I think that by now everyone is aware that the federal tax on cigarettes has been increased by 62 cents per pack or 158% to $1.01. 54% of smokers are at twice the federal poverty level or below, so this tax falls disproportionately on poor and low income Americans. So president Obama and the gang are targeting those same people who voted for hope and change.
But that’s not all! Lower income smokers who were already feeling the pinch of previous tax and price increases had switched to rolling their own cigarettes just like their European counterparts to save money. So what did the Obama administration do? They increased the tax on “roll your own” tobacco by 2,159% from $1.10 per pound to $24.78! And they more than doubled the tax on the cigarette tubes that they use to make the filtered cigarettes. If they are working poor, it sounds like he wants that $13 per week tax reduction back on the same day that they start seeing it in their paychecks.
You may have noticed a sweet vanilla sort of smell outside of bars and convenience stores. This is from small cigars, a particularly popular brand of which is vanilla flavored. Other cigarette smokers who have not been able to afford the price increases moved over to those. Are they safe from the democrat’s greedy fingers? Of course not. The tax on those went up 2,653% from 4 cents per pack to $1.01.
And worst of all, because it impacts me of course, the tax on cigars was increased by seven times what it was from 5 cents to 40 cents per cigar.
And now, another Democrat, Governor Markell wants to increase the tax on beer by 50% not to mention the 45 cent per pack of cigarettes tax increase.
These were some of the few little pleasures that people of limited means had left, having a beer and a smoke.
Pretty soon, the only ones who will be able to afford to smoke at all will be President Obama and other rich people.
With friends like these….
Yes, I know that smokers have been successfully vilified and to suggest that anything is too harsh for them is just terrible. But just remember, the government is now into dividing the country and targeting individual groups for special treatment. First the Wall Street “fat cats” and now smokers. If you don’t stand up when they come for the least popular segments of society, pretty soon they will be coming for you.
Here is a link to a chart of the tax increases (not easy to find).
And an article from Heritage Foundation as to why this is not a good way to fund the SCHIP program.
