Chris Edwards on Regressive Cigarette Taxes

4/1/09 CNN

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• chris
• edwards
• cigarette
• taxes
• regressive
• cato
• institute
• cnn

[migkillertwo]

Heroin should be legal. I own my body, no one else does. No one else can decide what I can do with my body except for me!

[whoo689]

I wish these anti-smoking zealots would just go away already. When are they gonna give up this useless fight? People smoke! So the hell what? It's none of your business what individual adults do on their own time. What these people really wanna do is just control people, but they cloak their true intentions behind "public health concerns." It's the same for any collectivist, conservative or liberal. They're too scared to let individuals choose because they might make the "wrong" decision.

[032125]

Tobacco is only a test case to get the camel's nose under the tent, and establish a legal precedent. Then comes fatty foods. Then religion, then free speech, free thoughts, and other nasty, inconvenient social phenomena that bothers the political class.

[azumonkey]

can't the feds just fuck off? Just this once?

[bweazel]

This is such bullshit. I'm sick of you nonsmokers. Grow the hell up. Mind your own business.

[chillinwitjoe]

If you can't tax the smokers with this scheme, who do you think they'll be scheming after next?

[masflojo]

FYI. My parents found an Indian Reserve in Canada online that sells cigarettes very cheap, no taxes, and they do not report your purchase to the U.S. Because I know if Michigan finds out you purchased cigarettes in bulk outside the country and they know how much you bought they send you a check in back taxes.

[1czelaya]

I'm not a smoker and I dont condone smoking either.However,from the video this is going to hit the poor and the middle class more than anyone. Government has no right to dictate our own private lives.This is just more intervention that allows government more access & influence into our private lives.1 segment of society should not have to sponser another outlet for govt. Its going 2 be another broken promise by govt. who does NOTHING efficiently or comes close to its promise.

[transformer889]

Tax increase on tobacco was a smoke screen to expand SCHIP to children up to age of 30 who still live with mom. The logic of anti smoking nazis does not add up, if they want people to quit smoking then who is going to fund the SCHIP. Of course SCHIP can not be totally funded by smokers and soon government has to print more money, first step in socialized medicine. Say it for children almost anything will pass the Gongress.

[goose1077]

I read about New York. There is a big black market there.

[MooseOfReason]

What a great argument to legalize marijuana!

[Garboth]

Just like expanding health care whilst cutting taxes for 95% of Americans and not bringing any troops home. Where's the money?. But hey, he said we just had to believe in the change, he didn't say we had to think about it or think it makes any sense.