Suck it, Bush!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yeah... but if you had to finance it via income taxes, then eveybody would have to pay for it, and wouldn't be as popular. Now they can just dump on the smokers, since eveybody hates them anyway

And yes, a stupid idea since the costs will only increase over time while the revenue continues to decline. Real brilliant economics there...

Yes sir, why thinking about future revenue streams when you could use a political boogeyman?

[MrFun]

You guys are a bunch of whiners when it comes to any possible increase in income taxes. News flash; you can't get something for nothing.

You would rather we just do nothing about the issues we face in our country just so we do not see any increase in our taxes?


But yeah, I agree that relying on taxes on cigs is stupid. But they did this so people like some of you on here don't start bawling.

[Ming]

Just for once, I would love to see them say they are going to fund a new program by cutting some other spending... Like foreign aid to countries that don't support our global efforts, pork projects, or some other area where spending should be trimmed. But no, they always seem to just want to spend more overall instead of making hard choices.

I'm sure there has to be more efficient use of the money we are already giving them

[Lancer]

Stick it to the smokers, its fun to watch them whine!

[Thue]

So taxing tobacco could make people smoke less? Tragedy!

[Riesstiu IV]

I dislike children more than smokers so I am against this. Children

[Darius871]

Yeah, they should be seen and not heard. Even when they're dying of leukemia.

[Riesstiu IV]

Leukemia is nothing. It helps build character.

[Kuciwalker]

Cigarette taxes et. al. are economically optimal - FACT.

[Ben Kenobi]

It's likely we will see an increase in waiting lines, since we'd be adding the tens of millions of Americans who are currently uninsured.

Not just that, you will also see a decrease in private insurance. Why pay when the state will pay for you instead.

I don't see how you can predict a decrease in the quality of health care, given the atrocious state of America's current system.

One of the things I was surprised is that you have much better equipment down there then we do up here. I'm not sure how they are ranking quality, but when Canadians are willing to pay for care in the US, that they cannot get up here, I would presume your quality to be greater. YMMV.

We already rank below developed countries with evil "socialized" medicine, while at the same time our per capita spending is 2-3x more.

I'd be less likely to trust MM who's never actually been to Canada.

[Ben Kenobi]

Cigarette taxes et. al. are economically optimal - FACT.

Perhaps, but half our entire budget goes to fund our medicare. Are you going to tax smokers 10 thousand per carton?

[Theben]

Most likely once the headlines go away the costs will be shifted to income taxes.

We'll see whether or not Obama will do the "line-by-line" cost cutting of govt expenditure.

[Ben Kenobi]

I thought democrats were opposed to the line-item veto.

[rah]

Only when there's a republican president

[Arrian]

I thought anyone in favor of Congressional power (to balance Presidential power) was against the line item veto.

In other words, whoever doesn't hold the Presidency...

-Arrian