Obama proposes $1 per pack cigarette tax to fund preschools (illegal, marijuana, Barack Obama)

[All American NYC]

As expected, President Barack Obama proposed a tax hike Wednesday to pay for his “Preschool for All” plan. The size of the proposed tax is nearly twice earlier estimates: 94 cent per pack of cigarettes.

This large tobacco tax hike, which would affect all tobacco products, would go into effect as early as Jan 1. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget projects this would bring in $78.1 billion over 10 years, which would more than cover universal pre-kindergarten's estimated $75 billion price tag.

I don't smoke but, whose taxes this guy hasn't raised? He has raised everyones taxes more than any other president in history.

[Spaten_Drinker]

What is Barry going to do when everyone finally gives up smoking? What an idiot. Smoking has absolutely nothing to do with pre-school. I never went to pre-school or kindergarten. These are a waste of time and money. I was enrolled into first grade in 1969 and I did fine.

[urbanlife78]

I am cool with that, and Spaten, it would be even better if everyone gave up smoking, but we both know that will never happen. Smokers will continue to whine while flushing away their money on more cigarettes.

[Redraven]

Sorry, no, it certainly IS a matter of diminishing returns. This is one smoker (40 years, pack and a half per day) that quit cold turkey when the STATE put a $1 per pack tax on cigarettes to pay for The Children's Health Insurance Program (Why is it that these taxes are always "For The Children"?).
At that time, I finished the cigs I had on hand, and have never bought another pack since.
obama and his cohorts are dumb enough to think that adding another $10 to a carton of cigarettes, when a carton already exceed $100 in some states, won't result in a decline of smokers?
It makes me wonder what HE is smoking!

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by Redraven

Sorry, no, it certainly IS a matter of diminishing returns. This is one smoker (40 years, pack and a half per day) that quit cold turkey when the STATE put a $1 per pack tax on cigarettes to pay for The Children's Health Insurance Program (Why is it that these taxes are always "For The Children"?).
At that time, I finished the cigs I had on hand, and have never bought another pack since.
obama and his cohorts are dumb enough to think that adding another $10 to a carton of cigarettes, when a carton already exceed $100 in some states, won't result in a decline of smokers?
It makes me wonder what HE is smoking!

Good for you, giving up smoking is a great choice and if this tax causes more people to quit smoking, then good for them too.

[Dale Cooper]

I went to vaping when the idiotic POTUS signed SCHIP.

Silly little foolish man.

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

I am cool with that, and Spaten, it would be even better if everyone gave up smoking, but we both know that will never happen. Smokers will continue to whine while flushing away their money on more cigarettes.

And that, my friend, is none of your business.

I probably laugh and point fingers at some of the useless crap you buy, too.

[shooting4life]

Don't smokers pay enough? I don't smoke but this is getting silly.

[MaseMan]

I'm fine with this, but I would be more in favor of legalizing and taxing the hell out of marijuana.

[RottenChester]

I would rather see this money go towards nationwide infrastructure improvement to fix crumbling roads and bridges. Preschool is a waste of resources because it's basically just a daycare where kids play all day. They can do that at home and not on the taxpayers dime! If parents want their kids in daycare that's fine too, but they can pay for it themselves like it is now.

[Vejadu]

MORE taxes on cigarettes? Aren't they taxed enough already?

A cigarette tax is the most regressive tax we have, as it directly effects those at the lower end of the income scale far more than it does higher income earners. Not only are lower income earners more likely to smoke, the tax effects them far more than it does someone in a higher income bracket:


It's a legal, albeit unhealthy, vice enjoyed by millions of Americans, and it's accessibility is being reduced by continually increasing taxes. It's a forced modification to behavior the Government desires, and rather that make something illegal they just increase taxes to make it harder for people to afford.

People should be allowed to make these choices for themselves, and if they end up with lung cancer, that was their decision. I have no skin in this game, as I've always been a non-smoker, but we should all oppose actions that aim to reduce anyone's personal freedom.