My letter to the RNC.

[Soggy in NOLA]

I just sent the following message to the Republican National Committee:



Here's a demographic you can capture right now: Smokers. I'm one, and though I've voted Democrat in the past 3 elections and am not a single issue voter, I HAVE had enough of higher tobacco taxes! As you well know, the President is proposing even more tobacco taxes in his budget request and its high time the nanny-staters find some other whipping boy to pillage. Why not get out front on this tax right now and style it as an issue of fairness, which it is?

Almost 1 in 5 adult American's still smoke, which equates to a potential 40 million + voters. The GOP doesn't have to be pro-smoking to be pro-fairness and you have the opportunity right now to attract perhaps millions of votes simply by standing up for the right of smokers not be continually raped by those who claim to know what's best for them. There is little to be lost by opposing the health-Nazi's and much to be gained.

Will you?

This letter should have gone to the DNC.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

Not surprisingly, this thread has gone all over the place, from personal attacks to anti/pro-Republican to the dangers of smoking to cheap advice.

So...let me refocus it: Is this an issue which the GOP could mine for support? I think it is and I hope they do because if somebody doesn't begin to oppose the nanny-state, the health-Nazi's and do-gooders will run us all down.

Yes. Because as we all know, NAZI's were all about making people healthy. Especially Jews. It makes perfect sense to label elected officials who want to improve the health of the American people "NAZI's"

Why does it matter to you if the GOP makes this tax a special issue. You already know that they will oppose it. You have made our decision. Congratulations.

Actually, national healthcare was a cornerstone of the NAZI party.

 

[jknowgood]

Ll, I'm sorry if I offended you, but I sick of a president saying after he got his tax increase they need to pay more. You call me greedy, but you have no idea how much I make. Well it's no much, I live a simple life, but I help slot if people. Now atbout the left and welfare, why is the liberals always say the children will starve if any welfare reform is proposed? To newer your other question, with almost 50% of Americans on some sort of government assistance I'd say a pretty good amount.

Oh! Now you are talking about employed Americans, disabled people and seniors who need some kind of assistance? You are not talking about the "cradle to the grave" takers any longer? That's convenient.

Please answer the question in my signature. Then tell me how many of THOSE people vote.

Thanks. And....I cannot be offended.

Alright I'll stick with my first cradle comment, I know it wasn't many by the figures, but I can bet most votes democrat. Liberals want to keep it that way, they are against school vouchers, which education could get thousands off welfare. Tm is an idiot who only writes liberal talking points.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Not surprisingly, this thread has gone all over the place, from personal attacks to anti/pro-Republican to the dangers of smoking to cheap advice.

So...let me refocus it: Is this an issue which the GOP could mine for support? I think it is and I hope they do because if somebody doesn't begin to oppose the nanny-state, the health-Nazi's and do-gooders will run us all down.

Yes. Because as we all know, NAZI's were all about making people healthy. Especially Jews. It makes perfect sense to label elected officials who want to improve the health of the American people "NAZI's"

Why does it matter to you if the GOP makes this tax a special issue. You already know that they will oppose it. You have made our decision. Congratulations.

Actually, national healthcare was a cornerstone of the NAZI party.

And...what other parties all over the world also claim it as a cornerstone? Any idea?

 

[LoneLaugher]

Ll, I'm sorry if I offended you, but I sick of a president saying after he got his tax increase they need to pay more. You call me greedy, but you have no idea how much I make. Well it's no much, I live a simple life, but I help slot if people. Now atbout the left and welfare, why is the liberals always say the children will starve if any welfare reform is proposed? To newer your other question, with almost 50% of Americans on some sort of government assistance I'd say a pretty good amount.

Oh! Now you are talking about employed Americans, disabled people and seniors who need some kind of assistance? You are not talking about the "cradle to the grave" takers any longer? That's convenient.

Please answer the question in my signature. Then tell me how many of THOSE people vote.

Thanks. And....I cannot be offended.

Alright I'll stick with my first cradle comment, I know it wasn't many by the figures, but I can bet most votes democrat. Liberals want to keep it that way, they are against school vouchers, which education could get thousands off welfare. Tm is an idiot who only writes liberal talking points.

Not many? Then why in the hell would you say that liberals keep people on welfare for their votes? You don't make sense here.

What 5 nations lead the world in education? How many of them have school vouchers?

 

[Avorysuds]

Dems (Obama) lost 4 million voters last election. Republicans closed their gap by 2% from 2008. The Democrat party is currently the fastest dying party in the country. If it keeps up at this rate you can't win the next election.

