Friday, December 21, 2007

Cigarette Taxes Progressive?

A new tax on cigarettes!

The most regressive tax ever proposed !

Why are so few asked to pay so much for the benefit of so many. How can we ask only 15% of the population to pay for everyones heath care cost.

Haven't we drained the less fortunate enough? The American Heart Association states”Studies show that smoking prevalence is higher among those with 9-11 years of education (35.4 percent) compared with those with more than 16 years of education (11.6 percent). It's highest among persons living below the poverty level (33.3 percent)”.The taxes on cigarettes are oppressive to the point of shameful discrimination. Is that just? It is a well known fact that the less educated and the poor, smoke in far greater numbers then the better educated well to do. Yet the better educated well to do want to pass the tax laws increasing the burden on these people. The same people who don't have the resources to go to the fancy twelve step stop smoking programs the elite went through to stop their addictions. There are many social ills in this country smoking cigarettes when put in perspective isn't all that bad.

If the state needs the money and is looking to cure a social ill at the same time to help justify the tax how about a tax on wine? Perhaps it's not addictive enough ! Sales may drop! We all know cigarette smoking is near the top of the scale for it's addictive properties. The inflexible demand curve is similar to that of gasoline. People will pay whatever is charged.

WINE WINE WINE!!!
We all know alcohol kills thousands in car accidents cost tax payer billions in health care cost to alcohol related illness and billions more in lost wages for hangovers days off and lost productivity!

The cost of alcohol misuse is staggering. 1992 dollars $107 billion and over 100,000 deaths.

www.nida.nih.gov/economiccosts/Chapter5.html

How can alcohol be blamed for 100,000 deaths each year?

  • 5% of all deaths from diseases of the circulatory system are attributed to alcohol.

  • 15% of all deaths from diseases of the respiratory system are attributed to alcohol.

  • 30% of all deaths from accidents caused by fire and flames are attributed to alcohol.

  • 30% of all accidental drowning are attributed to alcohol.

  • 30% of all suicides are attributed to alcohol.

  • 40% of all deaths due to accidental falls are attributed to alcohol.

  • 45% of all deaths in automobile accidents are attributed to alcohol.

  • 60% of all homicides are attributed to alcohol.

Yes tax wine. All wine . This tax could also be a progressive tax. The more expensive wine the more the tax. For example. Lets give the poor Thunderbird drinker a break. If the wine sells for less then $4 dollars a liter the tax is 20% ,$4.01 to $8.99 tax it at25%, $9.00 to 14.99 a 30% tax, $15.00 to $30.00 make it 35%, higher then thirty dollars a liter make it an even 50 %. That's still 25% the rate of the proposed cigarette tax.

What do you want to bet this tax on wine will never happen! Why! The rich, well to do, drink wine. These same people who want to cure the poor guys addiction to cigarettes will not part with his wine. VITA EST VIRUM. Life is wine and wine is life.

Are Californians as tolerant and progressive as they think they are?

www.reason.org/commentaries/smithheisters_20061101a.shtml

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