Yesterday, April 2, 2009, the House passed a new tobacco bill, giving the FDA sweeping powers to regulate the industry, including the contents of cigarette products, including nicotine. A battle will ensue in the Senate now, with the tobacco lobby as well as the economic lobby of states like North Carolina that have over 10,000 high-paying jobs in the tobacco industry.
According to the New York Times, President Obama "strongly supports the legislation." First of all, President Obama smokes, making such a claim the ultimate hypocrisy. And second, in related news, it is a major campaign promise broken (not to raise taxes "one dime" on anyone making less than a quarter million a year.) I bet you that quarter million he would deny that tobacco taxes have anything to do with personal taxes, but that is precisely what they are. In just 3 weeks here in Florida, cigarette prices have risen nearly $2 a pack. It's the highest sin tax this country has ever seen.
How about we tax the hell out of McDonald's? Coke-a-Cola? How about we tax Guitar Hero? Isn't that rotting the minds of our nation's youth, making them slaves to short attention span media, and ruining their depth perception? I know, how about we start taxing fat people pound-for-pound over their ideal BMI. That's as fair as taxing smokers for personal choice. Talk about pay to play. What I was really hoping to see was Barack Obama saying, "Yep, I smoke. And nope, it's none of your damn business." Instead he fawns and demurs and acts like it's some great mea culpa and feigns guilt. Sure, Barack. When you're sucking down that Newport Light behind a dumpster out of sight of the cameras, I'm sure all you feel is guilt and remorse.
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