Massive smokeless tobacco tax increase

[LeAnn]

I just got my form letter from Sen. Durbin, that means that he's not interested in what I say as usual. I am not really into politics but this ticks me off! They never listen to the people of Illinois till a bunch of people raise H--l! You have to get on the local news and get into newspaper articles and form a big group to get any response from him! It just makes my blood boil!

 

[LeAnn]

A Herd of Cows, a Flock of Chickens

The English language has some wonderfully anthropomorphic collective nouns for the various groups of animals.

We are all familiar with a Herd of cows, a Flock of chickens, a School of fish and a Gaggle of geese.

However, less widely known is a Pride of lions, a Murder of crows (as well as their cousins the rooks and ravens), an Exaltation of doves and, presumably because they look so wise, a Parliament of owls.

Now consider a group of Baboons. They are the loudest, most dangerous, most obnoxious, most viciously aggressive and least intelligent of all primates. And, what is the proper collective noun for a group of baboons?

Believe it or not ....... a Congress!

I guess that pretty much explains the things that come out of Washington!

You just can't make this stuff up.

 

[rothenbj]

LeAnn, that was worth more than a like. Do they have a key for "I LIKE A LOT!"

 

[kristin]

LeAnn, that was worth more than a like. Do they have a key for "I LIKE A LOT!"

+1

That was awesomeness.

 

[Vocalek]

+1

That was awesomeness.

+2 What she said ^

 

[DebW]

also I just wanna say that I have autism and I think this whole "it's to help the disabled children" excuse is TOTAL crap. Nicotine works better on me than any of that terrible poison BP shoved down my throat as a kid, they don't give a .......n about disabled people, only how they can make money off them.

Yep. All they care about is lining their own greedy little pockets.

 

[rothenbj]

The good Senator Harkin must be a financial wizard. The son of a coal mino whose mother died when he was 10. He went to college, spent a number of years in the military, then started his career. His only job outside the military, and we know what that pays, has been in Washington and his cumulative salary over 36 years was $3,040,163. Yet somehow he was able to save his pennies and accumulate a net worth of "between $10,499,111 and $21,938,002 in 2007, according to Harkin’s mandated financial disclosure statements." according to his mandated financial disclosure statements.

With that type of financial acumen he should be able to arrange financing for IDEA without raping tobacco users AGAIN.

 

[rothenbj]

I think I found out why all our legislators are millionaires. Darn, I never knew this or I would have revised my career to move into Washington politics-

SHOCKER: Legislators' Investments Generating "Abnormal Returns" | The Daily Feed | Minyanville.com

"We took a look at the phenomenon of Congressional legislators and their surprisingly successful investment portfolios back in February. One reason they might beat the market so handily, with such consistency, could have something to do with the fact that insider trading laws don't apply to members of Congress.

Or their staff members."

Now I'm not a bad stock trader, but with a little inside line from Washington information and I could become extraordinary.

Even when regulation occurs in highly critical areas-

"Still, it's not as if Congress hasn't instituted any regulations regarding stock ownership in an effort to curtail insider trading. For example, The Senate Armed Services Committee forbids staff and presidential appointees requiring Senate confirmation from owning stocks or bonds in 48,096 companies that have Defense Department contracts.

The Senators themselves?

19 of the 28 senators on the Committee held assets in companies among the prohibited 48,096 between 2004 and 2009, worth a total of $3.8 million to $10.2 million.

Come on now, you didn't think the rules would actually apply to them, did you?"

no compliance is required.

 

[DC2]

There is probably only a very small percentage of people that are both willing and capable of withstanding the temptations that come with power, and those people generally want nothing to do with the job. One of those old time philosophers said something about that but in much more eloquent terms. Unfortunately, I can't remember which philosopher, or what the quote was.

 

[LibertariaNate]

My favorite:

"Politicians and diapers should be changed frequently and all for the same reason." --José Maria de Eça de Queiroz

 

[ByStander1]

At this site:

This arose as a quotation by John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (1834–1902). The historian and moralist, who was otherwise known simply as Lord Acton, expressed this opinion in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887:

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."

But then, keep this in mind, too:

“If absolute power corrupts absolutely, does absolute powerlessness make you pure?”

