Cigarette Tax - what do you think?

[RalphB]

Are you aware that the TN legislature is poised to enact a $.40 tax on Cigarettes?  How do you feel about that?

I am personally opposed to smoking, chewing, etc.  BUT, I am strongly opposed to TAXing any product to control behavior.  We already have too many taxes.  And, I have written and spoken to my representatives to let them know my opinion.  Have you?

BTW:  I have no issue with individual vendors who want to increase price of their individual service(s)  -  we still have a choice to visit another vendor.  But, I object to the gov'ts hands in controlling by a mandatory tax.

Maybe you just "don't give a darn".

But consider  -  what if the next tax is a $.40 tax on individual cartridges?  on individual bullets?  Tax guns?  Tax SUV's?  More tax on beer/wine? Why not tax football game tickets?

Won't happen, you think?  My experience is that when politician's appetites for $$$$ are whetted, they'll go after it.

What do you think and what are you doing about it?

[RalphB]

Wow!  OHGC folks must be really too busy to get involved  -  or have no opinion?

Maybe you're busy trying to contact your Congressperson?

In case you don't know your representative, you can find his/her name & phone # here:

 http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/

Don't forget  -  your rep is supposed to be working for you  -  your taxes are paying his salary and benefits  -  he should be doing what you ask  -  but, if you don't talk with him, he won't know what your position is.

You don't think your opinion counts?  Well, if enough of us tell him that his re-election depends on doing as we say  -  he'll listen.

I'd rather be reloading and shooting, but I believe this is important.

[nukeandpave]

I think we should tax tax-and-spend politicians instead.

We have a HUGE tax surplus, but Nosferatu Bredesen just wants to keep sucking the lifeblood out of this state.

Smoking is a legal, and the state has no business placing an extra tax burden on peole who choose to engage in that activity. In fact, I am opposed to ANY "sin" tax. Who the hell is the .gov to make moral judgments? How about a tax on being a leftist douchebag?

[MandalorianWarrior]

The tax is ridiculous.  If a man wants to kill himself, why tax him for it? :twisted:   I would be against any tax, it only leads to more bull2h!t legislation.  As for the smoking part of it, i do agree w/ the new smoke free in Tn laws in the works.  Smoke if you want, I smoked for 12 years, quit 5 years ago.  I don't want to breathe it anymore!  Accept it or deny it all you like, it is killing you.  When I go out to eat I don't want to breathe someone's second hand!!!   I always wonder if they would like it if I went over to thier table and farted.  Probably get into a fight, you think?  OHHH, but say something to the average smoker and the self righteous bastard will want to start a fight about it!

If there was only a solid way to make a judgment, I like to see a dumbass tax.  Then we could afford to build that utopian society man has always dreamed of. BTW that tax would cover politicians as well :mrgreen:

[nukeandpave]

Anti smoking laws are unnecessary and intrusive. It always amazes me to hear folks talk out both sides of their face about the government staying out of our lives. Mention antigun laws and it's, "None of their business", but restrict something you don't like, and you're okay with it.

There is this thing called a free market economy. If a business owner chooses to allow smoking in his establishment, that's his call. If you don't like it, do business elsewhere. IF enough customers choose to patronize his competition, he will lose $ and no longer allow smoking. It's not the government's perogative.
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[MandalorianWarrior]

Your handgun or your high capacity magzines don't choke me and lead to lung cancer.  Smoke in your own home if you want, not in my face.  Free market economy???  Well I guess selling crack on a street corner should be okay too?  Would the laws that put away those dealers be unnecessary?  
No, big brother shouldn't have the right to tell you that you can't smoke, if that's what you want.  People should have the right to breathe though, and alot of "puffers" are very inconsiderate.  I personally don't care what they legalize, but would you want some junkie shooting up in the booth next to you at the Ruby Tuesday?  Keep that crap away from me, that's all I care about.  AND yes I could trade somewhere else, but if you sit in NON smoking it should be NON smoking.

restrict something you don't like, and you're okay with it

Your absolutely right about that though.  Everyone is out for themselves, including myself.  The greater good died many moons ago.  Principals, Morality, Values......R.I.P.  Alot of people claim a willingness to bleed for what ever cause, but on the day the day the bill comes due, I suspect mass amounts of delinquent notices.

