The children be darned! Tobacco taxes.

[Laura's Babies]

My question is when they price the tobacco products so high that they price themselves right out of business... WHERE will that money come from then? What will they tax THEN? This is just the beginning, the tip of the iceberg. Will there be a fat/obese tax where you are weighed before you can buy fast food and taxed accordingly? Will there be a danger tax on ATVs, motorcycles or anything someone else deems dangerous? A tax on guns because they are dangerous and can kill? A tax on TV's, computers, and video games because they encourage people to sit inside? A unhealthy tax on foods (at the grocery store) that are not good for you? I see those all you can eat buffets going to being charged by weight of what is on your plate and you pay for each plate you fix. Once this economy stabilizes, watch how they will tax gas!!

I can see it coming, once they get use to having that money, they will not let it go and find other ways to get it. BEWARE of supporting this taxing idea, it will backfire on you someday.

[aTailOf2Kitties]

My question is when they price the tobacco products so high that they price themselves right out of business... WHERE will that money come from then? What will they tax THEN?

That's easy. They'll legalize marijuana just to tax it

[Puckstop31]

Here is my $.50 on the tax issue.

Keep it LOCAL. If you want to live in a area with high taxes and the services they provide, do so. I know the Ellicott City, MD area myself. I have a uncle that lives there and he is VERY wealthy. You have to be to live there.

Keeping tax rates varied, depending on locale is the way, IMHO, the founders intended it to be. It provides the citizens the choice to live in an area that suits how they want to live. Plus, it is in line with the 10th Amendment.

Personally, I would MUCH prefer to live in a area with as low of taxes as possible. Just the basics is all I need/want. Roads, trash removal, public water, fire/police. I'd LOVE to not have to pay school taxes as my children are not going to public schools. I believe that educating MY children is MY responsibility, not yours or "ours". Again, this is my opinion and you all are certainly entitled to yours. So why not keep tax levels for such things at the local level and give he people their CHOICE back.

I never want to impose my way of life and views on you. So please do me favor of not suppoting laws that force your views on ME. It is what this country is supposed to be... We are promised, LIFE, LIBERTY and the PURSUIT of HAPPINESS. We are NOT promised equal results. Free people are never equal and equal people are never free.

If the Constitution does not define a power to the Federal Government, then the power to do the undefined things is given to the STATES, as per the 10th Amendment. If you want that to change, then AMEND THE CONSTITUTION. I find it quite disturbing that our previous President and our current President don't seem to care. Odd for a sitting President who was supposedly a Constitutional Professor to not pay attention to this, no?

/soap box

[Edwina's Secretary]

btw Blue...when did you become a socialist/liberal???...worrying about the poor.

Quiting smoking is difficult. But it can be done whether you are rich or poor.

Sin taxes are as old as....well sin.

[blue]

btw Blue...when did you become a socialist/liberal???...worrying about the poor.

You realy do have a sick sense of humor.

I am poor, its self interest. Less taxes means I can enjoy the things I enjoy and keep more of my money.

[lizbud]

They have banned smoking in your own car here in Indiana. In Monroe
county (Bloomington,Ind.) a proposel to ban smoking in a car with kids
under 13yrs old, passed and is now law in that county. I wouldn't have
believed it, but it happened.

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=7164861

[Puckstop31]

They have banned smoking in your own car here in Indiana. In Monroe
county (Bloomington,Ind.) a proposel to ban smoking in a car with kids
under 13yrs old, passed and is now law in that county. I wouldn't have
believed it, but it happened.

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=7164861

Yet another paper cut in the removal of individual liberty. Where will it stop? Whats next? Laws regulating what you can do in your own home?

Better yet, would you support a law banning smoking in the home?

[Laura's Babies]

Like I said, it will NOT stop with tobacco.. BEWARE of things to come!

I never want to impose my way of life and views on you. So please do me favor of not suppoting laws that force your views on ME. It is what this country is supposed to be... We are promised, LIFE, LIBERTY and the PURSUIT of HAPPINESS. We are NOT promised equal results. Free people are never equal and equal people are never free.

That is exactly what is happening and it will only get worse.

Discrimination against certian groups of people have already started and that too, will only get worse. Our freedoms are slowly being stripped away until we will have someone laways looking over our shoulders.

[pomtzu]

They have banned smoking in your own car here in Indiana. In Monroe
county (Bloomington,Ind.) a proposel to ban smoking in a car with kids
under 13yrs old, passed and is now law in that county. I wouldn't have
believed it, but it happened.

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=7164861

That's ludicrous! I can see banning it in public buildings as DE has - but your own car??? I know of businesses in this state that have banned smoking anywhere on their property, (even in your car in the parking lot), and an employee that was in his car, in the parking lot, before his shift even started, got written up for smoking in his car, with the threat of dismissal if it happened again.

[Pinot's Mom]

Yes, it is ludicrous to ban smoking in your car - that's just a waste of time, money and an abuse of the law enforcement system. I never think anyone should smoke in the car with kids (human or fur) anyway; it's irresponsible.

Now, back to Puckstop31: Yes, I do choose where I live and I greatly appreciate the opportunity and freedom (financial and otherwise) to do so. It is therefore my choice to pay for the taxes that support the educational system so others may benefit-I believe that is a responsibility of all, to make sure the next generation is given the opportunity to be educated and cared for in the best manner possible. If I didn't feel this way, there are many other places I could live where the taxes and schools wouldn't be an issue. I have a relative that chooses to live that way; he lives in Heber, Utah, and that is just not where I want to be.

