Obama?s recession remedy: Tax the poor!

[Jaskalas]

H.R.2: Tobacco to pay for State Children?s Health Insurance Program

Pelosi's PR
the legislation is fully offset over the five and ten-year budget window by raising the federal tax on tobacco products

by Michelle Malkin
?Everybody?s going to have to give,? President-elect Barack Obama warned over the weekend. And some people will have to give more than others ? starting with low-income smokers. Democrats are rushing this week to impose massive tax hikes of at least 61 cents on every cigarette pack sold in America, in addition to new increases on other tobacco products. The money will fund a long-plotted federal expansion of the State Children?s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP).

Yes, this is Dr. Big Nanny?s prescription for recession: Punitive tax increases on the poor to feed a universal health care Trojan Horse.

Obama and his liberal Democrat colleagues sure have a funny way of demonstrating ?progressive? values, don?t they? Health surveys show that smokers are more likely to be blue-collar workers, minorities, and have less than a high school education. The National Taxpayers Union noted that tobacco taxes take a 50-times-larger share of income from those earning less than $20,000 than those earning more than $200,000. Put another way: Families making less than $30,000 per year pay more than half of all taxes paid on cigarettes, while families making more than $60,000 pay only 14 percent.

That?s the dictionary definition of ?regressive,? not ?progressive.?

We?re about to get a 150% tax increase on cigarettes by the looks of it. Which, as pointed out, will directly tax working class Americans. Interesting choice of targets for this new tax, wouldn?t you say so? It?s acceptable to tax people doing something ?immoral?, am I right?

Who are the morality police now? If Dems don?t want you to do something, they?ll up the price of it so only the rich can afford it. You know, rich people like themselves. They can afford this tax, can?t you also afford it?

Now perhaps you?d like to root for the S-CHIP extension that this will pay for, no doubt it will do some good, but raising taxes on the poor is an interesting way to get this done.

Tell me P&N, do you support H.R.2, will this be a tax on you, or is this only a tax on other people so you couldn?t care less? I don?t smoke, never have and never will, but I can see how this could take money out of the pockets of people who need it.

 

[Deeko]

Maybe they should stop smoking then. It would apparently be in their best interest both financially and medically.

*shrug*

 

[jpeyton]

This is a tax on the stupid, not necessarily the poor. But a lot of poor people are stupid enough to smoke. So are a lot of rich people, for that matter.

 

[fskimospy]

Wait, a tax on a product that directly contributes to increased health care costs for us all... to pay for health care? THAT BASTARD.

Sure, any consumption based tax is a regressive one. While our good, moronic friend Michelle is the first to decry progressive taxation in any other form, she now bleeds for the poor being exploited by poor Obama (despite the fact that they will still be far better off on the whole with him than with Bush or McCain... or anyone else she would have supported).

Looks like the second most pathetic right wing blogger (behind Glenn Beck) is looking for attention again.

 

[Ramma2]

And if they quit spending 4$ on a pack of smokes multiple times a week, maybe they wouldn't be poor anymore.

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: eskimospy
Wait, a tax on a product that directly contributes to increased health care costs for us all... to pay for health care? THAT BASTARD.

So how about a $.60 tax on every fast-food order? Obesity will be the biggest killer this nation has ever seen.

Seems like that would absolutely nail the poor. Its not the wealthy that line up to feed their family off the $1 menu.

 

[OrByte]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
This is a tax on the stupid, not necessarily the poor. But a lot of poor people are stupid enough to smoke. So are a lot of rich people, for that matter.

took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[fskimospy]

Originally posted by: Ocguy31

Originally posted by: eskimospy
Wait, a tax on a product that directly contributes to increased health care costs for us all... to pay for health care? THAT BASTARD.

So how about a $.60 tax on every fast-food order? Obesity will be the biggest killer this nation has ever seen.

Seems like that would absolutely nail the poor. Its not the wealthy that line up to feed their family off the $1 menu.

I'm not for regressive taxation in general, but of all regressive taxes ones like these are by FAR the least offensive to me. Smokers cost each and every one of us money on health care. For them to pay more for each pack, and have that extra spent on reducing the cost of health care does not exactly enrage me. It's exactly like the gas tax.

Malkin's post is trying to paint Obama as screwing over poor people when we all know that overall they will be much better off with him than with any of the alternatives, and certainly better off than they are today. It's ridiculous and it's typical of her poorly thought out, flailing dishonesty.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Screw those smokers...who gives a shit if many are poor...they're stupid and deserved to be taxed a lot more because they make my health costs go up! Oh yeah....did I tell you they were stupid?!? Those bastards! They'll be much better off with this huge tax increase and are too stupid to know it because we ALL know that Obama is the answer and all will be better soon. :roll:

 

[spidey07]

Hold onto your wallets, here comes Obama! We all have to share don't you know?

