Posted on 05/28/2005 9:42:26 AM PDT by SheLion
A coalition of religious and community groups will launch a drive today to put universal healthcare on the 2006 state ballot, in a proposal that would raise the cigarette tax to buy coverage for more people and would require all but the smallest Massachusetts businesses to cover their workers.
The latest on punitive action against smokers in Massachusetts for your information and dissemination:
"A coalition of religious and community groups will launch a drive today to put universal healthcare on the 2006 state ballot, in a proposal that would raise the cigarette tax to buy coverage for more people and would require all but the smallest Massachusetts businesses to cover their workers.. Under [Uxbridge Democrat state Sen. Richard] Moore's similar proposal, the state would add 50 cents to the $1.51 per pack cigarette tax, a move that might raise as much as $150 million a year.
Much of that money would be used to expand MassHealth, the Bay State's Medicaid program.... Nevertheless, the leaders of the healthcare campaign say there is a moral and religious imperative to make sure that every citizen is covered. Eddly Benoit, a church elder at Dorchester's Temple Salem Seventh Day Adventist Church, said that up to a fourth of the members of that congregation lack health insurance."
If everyone could just stop buying cigarettes for even a week, the government would start going into a tail spin.
An idea worth contemplation if it could be organized for it would be very effective.
"Don't you believe in freedom, Sir?" His reply: "Not where smokers are concerned."
I'll never forget that statement as long as I live.
I can understand why.
Maybe we could contact the RINOrat 7 with this cause since it is a bi-partisan issue.
Oh I know. But I couldn't believe what Fox News had on today. A blurp that obesity death numbers aren't so high after all.
That actually be obese is a GOOD thing. I almost fell off of my chair!
Lest we forget the LEFTIST extremist.
Your political bias is showing via high powered spot light.
I am not sure what you mean by this.
Give it time and you will be enlightened my FRiend.
Stick around.
That's unreal. To use the same numbers! What an idiot!
Seems like "they" don't want anything to get ahead of smoking. They want to keep smoking on the front burner, the pigs.
We all know that obesity leads to heart problems, diabetes, bad circulation, high cholesterol. None of this is good for a body, especially when a person has them all at one time.
Yep. I must not have been the only one to catch it. Not long after that they started the rhetoric of re-adjusting the stats, with the most recent of course being 1/10 of what they originally said. Unreal.
She Lion - you're choice of phrasalogy is a bit.........well you know........silly. LOL
Justanobody, please FReepmail me at your convenience - I saw your idea and maybe there is a way we can do something. I got tied up in somthing this afternoon, totally unrelated to this issue, and am not on my best game here at the moment.
It's very rare that I miss a day around here - so I will get you FReepmail and will be happy to discuss this with you.
You've got a great point,keeping it on a state level,except for one thing,folks like me.
I'm one of the conservative smokers who lives in Massachusetts and believe me,it's no joke.
We.the Mass underdogs,need all the prayers we can get from you folks in Alabama.
What. "Grab Gabz?"
"Why not quit smoking? That would just ruin their day and would save your lives."
LOL!!! You got it!
Now cut that out about New England and New York.
Lots of good Freepers in those areas who cannot leave for various reasons.
I am one of them.
This was the real goal of gay marriage.
Now all AIDS-infested homosexuals without insurance can marry in MA and get free healthcare to boot.
I must say they weren't very subtle about it.
This is what they want to do on a Federal level, but include social security benefits in the mix.
Just because one identifies themselves as religious or Christian doesn't necessarily make them so.
The religious institutions are beginning to rot from within and the sheep (meant in the theological sense) refuse to acknowledge it.
If you look at the type of socialists and just plain vile democrats these states are electing, then it's hard to come to any other conclusion. That they hate American moral values and the freedom from govt control that our free Republic has always embraced.
Of course, what I said was tongue in cheek, however, what will the politics in those states be like in say, 20-40 yrs? They are trending towards a French or Canadian style socialism, something most other Americans find repulsive.
please FReepmail me...
Will do Gabz. If not tonight then tomorrow. Thanks for responding.
That's right!!!!!!!!!!! MASS marries homosexuals, right? Oh boy. If this passes then they will get free health care? I would be screaming if I lived in Mass.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.