The conservative case for taxing tobacco
I am somewhat unique among conservatives in that I don't have a knee jerk reaction over Amendment 3 in Missouri which is the proposed tobacco tax initiative. In other words, I am the only person being consistently conservative on the issue. Conservatives tend to dislike taxes to the extent that they will oppose them without thinking. My problem with conservatives (and liberals for that matter) is their inconsistency on this issue. They are generally opposed to drugs, except alcohol and tobacco. Liberals are generally for all drugs to be legalized, except tobacco. I am consistent in that I am opposed to all drug abuse whether legal or illegal.
Make no mistake, our number one drug abuse problem in this country is alcohol, and our number one drug "addiction" in this country is nicotine. It is not coincidence that they are the only legal hard drugs. Conservatives need to get over their love affair with booze and butts if we are to be taken seriously about any moral or ethical issue. Consistency is the most important thing. Just wait until a liberal figures out how to make everyone think they have a consistent stance on any issue. That is a big reason they cannot win on most issues; people see through their inconsistency.
As for this tax, it is a way of making up for the inequity of the health care cost problems. As we all know, health care costs consistently outpace inflation. A majority of this problem is caused by two little things: alcohol and tobacco.
This tax will be a part of the Missouri constitution so that the politicians will not be able to steal from it. Even if they steal from a program that this funds, it is alright because the smokers cost society more than they are paying for. You and I pay the difference between what the smokers cost us and what they pay for.
Of course, there are those who think that the politians will find a way to steal directly from these funds. Two years ago, an amendment was passed that required gasoline sales taxes and automobile sales taxes to go solely to transportation needs. Even the opponents of this amendment admit that politicians have not been able to steal from this source.
The taxes a real conservative opposes are not taxes that impose a proportionate penalty on people who take away from society. Conservatives oppose taxes that penalize wealth. That is any form of income tax. Conservatives have no problem with optional taxes that are based on luxury goods, or bad habits. And, that is what this really boils down to; this tax is 100% optional. Anyone who doesn't like it can stop paying it and enjoy fewer medical bills, an expanded personal budget, and generally a better enjoyment of a prolonged life. This tax is self limiting, too, in that it will eventually stamp out the source of revenue for itself which flies directly in the face of those who claim that the "government" making money off of tobacco will prevent it from ever being eliminated.
I don't see all of the supposed tobbacco opponents who also oppose this amendment doing anything or proposing any viable ideas during the times when a tax like this isn't being proposed. Seems like they are happy with the status quo of smoker's priveleges trumping everyone else's rights.
Make no mistake, our number one drug abuse problem in this country is alcohol, and our number one drug "addiction" in this country is nicotine. It is not coincidence that they are the only legal hard drugs. Conservatives need to get over their love affair with booze and butts if we are to be taken seriously about any moral or ethical issue. Consistency is the most important thing. Just wait until a liberal figures out how to make everyone think they have a consistent stance on any issue. That is a big reason they cannot win on most issues; people see through their inconsistency.
As for this tax, it is a way of making up for the inequity of the health care cost problems. As we all know, health care costs consistently outpace inflation. A majority of this problem is caused by two little things: alcohol and tobacco.
This tax will be a part of the Missouri constitution so that the politicians will not be able to steal from it. Even if they steal from a program that this funds, it is alright because the smokers cost society more than they are paying for. You and I pay the difference between what the smokers cost us and what they pay for.
Of course, there are those who think that the politians will find a way to steal directly from these funds. Two years ago, an amendment was passed that required gasoline sales taxes and automobile sales taxes to go solely to transportation needs. Even the opponents of this amendment admit that politicians have not been able to steal from this source.
The taxes a real conservative opposes are not taxes that impose a proportionate penalty on people who take away from society. Conservatives oppose taxes that penalize wealth. That is any form of income tax. Conservatives have no problem with optional taxes that are based on luxury goods, or bad habits. And, that is what this really boils down to; this tax is 100% optional. Anyone who doesn't like it can stop paying it and enjoy fewer medical bills, an expanded personal budget, and generally a better enjoyment of a prolonged life. This tax is self limiting, too, in that it will eventually stamp out the source of revenue for itself which flies directly in the face of those who claim that the "government" making money off of tobacco will prevent it from ever being eliminated.
I don't see all of the supposed tobbacco opponents who also oppose this amendment doing anything or proposing any viable ideas during the times when a tax like this isn't being proposed. Seems like they are happy with the status quo of smoker's priveleges trumping everyone else's rights.
posted by Justin at 10:47 AM
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