The people are rejecting both parties.

 

[Avorysuds]

Unless the vast majority that homeless guy gets are bumbed off others for free or, given to them or picked off the ground or out of cigarettes trays... Of course this is all based off reality unlike your fictitious opinion that homeless people would buy cigarettes that they could otherwise obtain for free.

This of course presents a bigger question. If TM believe that the Government has a right to ax you more for "unhealthy" activity.... does that mean TM supports taxing fat people more simply for being fat? I mean, obesity is the #1 killer in America.... Something tells me TM knows all to well how unhealthy a person is based on her own experiences with obesity.


And for the record I don't smoke, never have. Or drink.... or any drugs.... But I do own a gym!

 

[Avorysuds]

good idea.

lets tax the products designed to give people diabeties

Yeah, and tax people like that's not over weight. So I can pay for their bad choices twice. to

Tax the ingredients that contribute to obesity - yeah. High Fructose Corn Syrup - $40 per ounce.

Great idea!!!! Ooooor.... OOoOOOOoooR...and hear me out! We could always demand the Government stop mass subsidies to farmers that grow crops that produce this cheap high calorie sugar....


OOooh, that's just OUTA THE QUESTION, lol.... First we must tax people for the problem literally made possible by Government.


Hitler would be proud to have people like TM!

 

[OODA_Loop]

What 5 nations lead the world in education? How many of them have school vouchers?

How many have an entitilement class that contribute nothing to pay for it ?

 

[Caroljo]

I've tried to quit sooooo many times, i'm just a weakling!
Ya...it seems everytime you turn around they're raising the tax on cigarettes!
I roll my own cigs now...so much cheaper, and you get used to them. I spend about $7.00 a week doing it this way. So the tax thing probably won't hurt me that much, but it still isn't fair that we
get the raw end everytime the gov't needs a little more money!

Heck...I even tried the e-cigs, they worked pretty good, and now i find out they have something that's a chemical in anti-freeze. Can't win!!

If you really want to quit you can. It seems hard, but it really isn't. It takes two weeks after cutting out all nicotine to get dopamine levels back to normal. Higher than normal dopamine levels due to nicotine are the culprit behind your physical craving for nicotine. Regardless of how much you smoke, after two weeks being nicotine free, your body will stop craving nicotine. The worst of your withdrawal symptoms take place the first three days. After that it's just a matter of getting through some rough patches. It's not something that nags at you every single minute.

I quit cold turkey a little less than two years ago. It really wasn't that hard at all. I was a pack a day or more smoker for nearly 30 years. When I quit, I started going to the gym and working out, and eventually I started running also. I lost 17 pounds after quitting due to the fact that I could work out more. I did this while I started eating more than I had. I can now run a 5K in about 21 minutes and I'm shooting for 20 minutes. That isn't too bad for an almost 50 year old guy who smoked for nearly 30 years. Life is so much better since I quit. I feel better, I know my health is better, my resting heart rate is around 45 (shocked my doctor), food tastes better and I can eat more of it without gaining weight, I can play ball with my two kids, I can do all kinds of things now that I couldn't when I smoked. My clothes don't smell like shit anymore, I don't have to worry about others breathing in my second hand smoke, and how much more do you want to hear? Life is good. Quit smoking.

My husband also quit cold turkey, back in the early 80's. I'm such a high stressed person, I really struggle with this. I get mad at myself because i can't be strong and do it!! I use our financial worries, kid worries, all of that to reason why i keep smoking. We've had our older son living with us for quite a while, he's had a hard time finding full time jobs and affording to be on his own, and this has put a BIG stress on us. That should be ending soon, he won't be here smoking I'm hoping once the house is empty of smokers then I MIGHT be able to do it!

 

[Harry Dresden]

and it will be corrected so you do pay the price of the cost you have forced society to pay for your own actions

Do you say the same about the over weight person that has diabetes?

good idea.

lets tax the products designed to give people diabeties

and what is that?....

 

[Rozman]

smoking increases the cost of your care on society.


making you pay the costs of your actions is completely reasonable

So does eating at McDonald's 4 times a week.
So does drinking every day.
So does eating high fat and salty foods.
So does people sitting at their keyboards eating all this stuff
and passing judgement on the rest of us....

 

[Harry Dresden]

EVERY FUCKING thread TDM on she post over and over again. THAT IS FUCKING SPAMMING it needs to stop why cant you edit your post and put other links instead of posting over and over again

she is trying to be first to reach 100 thousand posts.....she will get a Slinky.....maybe even a bowl of soup.....

