oh no! you mean we can’t waste any more money stopping people from doing what they are going to do anyway?

I’m not a tobacco company, but I am a smoker, also paying taxes for that, and so:

Really? Whoda thunk? Ah, the state(s) as babysitter/worrier, advocate of and for the people’s health. (See Senate compromise re healthcare “reform,” that latest piece of fraud.)

This same “diversion” goes on with taxes levied on smokers to pay for what seems like everything. As opposed to paying for the things explicitly listed in referenda and/or legistlation.

Dough instead goes into general funds to reduce deficits and debts, which aren’t so rewarding for creditors who constitute the ruling class. In every end, it’s about creditors vs. debtors, whether (alas, necessary even for lower orders) theft of taxpayer bucks handed out to bail out creepy bankers, or smoking taxes to bail out creepy governments.

Obama just now engaged in puffery while accepting NPP in Oslo. (He thinks others “may have been more deserving.” “May have been…”?)

The old Mob was more upstanding, more honorable, more moral, and more concerned for citizens who paid them than are these money-grubbing, not-exactly wise guys (and gals), who would be leaders/advocates on behalf of…you know, we the folk. (Obama can’t even keep history straight.)

Mobsters were held accountable by bosses. And bosses were held accountable by underlings. Not so in the case of rulers over we the folk. Lots of talk of accountability, but never the real thing. (The Mob boss had the too-wise guy’s ass whacked.)

Politics in the U.S. is based on the Mob model, but without the accountablity part. Or the actually concerned for the rest of citizens part.

But I guess that as a smoker, I’m a little more offended—after being instructed as to how I ought do the “right thing” for my own sake and for that of those in my immediate vicinity by cesation and by paying up so that I might be afforded excess of care in the event of any future illness simply blindly believed, if not actually proven, might have resulted from my smoking. And for smoking prevention programs and for SCHIP, and for a host of other expenses. The costs for just a few of which ought be born by all, though even more so by those who got it to provide. Those whose own smoking habit consists of puffing away on (illegal) Cuban-grown Cohibas.

But, really? Whoda thunk the egoists in charge—put there by we the folk—would stoop to theft? Which is what “diversion” of funds amounts to. And does any really think they’ll ever be held accountable? I’m looking forward to yet another tax increase Obama promised he’d not levy on the lower and middle orders.

As for tobacco companies, how are they worse than any other corporate outfit? Some of which have lately been engaged in a TV commercial campaign in hopes sodas and juice drinks won’t ever be taxed. Obviously, even if they ever are, funds will not be expended to get kids from ceasing to suck down soda-pop all day long. (What do juice drinks have to do with it?) Well, soda-pop is still cute, ya know. Stuff’s more poison than alcohol, but…etc., etc.

Taxes on tobacco product I use increased beginning about eight months ago by 110-120% of the total cost of the product. From $13 bucks for a can of Top to $29. Overnight. Where’s that dough going?

Who cares if people are this stupid?

What did anyone think was going to happen when the ststes were allowed to
share tobacco profits?

in my own experience, these anti-smoking programs create more smokers, so i
dont see this as bad news necessarily.