You make some fine points, and, as you said, are entitled to your opinion. I think the biggest point of difference between us is the issue of the responsibility of the education of children.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I am seriously opposed to the government nosing into my home. (Assuming I do not have a meth lab going in there.) There have been some communities that have banned smoking in homes here in California but.... those are instances of condo, rentals...places where one man's ceiling is another man's floor... It is a tough one. I can tell if someone is smoking two cars away from me. Many times I have been in my hotel room in a non-smoking hotel and I can smell that someone...somewhere in the hotel is smoking.

So, if I buy a condo...or rent an apartment. With no smoking. And someone moves in next door who smokes. Whose comforts/expectations prevail?

When we bought our house we were told the rules -- no cars on the street overnight, can only paint the house certain colors, no rvs or boats. It was our choice to buy here or not. And on the other hand -- I sure like the way the neighborhood looks and the property values stay high.

So does that infringe on someone's "right" to paint the house next door bright purple? Maybe.

But that is the problem with rights and rules - your "right" may break my "rule" and my "rule" may infringe on your "right."

[ChrisH]

They have banned smoking in your own car here in Indiana. In Monroe
county (Bloomington,Ind.) a proposel to ban smoking in a car with kids
under 13yrs old, passed and is now law in that county. I wouldn't have
believed it, but it happened.

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=7164861

Painter fined for smoking in van

A painter and decorator says he is "dumbfounded" after a £30 fine for smoking a cigarette in his own van. Gordon Williams, of Llanafan, Aberystwyth, says he had popped to the shops when he was pulled over by Ceredigion council officials. "I was told that because my van is my place of work I had broken the smoking laws," he said.

A council spokesman said Mr Williams had acknowledged the offence and elected to pay the fixed penalty.

"I am dumbfounded - the van is only insured for private use and to get me to and from work," added Mr Williams, from Llanafan, near Aberystwyth. "It not my place of work - I decorate houses not vans."

The grandfather decried the on-the-spot penalty as the "Big Brother state going too far". He added: "I respect anyone who chooses not to smoke, but I would also ask for the same respect to have the freedom to smoke in my own private vehicle."

Mr Williams was driving on the A487 near Aberystwyth in his unmarked blue Suzuki Carrier van when he was pulled over by council officials carrying out spot checks on the safety of vehicles.

He believes it is the first ticket of its kind handed out by the council since the smoking regulations came in last year - the fixed penalty notice was number 0001.

He was on a shopping errand to pick up teabags for his wife when he was stopped. Mr Williams added: "I take the wife shopping in the van. It is my private vehicle as well as my work van."

Mr Williams' wife Sue has already paid the fine, fearing it would increase if not settled promptly. But her husband remains defiant, and said he would be challenging the punishment. "I have appealed against this even though I initially paid the fine otherwise it would have increased to £50."

Simon Clark, the director of smoking freedom group Forest, condemned the fine as "absolutely ridiculous".He said: "It smacks of some jobsworth council official interpreting the law to the most extreme level. This surely is not what the change in the law was intended for - it was not meant to harass and persecute people going about their ordinary lives. It is ridiculous that someone should be fined for smoking in their own private vehicle away from any workplace."

A spokesman for Ceredigion council said Mr Williams's vehicle was stopped by police as part of a multi-agency operation.

"A total of 56 vehicles were stopped and inspected during the initiative and, as a result, three fixed penalty notices were issued in connection with contraventions of the smoking in smoke-free places legislation," said the spokesman. "All three fixed penalties have been paid."

"When stopped, both Mr Williams and his male passenger were found to be smoking. Based on information received from Mr Williams at the scene, fixed penalty notices were served on both persons. Both persons have now acknowledged the offences and elected to pay the fixed penalty rather than having the matter considered by the court."

The spokesman added the matter was therefore considered to be closed and no record of criminal conviction would be recorded against the individuals concerned.

A Welsh Assembly Government spokesman said: "The smoke-free regulations state that a vehicle shall be smoke-free if it is used for work by more than one person, regardless of whether they are in the vehicle at the same time, to protect everyone who uses the vehicle from the harmful effects of exposure to second-hand smoke, regardless of when they use the vehicle. Smoking is permitted in vehicles used for work purposes that are for the sole use of the driver and are not used as a workplace by anyone else, either as a driver or a passenger."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/h...es/7524526.stm

[Catlady711]

This is just the first step, wait till you see what comes next...... http://aclu.org/pizza/images/screen.swf

[joycenalex]

[QUOTE=Puckstop31;2136932]Here is my $.50 on the tax issue....
Personally, I would MUCH prefer to live in a area with as low of taxes as possible. Just the basics is all I need/want. Roads, trash removal, public water, fire/police. I'd LOVE to not have to pay school taxes as my children are not going to public schools. I believe that educating MY children is MY responsibility, not yours or "ours". ...." end quote
puck, where does the money for education for the doctor who delivers hannahs' kids come from? it comes from all of us, and it is our responsibility.

[Puckstop31]

[QUOTE=joycenalex;2137076]

Here is my $.50 on the tax issue....
Personally, I would MUCH prefer to live in a area with as low of taxes as possible. Just the basics is all I need/want. Roads, trash removal, public water, fire/police. I'd LOVE to not have to pay school taxes as my children are not going to public schools. I believe that educating MY children is MY responsibility, not yours or "ours". ...." end quote
puck, where does the money for education for the doctor who delivers hannahs' kids come from? it comes from all of us, and it is our responsibility.

Keep reading and you will see this....

I fully understand where you are coming from when you talk about education being the community's responsibility. Not all people have the ability, time and/or money to carry out the massive task of properly educating their own children. As such, no child should be denied a proper education because of these issues. Thus while it hurts to pay those taxes at times, I do understand their purpose. "

All that said... I do not believe in the idea that "it takes a village" to raise child. You might and that is fine. I'll keep paying my taxes to support a broken system, but i'll never let any government tell me that I can't educate my own children if I choose to and do it right.