 

[Rozman]

EVERY FUCKING thread TDM on she post over and over again. THAT IS FUCKING SPAMMING it needs to stop why cant you edit your post and put other links instead of posting over and over again

she is trying to be first to reach 100 thousand posts.....she will get a Slinky.....maybe even a bowl of soup.....

Lakhota will give her competition.

 

[Katzndogz]

George Burns smoked up to and including the day he died and he turned 100 by then.

 

[Harry Dresden]

EVERY FUCKING thread TDM on she post over and over again. THAT IS FUCKING SPAMMING it needs to stop why cant you edit your post and put other links instead of posting over and over again

she is trying to be first to reach 100 thousand posts.....she will get a Slinky.....maybe even a bowl of soup.....

Lakhota will give her competition.

LaKota?......i have more than him.....TM laughs at the amount he has.....

 

[WillowTree]

I just sent the following message to the Republican National Committee:



Here's a demographic you can capture right now: Smokers. I'm one, and though I've voted Democrat in the past 3 elections and am not a single issue voter, I HAVE had enough of higher tobacco taxes! As you well know, the President is proposing even more tobacco taxes in his budget request and its high time the nanny-staters find some other whipping boy to pillage. Why not get out front on this tax right now and style it as an issue of fairness, which it is?

Almost 1 in 5 adult American's still smoke, which equates to a potential 40 million + voters. The GOP doesn't have to be pro-smoking to be pro-fairness and you have the opportunity right now to attract perhaps millions of votes simply by standing up for the right of smokers not be continually raped by those who claim to know what's best for them. There is little to be lost by opposing the health-Nazi's and much to be gained.

Will you?

Oh here we go.. democrats,,, it's okay to tax other people but don't you dare tax me. Hell is you can AFFORD to smoke cigarettes you can afford to pay your fair share for the sake of the children. so in short cry me a fucking river why don't ewe?

 

[auditor0007]

I just sent the following message to the Republican National Committee:



Here's a demographic you can capture right now: Smokers. I'm one, and though I've voted Democrat in the past 3 elections and am not a single issue voter, I HAVE had enough of higher tobacco taxes! As you well know, the President is proposing even more tobacco taxes in his budget request and its high time the nanny-staters find some other whipping boy to pillage. Why not get out front on this tax right now and style it as an issue of fairness, which it is?

Almost 1 in 5 adult American's still smoke, which equates to a potential 40 million + voters. The GOP doesn't have to be pro-smoking to be pro-fairness and you have the opportunity right now to attract perhaps millions of votes simply by standing up for the right of smokers not be continually raped by those who claim to know what's best for them. There is little to be lost by opposing the health-Nazi's and much to be gained.

Will you?

I always felt that tobacco taxes were unfair until I quit smoking. Let me explain. It is a known fact that smoking kills. This is a fact that tobacco companies have tried to deny forever, but there is no denying that smoking takes years off of one's life and adds to medical costs. Yes, government wants to be big brother when it comes to smoking, and this is one case where I don't mind them being big brother. Now, while I do see it as somewhat unfair to those who already smoke, these are not the true targets of the higher taxes. The target is the young person who does not yet smoke.

When I started smoking around 1980, cigarettes cost $.75 per pack. Minimum wage at that time was $3.10 per hour, so I could buy four packs of cigarettes with one hour's pay. Basically, smoking was a fairly cheap habit, even for an high school kid working a part-time job. Paying that $.75 for a pack of smokes wasn't going to break my bank or make me think twice as to whether or not it was a good investment. Now, let's look at the cost for a pack of smokes today. In almost every state, the cheapest decent pack of smokes you will find costs well over $5.00. Minimum wage is $7.25 in most states, so a young person earning minimum wage would spend nearly an hour's pay for a pack of cigarettes. If that person works 20 hours per week, then smoking a pack per day will cost the kid over one quarter of his/her total earnings, just to smoke. That's enough to make a lot of kids think twice about making smoking a permanent habit or even trying it to begin with.

As far as smoking being a choice, that is an excuse that addicted people use to justify their need to quench their addiction. If there was no addiction, knowing the reality of the harm cigarettes cause, hardly anyone would smoke today. I smoked for nearly 30 years. After quitting, my only regret is that I ever started in the first place or that I didn't quit much sooner. Luckily, I am not experiencing any negative consequences and hopefully never will, but I missed out on a lot of things due to smoking. Luckily I still have some time to make up for it.

