John McCain: Livestrong Summit 07/24/08

John McCain
Livestrong Summit
Columbus, OH - 07/24/08

TRANSCRIPT:
PAULA ZAHN: [...] A lot of out people out here believe that if you were to raise the Federal cigarette tax, that it would in fact cause fewer younger people to smoke, and might even deter people who are already adults who smoke from smoking anymore. As president, would you support an increase of the Federal tax on tobacco?

MCCAIN: I don't think I would, because I don't think the money is being spent on the state taxes right now. I would have to be confident before I would consider it that it would not be taken by the Congress and put into general revenues. The way the states have done with the tobacco taxes that they impose and they put it in the general revenues. And my friends, while we were-- before they became completely in the tank we were showing reductions among young people's use of tobacco through the effective use of anti-tobacco funds and advertising. And it was all over America, but particularly in some states like California. So my first thing that would have to happen is I have to be assured that that money would be put in the right place.

And to tell you the truth, I am not confident that the Congress of the United States would do that. Because, does anybody here have confidence in Congress? Please raise your hand, you're one of the 9 percent approval rating of Congress today.

ZAHN: So is there any circumstance that could be proven to you, if there was a direct correlation between taxes going up and the use of tobacco going down?

MCCAIN: It would have to be proven and frankly the constitution of this Congress, they couldn't prove it to me, because I don't believe them. I don't. I've seen corruption in Congress. Ok? We have former members of Congress now residing in Federal prison. So, we'd have to clean up Congress and I think the American people are ready to do that.

And by the way, I'm not for raising anybody's taxes. I think, right now with these economic problems we have, lower taxes is what we need.

LABEL: JM OH 07-24 (RAD#4) Clip 1

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Tape 2:
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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Tracking
• John
• McCain
• Livestrong
• Tobacco
• tax
• Cigarettes
• Congress
• corruption

[iamafractal]

we are in 9 trillion dollars of debt. ANY decreases in tax revenue would have to be covered by borrowing. Bush's tax cuts for people making more than $100,000 a DAY have cost us because we will pay $4.85 in interest on each dollar not received in taxes. and under the republicans and bush, spending has skyrocketed so this "tax cuts" lie that the gop trots out every 4 years is just that. a lie. republicans are expensive. we pay more when they are in charge. mostly to their pockets.

[jensonj1]

A simple analysis of pros and cons for McCain

Pro- lower taxes

Con- lower taxes at the expense of lowering HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDS

Littledog, get EDUCATED

-The taxes he will cut will be at the expense of the AMERICAN VALUE *EQUAL OPPERTUNITY*

[bikingcynic]

A "tax" is a tax. There is no relationship between what it is collected via a tax and how it is spent, never has been. A "fee" is collected for a specific use and must be used on that use.

[littledogs1]

His plan will work, look at the details online on the web site. His ideas are very good and the portablility of service and the lowering of prices by negot, the lowest price is something bush would not do because he was in the pocket of the drug lobby.

[littledogs1]

He can't do that, than he would have to give the tabbaco lobby all the money they give him back. This is a state sponced group suicide pack. the tabbaco industry, washington keep a known cancer causing poison on the market because it is a great money maker. I have smoked for 30 years, I hate it, I have tryed to quit so many times, If he gave a shit he would be willing to raise the price to 10 bucks a pack, I garuntee, people wouldn't start as teens with that price. he just does not care.

[computerpurple]

Hello Bigone555J. Once again thanks for the information. WOW im sort of shocked about Massachusetts , not the short part but the part about it's only been 7 MONTHS!. I wonder what the explanation is?.

[Bigone5555J]

Yes, I can't remember all the details. It was quite a few years ago. I think NBC at the time did a few Fleecing of America segments on this. All the money was to be used for anti-smoking education, and medical bills, etc. This is why Obama's Faith Based programs, could so easily get out of hand. Who is going to make sure the money is properly spent? Obama's health care won't work either. The Massachusetts plan is $900 million short already and it's only been in effect 7 months.

[computerpurple]

Hello Bigone5555J. Thanks for the information about where some of the money went. I did not know about what you said.

[Bigone5555J]

it's time for another Joseph McCarthy type sweep of Congress and the educational system.

[Bigone5555J]

After the big Tobacco lawsuit years ago, if I remember right, Kentucy used it to upgrade a horse track, and one of the Carolina's used it to help the tobacco growers. It was used for everything but what it was intended for.