I was reading the newspaper and reading an article headline "Obama is going to Tax the Poor." She proceeds to explain that Obama, almost as soon as he becomes president, will be adding an additional 61 cent tax on every pack of cigarettes. The reason for the tax hike is a medical tax.
She argues that statistics say people who make under 20,000 dollars a year are generally the people who smoke cigarettes. Hence the reason she says he is raising taxes on the poor.
But, isn't it people who smoke that more often have short term health problems like strep throat and bronchitis? Isn't it people who smoke that are more prone to long term health problems? And, this is the big one... Isn't it people who make under 20,000 dollars a year that generally don't pay their medical bills?
Layoff's are starting to pick up in hospitals due to unpaid medical bills. In my area one hospital is about to lay off 42 people and the layoff's are not biased. From doctors, nurses and janitors, no one is safe. Looks like we're about to have another bailout package. I can see it now. The next thing I know I'll be reading complaints about how doctors make way to much money (without the cost of malpractice insurance complaints in sight).
Galaxie Girl, it's one step into socializing medicine. Children, then adults.
WWE Champion; Mugen
Of course he is going to tax the poor. That's the whole purpose of taxing. 61%, though. What is wrong with that woman?
Antonio
Nope not at all. Conservatives are the definition of hypocrisy since they claim that Obama will tax the poor when they're the ones getting tax breaks for their 9 houses while the middle class suffers
amanda
Putting a higher tax on cigarettes is a good thing. It will discourage people from smoking. It is a bad habit so people should stop or deal with the consequences of smoking. Its only fair.
[{(^^^)}]
Nope, Conservatives don't care about the poor, so the fact that they are bashing Obama, when prior to his getting elected they found no common ground with him , makes whatever case they have of saying that he is going to make the poor poorer moot
richgeasey
Sin taxes do indeed tend to be regressive. Taxes on tobacco and alcohol impact a lower wage earner more than a higher wage owner. Unfortunately lower wage earners also tend to lead a less healthy lifestyle, have poorer health and fitness and worse yet no insurance.
Is it raising taxes on the poor? I suppose so. However at the end of the day I don't care if there is significant extra revenue raised by gambling, smoking and drinking taxes. All of those activities are a choice and if I pay less taxes because of that tax revenue then good!
Drewdown
riiiight....cuz conservatives all have 9 houses....riiiight.
thekid
first place you went wrong was listening to a statistic.. they are ALWAYS skewed.
Liberal AssKicker
I worked with homeless people for 2 years in my area.
Do you know what the #1 shoplifted item was?
(tic, toc...tic, toc...jeopardy music please?)
rthimble
That don't make sense to me and I'm a conservative. it seems that if they continue to tax cigarettes and get it over with but then they will just start adding more and bigger tax on gas, or alcohol, anything they think we shouldn't have or use. They figure they will tax it away from us. You have to wonder when it stops.
Free Man
Increases in taxes are not generally called conservative. If you insert enough logic and reasoning any policy can be made to look conservative or liberal depending on what effects you choose to concentrate on.
Orignal From: Tips: Does this conservative view make sense?
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