smokers tax

I don't agree with that. I'm all in favor of paying higher taxes for something if I know where that money is going and if it's for the better good of society in general.

But what exactly is the "better good of society," or who determines what that is? If some fat guy wants to stuff his face and die of a heart attack by age 35, that's his perogative. Likewise, if some idiot wants to smoke himself to an early grave, that's also his choice.

I see no difference between taxing fast food at 150% (so you're typical value meal will cost about $12.50) and taxing cigarettes at 150%. Both are unhealthy. No one needs to smoke and no one NEEDS to eat fast food. Both are supposedly costing taxpayers money. And by the way, I oppose both such taxes.

But what exactly is the "better good of society," or who determines what that is? If some fat guy wants to stuff his face and die of a heart attack by age 35, that's his perogative. Likewise, if some idiot wants to smoke himself to an early grave, that's also his choice.

I see no difference between taxing fast food at 150% (so you're typical value meal will cost about $12.50) and taxing cigarettes at 150%. Both are unhealthy. No one needs to smoke and no one NEEDS to eat fast food. Both are supposedly costing taxpayers money. And by the way, I oppose both such taxes.


Again, food, a requirement for life, and continuation of life.
Cigarettes...not so much. Death will happen and much quicker than normal.

Big differences there.

But what exactly is the "better good of society," or who determines what that is? If some fat guy wants to stuff his face and die of a heart attack by age 35, that's his perogative. Likewise, if some idiot wants to smoke himself to an early grave, that's also his choice.

I see no difference between taxing fast food at 150% (so you're typical value meal will cost about $12.50) and taxing cigarettes at 150%. Both are unhealthy. No one needs to smoke and no one NEEDS to eat fast food. Both are supposedly costing taxpayers money. And by the way, I oppose both such taxes.

I'd support both such taxes and here's why:

Both products create health problems which are obvious; emphysema, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure which can lead to stroke. All of those medical conditions tend to strike the elderly, and if you follow the money, the federal government pays immense medical benefits (in the form of Medicare) to seniors as a direct result of these diseases. Citizens who smoke and regularly eat fatty foods are much more likely to cost the federal government a lot of coin after their 65th birthday. Taxes on these products help ensure that the people consuming these products are doing more to subsidize the cost of their medical treatment.

No, this tax revenue does not go directly to the Medicare program. But it has a fiscal domino effect. This cigarrette tax revenue goes to fund government programs or reduce the federal deficit, meaning the government does not need to raise Medicare tax rates, or raise income taxes on the rest of us. Ultimately, the smokers end up paying more into the take-a-penny, leave-a-penny jar, and that's the way it should be, because at the end of their lives they're taking quarters and dollars while the rest of us are taking pennies.

This tax isn't about philosophy and trying to dictate behavior. You're dreaming if you think people pass tax laws to affect human behavior. They do it for one reason: money. Specifically, making sure the nation is aligning the inflows and outflows fairly.

But what exactly is the "better good of society," or who determines what that is? If some fat guy wants to stuff his face and die of a heart attack by age 35, that's his perogative. Likewise, if some idiot wants to smoke himself to an early grave, that's also his choice.

I see no difference between taxing fast food at 150% (so you're typical value meal will cost about $12.50) and taxing cigarettes at 150%. Both are unhealthy. No one needs to smoke and no one NEEDS to eat fast food. Both are supposedly costing taxpayers money. And by the way, I oppose both such taxes.

I'd define the better good of society as whatever costs us all less money in the long run.

Again, food, a requirement for life, and continuation of life.
Cigarettes...not so much. Death will happen and much quicker than normal.

Big differences there.

Just because a chicken mcnugget is edible doesn't make it a requirement for life. Coca leaves are edible too btw.

Here (http://www.forces.org/evidence/files/crs_97-1053.htm) is one such study I referenced earlier. It was authored by a member of the Congressional Research Service.

Schneed, check this study out. We went over this argument a few pages ago, but basically, some believe that cigarettes actually save the government money because smokers often die before they get their social security checks, before they use a lot of medicare payments, etc. While cancer treatments aren't cheap, nursing home care is ridiculously expensive.

Again, food, a requirement for life, and continuation of life.
Cigarettes...not so much. Death will happen and much quicker than normal.

Big differences there.

I fail to see the difference if they both lead to premature death.

BOTTOM LINE:
Does anyone feel confident, and comfortable with the Fed regularly exercising it's power to tax..........anything, or to escalate a tax on something so that you can no longer do whatever "it" was?
I do not.
I would like the Fed to account for what it gets now. Would you like to know where your money goes? You never will. Let's face it, this Govt. is FAAAAT!
More tax is not the answer. Less Govt is the answer.
I do not begin to have the confidence in the Fed to support more of our American freedoms being put in jeopardy, to line our politicians pockets.

--Thankyou......thankyou very much

But people can live without smoking. Fatty or not, food sustains you.

It'll lead to an early grave, but not as early as not eating period.

I fail to see the difference if they both lead to premature death.


You don't see the difference?
OK, stop eating right now. Do not eat anything ever again, see what happens to you. How long do you think you'll live? 7 days? 30 days?

Now if you're a smoker, stop smoking now, do not smoke ever again, then see what happens to you. You'll live a lot longer, and life will be clearer and smell better.

See the difference now?