[MandalorianWarrior]

http://www.smokefreetn.org/

Right or wrong I'm for it.

[lrn2swm462]

I have a carry permit.  I refuse to patronize businesses that do not allow firearms, unless it is illegal to carry there (Govt. buildings, bars, parks,etc.).  I am also a recent non-smoker.  I had no problem finding good places to eat that didn't allow smoking, even before the state-wide smoking ban.  I never really minded sitting in a restaurant where I would get the occasional whiff of smoke or  sitting with my smoker friends in a smoking section.  They're not pushing it on me.  They're allowed to smoke there.  If I don't like it, I can leave.  Just like if I don't like what is playing on TV or radio I can change the channel.  Part of the reason I haven't had cable in the last 10 years.
  Bottom line, I make a choice in what I will tolerate. If a business has a policy that doesn't sit well with me, they don't get my business.  As a person who hopes to one day own my own business, I would really like to have the say in how my business is operated, within the law, without government interference.  I have way too many people trying to push their views on me and make decisions that I am perfectly capable of making for myself, already.
  Yes, the smoking ban is law and businesses have to follow the law, but it seems to be an incremental step towards fascism.  While a business is privately owned, its business operations and policies are dictated by government.  People keep calling Hillary Clintons universal health care plan socialized medicine.  Sure, that may well be her end-game, but the system she is proposing in which the government oversees hospitals and doctors, setting prices, controlling the way treatment is doled out to private citizens who are not allowed to seek medical treatment on their own terms and schedule seems to me to be more fascist than socialist.  Of course this is all done for "the good of the public".
  Either way, we lose.  The detractors of America have learned their lessons well.  Take away America a small piece at a time.  If you take too much, they'll stop watching American Idol and take notice.  
  Damn, I'm tired of typing!!!!
  I'm not trying to push my lifestyle, morality, religion, world-view, dogma, or anything else on anyone.  I would just like the same courtesy.  I have my own little place where I set the rules, and thats enough for me, till the government sees fit to install surveillance cameras in my home to keep me in line and relieve me of whats left of my privacy.
 
  Until my fingers quit cramping and I have a reply to continue this discussion with, I remain yours truly,

  Painfully Opinionated

[MandalorianWarrior]

I could care less if you(anyone) smoke.  What a man does in his own home is his business.  There might even be a few courteous smokers out there.  I like to think I was.  Most smokers, though, are not and it's killing the people around them.  Did you know there may soon be a law that you cannot smoke in a car with a minor??   $50 fine if your caught.  Good!!! Wanna smoke go ahead, but I see people (mostly women) pull into the business I work at, windows up, kids in the car seat, puffing away.  Suit me if child services took their kids away.  They would if they were putting those toxins in their bottle and feeding it to them.  What's the difference?

All this may be an invasion of rights, I guess.  It's not going to make any difference.   Slowly, day by day, every citizens rights are being taken away or redefined.  It's our (this whole country) own fault, big brother was welcomed in the door with arms wide open.  You could exercise your right to vote, try to change things....but you won't.  People who try are kidding themselves.

[MandalorianWarrior]

Would you like to make a real difference?  Learn and teach.  Learn to be as close to 100% self reliant as possible and teach others.  Learn to survive on near nothing, it's all you'll have soon.  

It's not apathy on my part for not giving a good shit about what our retard government does.  It's having the clear sight to see, they will do what they want, when they want, how they want.  One day they will come to your door and you'll say: " I have rights, I voted!!!"  Right before they drive their boot into your mouth.  

Want to make a difference you will reap a real reward from?  Learn how survive and bug out when you smell the fart or else get caught in the splatter when the shit hits the fan like all the other idiot sheeple.

[MandalorianWarrior]

Don't smoke, it's killing you and everyone around you