Smokers Fed Up With Prices Take to Cyberspace

Fox News ^ | 18 July 2002 | Kelley Beaucar Vlahos

[anniegetyourgun]

I'd like to know how that is happening too. What's to rebutt?

[Great Dane]

#34......... Boy do we agree on that, one would almost think that certain groups wanted the customers to keep coming, the state for the taxes, the ANTI's for their well paying jobs, lets face it, if the smokers dried up, these people would have to find a real job........ and THEY don't pay as well.

[SheLion]

OC: If you do not pay us, we will send our thugs to destroy your stuff.
Gov: If you do not pay us, we will send our thugs to take your stuff....
OK, there it is, I knew there must be a difference somewhere...

Yep! There it is. You found it. :)

[anniegetyourgun]

My question was designed to ascertain someone's position. I have heard from all her friends who answered for her....in their own hyper-sensitive way. Thanks.

[Lazamataz]

"I'm very concerned about the selling of cigarettes online because of the ease that children can buy them," said Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va.

DO IT FOR THE CHHIIILLLLDREEEEENNNNNnnnnn.... If it saves ONE LIFE......

[SheLion]

Kids with credit cards? Again, that is a parental responsibility--and a credit card company's fault.

Thank you, TomGuy. Exactly! Parental Responsibility!

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Once again, the geniuses in government have failed to do a dynamic analysis. Their static analysis assumes both inelasticity of demand--smokers are addicts and will smoke just as much whatever the cost--and, more importantly, inability to go elsewhere if they do continue smoking at the same rate.

The classic example of this wrongheaded thinking occurred in New Jersey under the previous governor, Christie (RINO) Whitman. She was sold a bill of goods that the expensive implementation of EZ Pass for tolls would be totally funded by fines paid by scofflaws who had previously driven through without paying but would now be captured on video and pay fines of twenty-five to several hundred dollars, depending upon how often they were caught. Whitman and her administration were caught totally by surprise when, guess what?, scofflaws who were in iminent danger of being caught, actually began paying their nickel and time tolls. Duh!

[SheLion]

Christie (RINO) Whitman

She's the BIGGEST pain in the butt! I wonder why our President keeps her in office. She is the first one that needs to GO!

[SheLion]

My question was designed to ascertain someone's position. I have heard from all her friends who answered for her....in their own hyper-sensitive way. Thanks.

Annie? I don't need my friends to answer for me. Although we do have a tendency to stick up for one another when someone comes into our threads and flames us.

You might not like smoking or smokers. But we are here, we are Conservative, and we aren't going anywhere.

We keep the smoking threads alive to make one another aware of what the anti's are trying/doing to us. If you have a problem with this, stay out.

We do not need our own kind giving us flames. If you can't contribute in a mature fashion, with other Conservatives over the smoking issue, then best you find other threads that you believe it.

We aren't going away, Annie. Get over it or get used to it.

[bandleader]

The"States"really "shot themselves in the foot"on this one!While prouncing to one and all their supposedly"Noble"intentions(stop teen smoking/lowering health-care costs),they and their GREEDY LIARS FOR HIRE shook down "Big Tobacco"for BILLIONS!!!!What happened to all of that money?I'll tell you where it went,it went into the general"Rat Hole"otherwise known as the budget!!!Then,they raised taxes on cigarettes to"discourage smoking"They spent the money,they are AWASH in HYPOCRISY,and they have created a "Black Market"!!!!!!!!!

[steve50]

They imply we want to shove smokes in the mouths of newborn babies and when you expose the leftist drivel they utter they call you hyper sensitive.
The so called conservative movement has has fallen a long way. What's next, "it takes a village" ?

[bandleader]

Of course they do!They(A**HOLE Politicos)impute nobility to their intentions,but all the time it was nothing(and is)but a big"Cash Grab"!!!

[SheLion]

Bandleader, it's the truth!

They talk out of both sides of their mouths: one side says "We can't balance our budget without raising cigarette taxes." Out of the other side of their mouth they say: By increasing cigarette taxes, this will help people to quit."

Now, if all smokers quit, where WOULD they get their money to balance their budgets, eh?

Then, out of the "middle of their mouths" they say: OH BUT IT FOR THE CHILDREN.

They can't have both, and this is NOT about the children. Smoking is and should be an adult pass-time.

[SheLion]

They imply we want to shove smokes in the mouths of newborn babies and when you expose the leftist drivel they utter they call you hyper sensitive. The so called conservative movement has has fallen a long way. What's next, "it takes a village" ?

Steve, you know I'm pretty passionate about the rights we have always had as smokers.

I hate to tell anyone off, although it doesn't take much to fire up my engine. :)

But when you try to talk sense to someone, and they still "don't get it," I've had it.

There are a lot of nasty forums against smokers on the Net. But in Free Republic, we have our own forum to support each other. I don't think it's asking much to be given some peace. You?

[SheLion]

Plus, our smoking threads are VERY educational. Look at how many links we get in here pointing us in directions of the truth? I just love this vehicle that Jim has given us.

[steve50]

The neoconservatives have taken us over,IMO. The faux conservatives running the Republican party only want more money and regulations on every aspect of our lives. It's a shame many true conservatives continue to worship these tin gods.

[justanotherfreeper]

I have a question regarding the Indians selling tobacco. If they can gamble, etc. on their reservations because it's considered their jurisdiction, I don't see how anyone can stop them from selling cigaretts over the internet -- can't they use the same law that lets them set up gambling to exempt them from whatever nonsense the state's have set up on tobacco sales? I don't really understand the law in this area, but it looks to me like the states might not be able to stop this.

[quebecois]

"The ATF estimates that $1.5 billion have been lost to online cigarette sales"

Uh, sorry...but we have subconscious liberal media bias here....they have it backwards. As I see it, $1.5 billion has been SAVED due to online cigarette sales.

[meanspirit77]

To all you smokers;

Keep on puffing, evade paying those taxes any way you can, and above all , keep blowing it in their face.
Loving you all.

[justlurking]

The classic example of this wrongheaded thinking occurred in New Jersey under the previous governor, Christie (RINO) Whitman. She was sold a bill of goods that the expensive implementation of EZ Pass for tolls would be totally funded by fines paid by scofflaws who had previously driven through without paying

That is indeed idiocy.

EZ Pass (or any other electronic toll collection system) will pay for itself through:

1. Increased capacity of the toll booths during peak times. It makes a huge difference, especially with the advent of the high-speed lanes that don't even require you to slow down.

2. The reduced need for workers to collect and handle the money that is collected.

In Dallas, the toll roads have reduced tolls if you use a TollTag. Although there is a $1.50/month service fee, the tolls are discounted as much as 20%. All it takes is a couple of trips to the airport or downtown for me to recoup my monthly fee. And, I don't have to worry if I have enough change in the car.

In the beginning, they were dumb enough to charge a nickel premium for using a TollTag. Predictably, adoption was slow. When they lowered tolls to parity with cash (plus the monthly fee), I got one.