I fired this off to The State over the weekend, and I am failry certain it will never be published. I share it here for your edification:
Dear editor,
The State recently published an opinion piece by Dr.
Oscar Lovelace calling for a cigarette tax increase.
In addition, such a proposal is being considered in
the General Assembly.
Now, I'm not a smoker and do not intend to ever smoke.
In fact, I think it is a disgusting habit that people
would be better off to leave alone. But unlike Dr.
Lovelace and his ilk, I don't make it my business to
police the lifestyle decisions of other people. If
they want to smoke and suffer the consequences, then
so be it.
Essentially, the tobacco fascists operate on two
assumptions. The first is that the state has a duty to
police these activities for the sake of people's "own
good." This paternalism is simply nauseating. I
suggest we put a tax on busybodies to curb their
inability to mind their own damn business. I think
this would be good for everyone.
The second assumption is that these taxes would be a
financial boon for the state. At this point, I am
unable to keep my lunch down, and I have vomited all
over my keyboard. It would be preferrable to see this
state go bankrupt than to soak its citizens as
punishment for actions that the state deems "immoral"
or "unhealthy." It is truly amazing how these fascists
can justify such blatant theft.
The reality is that government has actually subsidized
tobacco farming, profited from it already from taxes,
and were awarded large settlements from lawsuits
against tobacco companies which were supposed to go
towards curbing smoking among young people but were
instead funneled towards other government projects.
Now, they want more money. The bad habit here isn't
smoking but the insatiable greed of politicians who
come up with innovative ways to soak the public for
every penny they can get.
I'm not fond of smoking, but I believe in a person's
right to do as they please as long as it doesn't hurt
other people. Raising the cigarette tax is simply a
way to punish people for exercising their freedom of
choice and rewarding politicians for being the leeches
they are.
The State recently published an opinion piece by Dr.
Oscar Lovelace calling for a cigarette tax increase.
In addition, such a proposal is being considered in
the General Assembly.
Now, I'm not a smoker and do not intend to ever smoke.
In fact, I think it is a disgusting habit that people
would be better off to leave alone. But unlike Dr.
Lovelace and his ilk, I don't make it my business to
police the lifestyle decisions of other people. If
they want to smoke and suffer the consequences, then
so be it.
Essentially, the tobacco fascists operate on two
assumptions. The first is that the state has a duty to
police these activities for the sake of people's "own
good." This paternalism is simply nauseating. I
suggest we put a tax on busybodies to curb their
inability to mind their own damn business. I think
this would be good for everyone.
The second assumption is that these taxes would be a
financial boon for the state. At this point, I am
unable to keep my lunch down, and I have vomited all
over my keyboard. It would be preferrable to see this
state go bankrupt than to soak its citizens as
punishment for actions that the state deems "immoral"
or "unhealthy." It is truly amazing how these fascists
can justify such blatant theft.
The reality is that government has actually subsidized
tobacco farming, profited from it already from taxes,
and were awarded large settlements from lawsuits
against tobacco companies which were supposed to go
towards curbing smoking among young people but were
instead funneled towards other government projects.
Now, they want more money. The bad habit here isn't
smoking but the insatiable greed of politicians who
come up with innovative ways to soak the public for
every penny they can get.
I'm not fond of smoking, but I believe in a person's
right to do as they please as long as it doesn't hurt
other people. Raising the cigarette tax is simply a
way to punish people for exercising their freedom of
choice and rewarding politicians for being the leeches
they are.
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