No. Conservatives that have turned into RINO'S are really sad, steve.
Posted on 08/27/2002 10:13:22 AM PDT by NorCoGOP
LOS ANGELES -- Once again we the people of California find ourselves at the mercy of stupid politicians who don't understand the laws of economics. In an attempt to escape the financial rut they have created for themselves, Democrats in the State Assembly have proposed a cigarette tax of $2.13 per pack.
Thanks to the leadership of Governor Gray "Lowbeam" Davis, a large surplus allegedly to be given to California taxpayers has become one of the worst budget shortages in recent history. And although common sense dictates that an overbearing government that has destroyed the state should be curbed, the tax-and-spend Democrats have proposed an inefficient, unfair and potentially disastrous tax.
Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson, author of the new legislation, claims that raising the cigarette tax to $3 per pack will either make "people quit smoking ... or their habits (will) help us balance the budget."
Though small tax increases have accomplished this goal before, such a large increase in price will not have the same result.
Devastating effects on the budget will be one big problem. With the Internet reaching levels of efficiency and speed unparalleled by any other form of communication, alternative methods of purchase are beginning to surface for cigarette smokers. Web sites specializing in cigarette sales and ways to purchase directly from Indian reservations have already sprung up.
Should the proposed tax pass, easy access to cheap alternatives will send people to the Internet in swarms to purchase their cigarettes. As a result, California will not see much revenue from the draconian tax hike.
The small businesses that gain substantial profit from cigarette sales will also lose money. Combined with the fact that profits from cigarette sales are taxable as income taxes, Californians stand to lose big time from the cigarette tax.
And that's not all. Because nicotine is a very addictive substance and cheap cigarettes are now available, we will not see a substantial amount of quitters; so while tax revenues fall, health risks will not be reduced.
Regardless of the monetary consequences of the cigarette tax, perhaps a greater problem is that the tax is unconstitutional, as it limits freedom of choice. The government can't decide which substances are okay to put in our bodies and which aren't.
Everyone is aware of the health risks associated with smoking. There are also dangers associated with eating meat, sugar, soda, saccharine, milk, eggs and cheese. All of these products are simply one of the many choices that consumers make to enhance their own perceived well-being and comfort. But we don't see a smear campaign against meat companies or massive taxes on their products.
Who the hell is Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson to tell us how to be happy through taxation? Is his next piece of legislation recommended dietary guidelines or sexual positions that he deems healthy? If he's really interested in keeping people healthy, why not tax diaphragms or IUD's because they aren't as effective at stopping AIDS as condoms?
We simply cannot allow politicians to dictate our personal choices. The taxation of a single legal product for one's own reasons is no different than staunch right-wingers wanting to diminish a woman's choice to have an abortion. Both thoughts are born from using government control to force a politician's will upon the public.
Whether or not one smokes or hates cigarettes, any support for such a tax bill is not made after careful deliberation, but as a knee-jerk reaction to anti-smoking propaganda. The tax unjustly singles out the poor people of California who smoke more than middle and upper class people. It also singles out a small percentage of the population to pay a huge fee for doing something that is perfectly legal. And although smokers aren't a demographic group per se, how is singling them out for a tax any different than charging women a little extra for feminine products or charging Jews a little more for their Passover matzah?
Until we, the voters, are willing to tell our politicians that we will not stand for such practices, we will always be in danger of losing our liberty.
"Whether or not one smokes or hates cigarettes, any support for such a tax bill is not made after careful deliberation, but as a knee-jerk reaction to anti-smoking propaganda. The tax unjustly singles out the poor people of California who smoke more than middle and upper class people. It also singles out a small percentage of the population to pay a huge fee for doing something that is perfectly legal. And although smokers aren't a demographic group per se, how is singling them out for a tax any different than charging women a little extra for feminine products or charging Jews a little more for their Passover matzah?
Until we, the voters, are willing to tell our politicians that we will not stand for such practices, we will always be in danger of losing our liberty."
Ditto
The percentage of smokers in the USA is higher than the number of black people living here. Smokers should scream "discrimination!"
FYI, I'm trying to quit the habit.
No. Conservatives that have turned into RINO'S are really sad, steve.
The sun is a Class A Carcinogen. Are we going to ban it to?
There are 55 million smokers in the U.S. We out number the NRA and the AARP!
Most of the ones that do vote probably yank the democrat lever
Gee, that's news to me. I've been a voting Republican for as many years as I've been smoking... 34 years. I was smoking a Winston cigarette while applauding Barry Goldwater at a rally in 1964.
Sheesh, the statements people make are unbelievable.
Could you lead me to the source for this statement?
So...there are at least double that number of OVERTAXED citizens in this country and we still have the I.R.S.
Get rid of this chain around our necks and freedom will be ringing loud and clear.
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