~Harry Shearer, American actor

 

[Bill Godshall]

Here's the first news article on the bill introduced by 14 US Senate Democrats that would impose an enormous tax on e-cigarettes, sharply raise taxes on smokeless tobacco products, and double the cigarette tax. The article was nicely framed by Richard Craver, who wrote it after I notifified him about the legislation.

Bill would raise taxes on all types of tobacco
Bill would raise taxes on all types of tobacco | JournalNow.com

 

[YKruss]

I received second email from my senator (first one was sort of canned reply):

-----------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for contacting me regarding your thoughts on the IDEA Full Funding Act (S. 1403). I appreciate the benefit of your views on this important issue.

As you know, on July 21, 2011, this legislation was introduced by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee, of which I am not a member. Should the Senate consider this legislation or similar proposals in the future, I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind.

(snip)

Sincerely,
MARK R. WARNER
United States Senator
------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Vocalek]

I received second email from my senator (first one was sort of canned reply):

-----------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for contacting me regarding your thoughts on the IDEA Full Funding Act (S. 1403). I appreciate the benefit of your views on this important issue.

As you know, on July 21, 2011, this legislation was introduced by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee, of which I am not a member. Should the Senate consider this legislation or similar proposals in the future, I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind.

(snip)

Sincerely,
MARK R. WARNER
United States Senator
------------------------------------------------------------------

Ditto. Got the same message from him. I interpreted "I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind" to mean, ""You're certainly entitled to your own opinion -- and to avoid conflict, I won't bother mentioning that I have the totally opposite opinion. After all, I hold all the cards."

 

[dee5]

"That's one of many reasons why we need more clarity from the FDA on how harmful are smokeless-tobacco products compared with cigarettes so to present a better cost-benefit analysis in terms of public health and in terms of product cost."

Clarity from the FDA on how harmful smokeless tobacco products are? Hahahahaha! She's gotta be kidding!

 

[kristin]

I heard back from my submission today:

Dear Mrs. Noll-Marsh:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me with your concerns. I appreciate having the benefit of your views and will be sure to keep them in mind during the coming years. As you know, Congress and the President have a great deal of work ahead of us this year, and every bit of input from Wisconsin helps me. Again, thank you for contacting me. Please feel free to do so again in the future.


Sincerely,

Herb Kohl
United States Senator

Translation, IMO? "We have more important things to worry about."

FYI, this was my email:

I oppose S. 1403: IDEA Full Funding Act, because I support tobacco harm reduction and increasing taxes on smokeless tobacco products would not lower smoking-related health risks, it would INCREASE smoking-related health risks.

Smokers who cannot or will not quit tobacco use should be encouraged to switch to a lower risk alternative such as smokeless snus, dissolvable lozenges, strips and sticks or e-cigarettes, which carry 99% less health risks than smoking cigarettes. To add excessive taxes such as proposed to these products would DETER smokers from switching to low-risk alternatives and take away corporate incentive to advertise and sell smokeless products instead of cigarettes. This will reduce competition for the cigarette market, leaving the only choice for tobacco users (and youth who would try tobacco) the deadliest form of the product available.

Additionally, should the tax succeed in greatly reducing the purchase of tobacco products, it would also severely reduce the revenue generated for the IDEA program, which would lead to increased taxes for the general population to continue the funding.

 

[DC2]

It's responses like that that make me wish California was not such a massive state.
I live in the southwest corner (San Diego) and the capitol is up in Sacramento which is about an 8 hour drive.

If only I lived closer, I would get a face-to-face meeting.
At 6'5" I seem to make much more of an impact face-to-face.

 

[LibertariaNate]

It's responses like that that make me wish California was not such a massive state.
I live in the southwest corner (San Diego) and the capitol is up in Sacramento which is about an 8 hour drive.

If only I lived closer, I would get a face-to-face meeting.
At 6'5" I seem to make much more of an impact face-to-face.

Your representative doesn't have an office in his district?

 

[DC2]

Your representative doesn't have an office in his district?

Darrell Issa?

Yeah, he rocks.
I got no worries with him, he's on our side.


It's the senators that concern me, Boxer and Feinstein.

They really, really, really want to be my mom.
And your mom too!!

 

[LibertariaNate]

I heard back from my submission today:

Translation, IMO? "We have more important things to worry about."

FYI, this was my email:

On the bright side, maybe the focus on the economy and jobs will put this tax on the back burner.

Nice email.