Posted on 07/12/2007 5:31:24 PM PDT by lowbridge
Federal tobacco taxes would increase by 61 cents per pack to pay for a major expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) under a bipartisan deal in Congress, USA Today reported July 10.
Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee endorsed a plan to raise the federal tobacco tax from 39 cents per pack to $1 to expand SCHIP to some of the more than 6 million children who are eligible for the program but currently have no coverage. The tax hike is expected to raise $35 billion for SCHIP over the next five years.
"It really does come down to a choice between children and tobacco," said Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.). "This is a 'twofer.' It does decrease smoking, and it does connect public healthcare costs with one of the drivers of that cost, and that's tobacco."
A proposal in the House of Representatives would use a combination of tobacco taxes and lower Medicare payments to private insurers to add $50 billion to SCHIP. However, President Bush has criticized some state expansions of SCHIP and could veto the tax-driven proposal in Congress.
"The program is going beyond the initial intent of helping poor children. It's now aiming at encouraging more people to get on government health care," Bush said this week. "I'll resist Congress's attempt to federalize medicine."
The tobacco industry also opposes the plan. "We think that smokers are already paying enough," said Steve Kottak of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco.
If they will tax one industry out of existence, which one will come next?
Orrin Hatch also supports this.
Guns and ammo, of course.
Your likker.
A: When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another...
What a crock of sh*t.
This is why I quit the Republican Party this year after being a member for 15 years. No Republican will ever get another dime from me, ever, until the neocons are on the dustbin of history and true conservatives take back the party.
Shhh, quiet. Or they'll tax that too.
They already do. My sewer bill just went up again.
It's coming.........
Hey Gordo, how many of those kids using SCHIP smoke? I don’t smoke, but this is BS. The states are already getting billions of dollars from the tobacco settlement, guess it just ain’t enough. What a scam.
This may just be me, but it really seems government is getting out of control with stealing our money. This is one example, Houston’s $1000.00 fines for illegal lane changes is another. As is Portland’s $250.00 fine for bikes that don’t stop for stop signs. And let’s not for get eminent domain.
Are we all just peasants that work for the betterment of our masters? I have about had enough. I don’t need some rich politician telling me I’m too greedy because I want to keep what I bust my ass for. F’ing Edwards and his $1000.00 haircut can kiss my ass.
OK, now I feel better.
Besides, it only kills brain cells and doesn't cause cancer. Dead brain cells are an advantage when living under Lieberal rule.
grow yer own...
Speaking of that, a man we buy guns from told my hubby to start buying all the ammo he can now, the prices are going to go sky high after the first of the year.
Well, they already want to tax the air we EXhale (CO2), so I’d guess the next thing to tax would be the air we INhale (Oxygen).
I am more convinced of it everyday.
Yo Gordie, I got a "twofer" for ya. Shut up and sit down!
this is major BS. and like always... it’s for the Children. yeah right. Washington has become a politician cesspool. I am not a smoker btw. I just think it is wrong to target smokers and drinkers like if it is some evil. if Smoking is so dangerous why not ban tobacco? Washington is America’s pimp.
I wish they would get back on the ‘ junk food ‘ wagon
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