***PLEASE READ*** Build Back Better Plan/INSANE Nicotine Tax Proposal!

[Drewps5co0tt]

Guys, please write to Sen. Joe Manchin and express your feelings on this proposed nicotine tax (he seems to be the voice that we all need). You do not need to live in West Virginia to contact him. Please click the following link: Email Joe and click on "share your opinion on legislation" and tell him your story and how this crazy tax proposal would hurt you and the rest of the vaping community. My letter to him is below:



Dear Sen. Manchin,

While I don't live in your state (West Virginia), I do reside next door to you in Virginia. I am contacting you today to express my views about this proposed nicotine tax that certain democrats want to push through the Build Back Better package of President Biden's. I am also a democrat and am outraged at the insane tax they want passed on nicotine products (vapor, etc.). Lastly, I know you're an opponent of this insane tax proposal and that you are urging democrats in the house to say "NO" to the increase in nicotine tax (before it even makes it over to the Senate floor).

First off I'm a vapor! I had my last cigarette on January 3, 2011 and have not touched a cigarette since. My health improved almost overnight after I made the switch from smoking to vaping (I smoked for 20 years and currently I am 49 years old). vaping keeps me comfortable and keeps me off cigarettes; no other smoking 'cessation' product has ever worked for me before vaping came along.

As you know, the vaping industry has taken a huge smack in the face this year. First, congress snuck in language in the omnibus budget bill from December of 2020, that bans USPS from shipping vaping products, FedEx and UPS followed suit thereafter. Next we have the PMTA's (Pre-Market Tobacco Application) that had to be filed by manufactures who want to continue to sell their products to the FDA by I believe September 9, 2020 (FDA was to make decisions on all applications by September 9, 2021), which they are still working on today. Now, certain democrats want to impose an astronomical tax on all nicotine (vapor) products (but they want to leave cigarettes out of the equation). Last time I checked, cigarettes also have nicotine in them. This is yet another attempt to go after the vaping industry and destroy a multi-billion dollar industry, that has helped MANY millions of people not only switch to vaping but to continue vaping if they feel the need to (like myself). Like I said, it keeps me comfortable and I have absolutely no feelings or desire to ever return to cigarettes because of this great electronic technology.

I am contacting you to ask you to do anything that you can do; to get this proposed nicotine tax off the table. If this portion of the Build Back Better plan is passed, it will decimate the vaping industry, kill most (if not all businesses) and send A LOT of people back to smoking. These taxes would double, if not triple the current prices of vaping products. For example, a bottle of 100ml e-liquid could end up costing upwards of $100, when the product is only a $20 or $25 dollar product. We vapors can't afford such a ridiculous tax and I feel its outright criminal what certain democrats have proposed to do. I have no problem whatsoever paying a federal tax on nicotine products as long as it's reasonable. What is being proposed here is NOT reasonable, again it's downright criminal!

President Biden promised not to raise taxes on those making less than $400,000 a year (that is most of the country). As a neighboring West Virginia resident, I am pleading with you to make sure this proposed tax rule does not get passed. It was already sent to President Biden once I believe, the White House rejected the nicotine tax proposal and sent it back to congress, now certain members of congress have added it back in. PLEASE, don't let this proposal happen, it will hurt SO MANY people Senator Manchin. I know you're the voice against this insane nicotine tax and I pray that you can be the advocate that the vaping industry needs and stop this from happening.

Respectfully,

Scott Walsh

 

[Vapeon4Life]

Guys, please write to Sen. Joe Manchin and express your feelings on this proposed nicotine tax (he seems to be the voice that we all need). You do not need to live in West Virginia to contact him. Please click the following link: Email Joe and click on "share your opinion on legislation" and tell him your story and how this crazy tax proposal would hurt you and the rest of the vaping community. My letter to him is below:...........

DONE! - I copied part of your letter: "I am contacting you to ask you to do anything that you can do; to get this proposed nicotine tax off the table. If this portion of the Build Back Better plan is passed, it will decimate the vaping industry, kill most (if not all businesses) and send A LOT of people back to smoking. These taxes would double, if not triple the current prices of vaping products. For example, a bottle of 100ml e-liquid could end up costing upwards of $100, when the product is only a $20 or $25 dollar product. We vapors can't afford such a ridiculous tax and I feel its outright criminal what certain democrats have proposed to do. I have no problem whatsoever paying a federal tax on nicotine products as long as it's reasonable. What is being proposed here is NOT reasonable, again it's downright criminal!"
Hope you don't mind but I think you said it all in that one paragraph - Anyway I doubt they read most of the letters they receive

 

[Drewps5co0tt]

No I don't mind at all. I'm pretty sure they are read. Although I can't remember if I got a reply back letting me know they had received it, but after I submitted it on his website, I did get a confirmation that it had been received. I've also sent similar letters to the President and Vice President (slimmed down because they have a max character count when contacting them).

