKET
Nice job Barry...
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