But seriously this is only the beginning. I also agree on a 60 cent fast food tax if you are going to pull this or maybe a 5,000 a year penalty if you are obese. Obesity is lions share of health care costs, not smoking.

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: Ocguy31

Originally posted by: eskimospy
Wait, a tax on a product that directly contributes to increased health care costs for us all... to pay for health care? THAT BASTARD.

So how about a $.60 tax on every fast-food order? Obesity will be the biggest killer this nation has ever seen.

Seems like that would absolutely nail the poor. Its not the wealthy that line up to feed their family off the $1 menu.

Fast food isn't necessarily all crap though, nor are all people who eat it all unhealthy.

I don't see an issue with this, but people like Malkin will do anything to find issues with Obama. She doesn't even want to wait for real ones.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

I'm thinking old age should be taxed as well...those old people cost us plenty!

 

[DaveSimmons]

If they smoke less, they'll be healthier. They'll also poison the rest of us less with their second hand smoke.

(don't) suck it, smokers!

 

[darkrisen2003]

Wait a minute. Let me get this strait. So because I smoke I am automatically deemed an idiot? How about all of the people who drink? Drinking is still the number one drug abused in the world yet it is universally selected as being quite acceptable. How are smokers the only ignorant ones out there? Everyone is addicted to something be it movies, games, religion, food, sex, etc. There are too many things to list there but I believe my point will be understood that smokers are not ignorant. I am completely fine with non smokers and I respect them but why is that same respect never given back?

 

[DaveSimmons]

Up the booze tax too, and make money off the alkies.

(don't) suck it, boozehounds!

 

[tenthumbs]

Originally posted by: darkrisen2003
Wait a minute. Let me get this strait. So because I smoke I am automatically deemed an idiot? How about all of the people who drink? Drinking is still the number one drug abused in the world yet it is universally selected as being quite acceptable. How are smokers the only ignorant ones out there? Everyone is addicted to something be it movies, games, religion, food, sex, etc. There are too many things to list there but I believe my point will be understood that smokers are not ignorant. I am completely fine with non smokers and I respect them but why is that same respect never given back?

Considering all the facts about how harmful smoking is to your health, I'd say you answered your first question.

 

[Fingolfin269]

"Maybe they should quit!"
"If they quit maybe they wouldn't be poor!"

Blah blah.

If everyone quit because of this tax then I guess the children won't be getting their insurance program, right? Next up, 150% tax hike on beer sales. That will show them smokers who quit!

Regardless, any consumption based tax on an item like alcohol, smokes, food, etc. will always hit the lower income brackets hardest. It should be considered the worst type of taxation by a Democrat but I guess he is really pushing the change envelope here. 😛

 

[Genx87]

Heh tax it enough and it goes underground. I guess that would be a boon to the police state prohibitionists though. Another black market to expand our police forces to contain.

What is it with our country and declaring war on defenseless plants?

 

[cyclohexane]

I'm all for taxing tobacco and alcohol.

 

[Saga]

I feel absolutely no sympathy for people who have health-detrimental habits that are easily (and often) forced on me. Drink all you want. Have sex all you want. Stick a needle in your arm all you want. But don't fucking force me to breathe your smoke.

As far as I care you can tax cigarettes into oblivion. Good for Obama.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Originally posted by: cyclohexane
I'm all for taxing tobacco and alcohol.

Yeah man taxes are great. They take more money from you and give it to the government. I love taxes too.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Genx87
Heh tax it enough and it goes underground. I guess that would be a boon to the police state prohibitionists though. Another black market to expand our police forces to contain.

Maybe it's time to legalize marijuana then, and tax it $10/pack?

Let the dopers cover the insurance program, take billions away from the crime lords and gangs, and save hundreds of millions in police, court and prison expenses.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Originally posted by: Genx87
Heh tax it enough and it goes underground. I guess that would be a boon to the police state prohibitionists though. Another black market to expand our police forces to contain.

Maybe it's time to legalize marijuana then, and tax it $10/pack?

Let the dopers cover the insurance program, take billions away from the crime lords and gangs, and save hundreds of millions in police, court and prison expenses.

I have advocated this for years.

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: darkrisen2003
Wait a minute. Let me get this strait. So because I smoke I am automatically deemed an idiot?

Yes.

How about all of the people who drink?

Alcoholics are also idiots. It would be hard to find a person that disagrees with that statement (besides alcoholics).

Drinking is still the number one drug abused in the world yet it is universally selected as being quite acceptable.

Simply drinking alcohol does not make you an addict.

I am completely fine with non smokers and I respect them but why is that same respect never given back?

1) Second-hand smoke.
2) Smokers smell like one of two things: cigarette smoke or excessive cologne/perfume.

There are a lot of people I don't respect, so don't feel too special.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

I'm thinking if an additional 61 cents can adequately fund S-CHIP...then maybe $20 per pack tax will adequately fund Universal Health Care. Healthcare crisis solved. No need to thank me...a Nobel prize will do just fine.