The “Build Back Better” just passed the House and will go to the Senate.
Can the Senate change the Nicotine tax?
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Short Answer: Yes. Absolutely.
Longer Answer: Any Reduction to the Amount of Tax Revenues gained from this Bill could trigger some Democratic Moderates to Baulk at the Total Expenditure without Proportional Reduction in Spending (Offsets) somewhere else.
Or a Means of making up the Tax Revenue must be found => New Taxes or a Higher Rate on an Existing Tax Basis.
What the House sent the Senate is by No Means a Finished Bill. And Many have Criticized the Houses Leadership for send the Senate something that they know is Not Passable in it Current Form.
Needing 50 (Reconciliation) Senate Votes means you are going to Need EVERY Democratic Senator to Vote for this Legislation. Because there will be No Republican Votes for it.
So Any Democratic Senator has the Power to put the Kibosh on this Legislation. Which Doesn't leave Senate Leadership a lot of wiggle room. Especially if 2 or 3 Senators say they have a Problem with a Speeding Bill that Doesn't Pay for itself. And as it stands, this one Doesn't.
Whether or Not the Nicotine Tax remains Unchanged or is Modified is yet to be seen. There just aren't that many in Congress who view Smokers as anything more that 2nd Class Citizens with Utter to Squeeze. And "Vapers" are held to an even Lower Judgement by most of those.
BTW - Referring to what is going on as a "Nicotine Tax" just reinforces the "Goebbels-esk" PR Campaign that is constantly being waged against us.
A Nicotine Tax would Effect All Products that contain Nicotine. At least Vaguely Proportional. This Tax Main Victim is e-Liquids. So it should be Called what it Really is...
An Exorbitated Tax on e-Liquids for those who want a Better Choice than Smoking by using an e-Cigarettes. But I guess that Doesn't fit in well with that
"We're from the Government and We're here to Help You" message they keep pitching.
BTW - When the Tax on a Product is Greater that the Cost of the Product being Sold, it's time to Throw the Tea in the Harbor. Figuratively of course.