The children be darned! Tobacco taxes.

[Edwina's Secretary]

.

And I LOVED to smoke. LOVED it, LOVED cigarettes. Smoking was one of my favorite things to do. Sad, but true. And I quit. It sounds like an old cliche, but seriously, "If I can do it, anyone can do it."

Quitting sucks, not going to lie to you. But being a non-smoker? It's wonderful!

I just celebrated ten years tobacco-free. And it was difficult...and painful. Cigarettes were my best friends! It is something I am very, very proud to have finally done.

But being a non-smoker is the very best thing that has EVER happened to me.

However...it is just plain silly to call a tax on tobacco a tax on the poor.

Tobacco is an equal opportunity addiction!

[blue]

However...it is just plain silly to call a tax on tobacco a tax on the poor.

When the majority of smokers are poor it isnt silly.

[Edwina's Secretary]

When the majority of smokers are poor it isnt silly.

Do you have a link for that????.....

[blue]

Do you have a link for that????.....

Im sure you have one to prove me wrong so post up.

[blue]

Didnt think you could... so here is a tease.

Some policy analysts have questioned the wisdom of boosting tobacco taxes to finance health care for children. They argue that the fate of such a broad program should not depend on revenues derived from a minority of the adult population, many of whom have low incomes and are hooked on a habit. The tobacco industry is also warning that the steep increase will lead to tax evasion through old-fashioned smuggling or by Internet purchase from abroad.

Source.

[Pinot's Mom]

Now I am confused. My brother keeps telling me that about Montegomery County Maryland!

Montgomery County is next door - they're more on the Washington DC side of things, but yes, they have excellent schools as well. Howard and Montgomery are both very nice, but I prefer to be a little further from DC personally, as I commute to Baltimore.

No reason for confusion - they basically sit on top of each other.

[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.