Anyway, my bottom line is that anything that stops young kids from starting to smoke is worth it, even if it hurts you or anyone else. You are old and wise enough to know that you really should quit, so I don't feel too bad for you having to pay some more if it helps stop a young person from starting. That young person just might be one of my kids or yours.

Economics of Tobacco Control - Myths and Facts

Are you also onboard with any other behavior modification tax in the name of "health," or is just in regards to cigarettes?

Ah, you want to know if I support the soda ban in NYC or something along those lines? No, I do not. Here is the thing; you can drink a soda in moderation or you can can be healthy and eat something bad for you every now and then without causing yourself or anyone else any harm. The same cannot be said for cigarettes. Smoking just one cigarette is bad for you, and anyone else who may breath in your second hand smoke. You cannot say that smoking cigarettes in moderation won't hurt you, because it does. Also, cigarettes are addictive where fatty foods are not. If someone overeats, it's because of their own personal issues, not because some chemical in the food is making them eat more.

 

[Grandma]

Well instead of bitching on a mesageboard, why not write to the Prez and your senators and representative and offer a different solution? I think a 10-mills sales tax increase nationally would do wonders not just for the preschoolers but for the older schoolkids too.

Agree? Disagree? Tell your Congressperson.

 

[auditor0007]

I've tried to quit sooooo many times, i'm just a weakling!
Ya...it seems everytime you turn around they're raising the tax on cigarettes!
I roll my own cigs now...so much cheaper, and you get used to them. I spend about $7.00 a week doing it this way. So the tax thing probably won't hurt me that much, but it still isn't fair that we
get the raw end everytime the gov't needs a little more money!

Heck...I even tried the e-cigs, they worked pretty good, and now i find out they have something that's a chemical in anti-freeze. Can't win!!

If you really want to quit you can. It seems hard, but it really isn't. It takes two weeks after cutting out all nicotine to get dopamine levels back to normal. Higher than normal dopamine levels due to nicotine are the culprit behind your physical craving for nicotine. Regardless of how much you smoke, after two weeks being nicotine free, your body will stop craving nicotine. The worst of your withdrawal symptoms take place the first three days. After that it's just a matter of getting through some rough patches. It's not something that nags at you every single minute.

I quit cold turkey a little less than two years ago. It really wasn't that hard at all. I was a pack a day or more smoker for nearly 30 years. When I quit, I started going to the gym and working out, and eventually I started running also. I lost 17 pounds after quitting due to the fact that I could work out more. I did this while I started eating more than I had. I can now run a 5K in about 21 minutes and I'm shooting for 20 minutes. That isn't too bad for an almost 50 year old guy who smoked for nearly 30 years. Life is so much better since I quit. I feel better, I know my health is better, my resting heart rate is around 45 (shocked my doctor), food tastes better and I can eat more of it without gaining weight, I can play ball with my two kids, I can do all kinds of things now that I couldn't when I smoked. My clothes don't smell like shit anymore, I don't have to worry about others breathing in my second hand smoke, and how much more do you want to hear? Life is good. Quit smoking.

My husband also quit cold turkey, back in the early 80's. I'm such a high stressed person, I really struggle with this. I get mad at myself because i can't be strong and do it!! I use our financial worries, kid worries, all of that to reason why i keep smoking. We've had our older son living with us for quite a while, he's had a hard time finding full time jobs and affording to be on his own, and this has put a BIG stress on us. That should be ending soon, he won't be here smoking I'm hoping once the house is empty of smokers then I MIGHT be able to do it!

Do some stress relief exercises, like a type of meditation, but not full meditation. Learning to relax is an important part of quitting. The truth is that nicotine causes stress. As soon as you put out your last cigarette, nicotine levels begin to drop which has a big effect on dopamine levels. When you feel the need to smoke your are feeling stressed due to going through withdrawal from nicotine. Smoking a cigarette makes you feel normal again, so you believe that it helps you relax. What it is really doing is just heightening your level of dopamine which in turn leads to greater cravings for nicotine. Once you quit and dopamine levels return to normal, much of your stress will disappear.

Another great benefit is that you end up with an extra $150 to $200 per month in your pocket. Personally, I am saving nearly $400 per month since I quit smoking. Besides the $200 per month that I am saving from the cigarettes themselves, my health insurance and life insurance rates have dropped by almost $150 per month, and the issues I had with bleeding gums which was causing a lot of dental problems have all been resolved, so I am spending less at the dentist. In total, my savings from quitting is directly around $5000 per year.