 

[Vapeon4Life]

No I don't mind at all. I'm pretty sure they are read. Although I can't remember if I got a reply back letting me know they had received it, but after I submitted it on his website, I did get a confirmation that it had been received. I've also sent similar letters to the President and Vice President (slimmed down because they have a max character count when contacting them).

What I would bet is that they have people who read them and if of particular significance actually show the congressman the letter. Still they are worth writing because I would also bet they are sorted out by categories and counted up - Always with the intent of not alienating too many voters as winning elections is the name of the game for them. If Manchin receives a thousand anti nicotine tax letters he will probably pay little attention to it. But if he receives ten thousand or more it is sure to get his attention - There have been an awful lot of very close elections lately. No politician wants to lose an election because every nicotine user went out of the way to vote against him - And in today's political climate the 'We vote - We vape' does still have some meaning.

 

[zoiDman]

...

Hope you don't mind but I think you said it all in that one paragraph - Anyway I doubt they read most of the letters they receive

Senators and House Members read almost No Letters written to them by an Average Constituent. Unless something really Pops Out and Catches a Staffers eye. Maybe a dozen or so Letters a week on a current issues.

But what ALL Senators and House Members read are the itemized Totals their Staffers prepare of where letter senders Stand on Issues. They are sometimes call "Wind Blowing" Reports. As in which way the Winds are Blowing that week.

When your Rep's Office gets your letter, a Staffer quickly scans it, enters a Yea or Ney entry into a Database for the given topic, then selects a Form Letter Reply if one already exists. Or creates a Form Letter reply if need be. Many Times the same Reply can be sent to both the Yeas and the Nays. If the reply is Vague Enough.

So if the db Totals say that 1,247 people wrote in say'n they Support a Tax on Nicotine, and only 131 say they Don't, well... You get the Idea.

 

[Aerodan]

I read that as quantity over quality? So unless it makes me feel better, get as many people to sign up for the nay column as possible. I always pick the standard for and change the title to be “No on <whatever>”

Thanks AD

Senators and House Members read almost No Letters written to them by an Average Constituent. Unless something really Pops Out and Catches a Staffers eye. Maybe a dozen or so Letters a week on a current issues.

But what ALL Senators and House Members read are the itemized Totals their Staffers prepare of where letter senders Stand on Issues. They are sometimes call "Wind Blowing" Reports. As in which way the Winds are Blowing that week.

When your Rep's Office gets your letter, a Staffer quickly scans it, enters a Yea or Ney entry into a Database for the given topic, then selects a Form Letter Reply if one already exists. Or creates a Form Letter reply if need be. Many Times the same Reply can be sent to both the Yeas and the Nays. If the reply is Vague Enough.

So if the db Totals say that 1,247 people wrote in say'n they Support a Tax on Nicotine, and only 131 say they Don't, well... You get the Idea.

 

[zoiDman]

I read that as quantity over quality? So unless it makes me feel better, get as many people to sign up for the nay column as possible. I always pick the standard for and change the title to be “No on <whatever>”

Thanks AD

There just Aren't enough Hours in the Week for One Person to Read every single letter that an Average Senate or House Member receives. Especially Ranking or Committee Leaders.

So that Job is left to Staffers or Contract Services.

A Truly Outstanding Letter might make it to a Rep's Desk. Because someone in charge of a the Staffers thinks the Rep might get a kick out it. Or maybe it had a Big Fat Check enclosed with it. So a More personalized reply was in order.

But for 99.9% of what's written, it is a check in the For or Against column. Which Rep's keep a Close eye on. To see if Issues are gaining Momentum that they can Cash In on. Or on Issues where there seems to be Little Opposition.

Your Individual Letter really Isn't all that Relevant. It's the Total Number of Letters received who Feel the same way as you do that counts. Because Reps know that people who will spend the time to write a Letter are also the ones who will spend the time to Vote.

 

[Drewps5co0tt]

Oh well, I feel good about the fact that I tried and did my best. I did the CASAA call to action, I wrote to Sen. Manchin (who is against the nicotine tax already which is a good thing), I wrote to President Biden and to Vice President Harris. I'm not sure what else I can do on my end. I am very passionate about being able to vape and so I reached out to as many folks as I could, and I feel good about that.

All we can do is hope for the best, it's time that we were cut a break here!