Senate Backs Tobacco Tax Increase
NewsMax.com Wires
Friday, March 23, 2007


WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Senate approved a measure on Friday calling for an increase in the federal tobacco tax to provide money for a children's health care program.

On a vote of 59-40, the Senate agreed to an amendment offered by Sen. Gordon Smith, an Oregon Republican, to the fiscal 2008 budget plan being debated in the Senate. The Senate is expected to vote on the $2.9 trillion budget later on Friday.

The nonbinding budget resolution outlines priorities for taxes and spending. Further congressional action is required on the specifics, including the tobacco tax, which could face industry opposition(yeah-right).

The federal tobacco tax stands at 39 cents per pack of cigarettes. Smith's amendment did not include a total for the proposed increase, but an aide said he did not want the federal tax to be more than $1 per pack. The tax increase WOULD AFFECT OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS INCLUDING CIGARS.

The additional revenue would be used to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which provides health care coverage for poor children.

The move to raise federal taxes follows similar efforts in Smith's home state of Oregon to raise tobacco taxes to finance health care for children.

"It is inexcusable in the United States of America that millions of children go without health care coverage," Smith said in a statement.


A 61-cent increase would generate an estimated $35 billion for the health care program, Smith said.

Why is it inexcusible that children do not have health care coverage?

Most are so pampered and docile now how could they ever need health care coverage?

The only reason to cover more of them is so they can be prescribed more drugs to control them.

quote:

"It is inexcusable in the Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics (United States of America) that millions of children go without health care coverage," Stalin(Smith) said in a statement.

Well, that statement reads a lot smoother now.

In a republic, built of freemen, you are guaranteed an OPPURTUNITY to succeed, and to get the things you need to survive. And, if you don't have all the things you think you need, well, then, tough titty.

Communism is the only system that has ever pretended to do the things Mr. stalin (smith)has mentioned above. And, yes, the emphasis is on the word "pretended",

Now,what's the cost of these "utopias"?

Deaths numbering in the hundreds of millions.

How could ANYONE, other than the powerhungry, and foolish, believe this system can work?

quote:

"It is inexcusable in the United States of America that millions of children go without health care coverage," Smith said in a statement.

It's inexcusable that anyone would even think smokers should have to pay for this crap.

******* bigots and thieves.

Like their counterparts in the House, the Senate has larded its version of an “emergency” war spending bill with nearly $20 billion in pork-barrel outlays, including $100 million for the two major political parties’ 2008 presidential conventions.

The $121 billion bill includes...$14 billion for Hurricane Katrina aid and more than $4 billion for “emergency farm relief.”

The House bill, which passed last week...included money for spinach growers, peanut storage and citrus farmers.

The new bill also includes $13 million for “ewe replacement and retention,” $24 million for sugar beets growers and $95 million for dairy producers.

And it includes $3.5 million for the Capitol’s guided–tour program and $20 million for, in part, insect infestation control in Nevada...

Among the other beneficiaries of the Senate “emergency” war bill is the tree assistance program, including, specifically, Christmas trees.

link

Seeing how they want smokers to pay for kids' health care I decided someone else should have to pay for the "$20 billion in pork-barrel outlays". Here are my choices.

$14 billion for Hurricane Katrina aid:

Alzheimer's patients and their immediate families.

More than $4 billion for “emergency farm relief.”

Dieters.

$3.5 million for the Capitol’s guided–tour program:

Hawaii, Guam, and American Samoa.

$20 million for, in part, insect infestation control in Nevada:

Every state, but Nevada.

Tree assistance program (Christmas trees):

Jews, Muslims, and atheists.

Oh, and blacks. They haven't paid a poll tax in years.

I wrote Sen. Gordon Smith Sunday night asking him why he thought smokers should pay for the bill he proposed to fund childrens health care.

Well, today's Friday and I haven't received even a form letter back.

Has congress forgotten the Aussie national anthem, "I'll never find another ewe"!??
They want ewe replacements???

Nonstop these democratic frauds.

That anthem is from New Zealand.