Really Stocking Up?

[RGD]

To the question: "Should we really stock up?" . . . I don't know if "we" should but I know that I'm not.

Should the tax pass I will do one of several things - buy from overseas and purchase a lot of peat and cow shit. Part of my backyard will then become my little tobacco garden - rolling them for my own enjoyment - until they figure out how to tax that.


Ron

[Junior]

I’m not stocking up. I have already run out of room, and the wife said no more coolers. I don’t see this making it thru now, but you never know with who ever we have next. I see this about like the people that stocked up for Y2K. We may have had a little extra, but not three years worth like some people had.

Hopefully this won’t happen, but isn’t it a federal tax which would effect online sellers as well?

[Teninx]

The governments are trying to legislate tobacco use out of existance. I've been stocking up, in a non-panic mode, for the past year or so.

[txdyna65]

To answer the question, no Im not. Im pretty well stocked up and doubt my spending habits change much either way.

[papajohn67]

Originally Posted by Teninx

The governments are trying to legislate tobacco use out of existance. I've been stocking up, in a non-panic mode, for the past year or so.

I'm with you. Thinking of purchasing a large Costco Cooler and going shopping for my favorites. Sitting on 1500 + sticks right now. I think the only reason I have not done it at this point is it's only been a few years since I got back into cigars. Now than I'm comfortable that I can take care of them properly then why the hell not? Perhaps President Bush can put the veto pen to any of this nonsense but who's to say the next bunch who run the Country won't try again. I've seen the wrting on the wall here in the State of Washington, were easy targets and IMHO they have us smack dab in their gun sights.

Anyway if I kick the bucket sitting on a mountain of cigars my wife can toss some of my favorites in when they fire me up and I can go out with a . The remainders can be given away to other BOTL or she can sell them and have a nice nest egg to join other Left Coast-ers with her daily Latte and wine out of a box.

[TideRoll]

I voted no, but thinking about it, I am reminded of the variously attributed quote: "No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the Legislature is in session.”

Right now, at my current smoking pace and inventory, I probably have at least a couple of years worth of cigars. If the bill in question becomes law, I will likely regret not buying a couple of extra boxes while I had the chance. Realistically, though, most politicians aren't actually trying to tax tobacco out of existence. They could render tobacco illegal in short order if they really wanted to. Most are simply trying to tax it to just short of the breaking point (i.e. milk it for all it is worth, something that particular category of mammal seems want to do), which I think even someone as stupid as a Senator would recognize is well short of ten dollars a stick.

[Cigarmark]

Originally Posted by Junior

I’m not stocking up. I have already run out of room, and the wife said no more coolers. I don’t see this making it thru now, but you never know with who ever we have next. I see this about like the people that stocked up for Y2K. We may have had a little extra, but not three years worth like some people had.

Hopefully this won’t happen, but isn’t it a federal tax which would effect online sellers as well?

The short answer is yes. The fed tax now is levied to the tobacco co's. It is built into the box price mfgr's charge. So, a box Altadis charges CI $100.00 for, would, after this tax be $155.00. The feds would also do a floor tax as of Jan 1. this would charge any cigar co 55% on whatever stock they have. If General Cigar has 20 million dollars in cigars in a warehouse, they would owe the feds 10 million plus. It would destroy the whole industry. I am so glad we elect these bastages. Is it time for a tea party?

[Teninx]

Originally Posted by TideRoll

I voted no, but thinking about it, I am reminded of the variously attributed quote: "No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the Legislature is in session.”

Right now, at my current smoking pace and inventory, I probably have at least a couple of years worth of cigars. If the bill in question becomes law, I will likely regret not buying a couple of extra boxes while I had the chance. ]Realistically, though, most politicians aren't actually trying to tax tobacco out of existence. They could render tobacco illegal in short order if they really wanted to. Most are simply trying to tax it to just short of the breaking point (i.e. milk it for all it is worth, something that particular category of mammal seems want to do), which I think even someone as stupid as a Senator would recognize is well short of ten dollars a stick.

The various legislatures, from the local up to the federal, are attempting to legislate tobacco out of existance in increments. What's more dangerous to our love of the leaf than taxes is the proposal to allow the FDA to regulate tobacco products as 'nicotine delivery devices'.

[TideRoll]

Originally Posted by Teninx

The various legislatures, from the local up to the federal, are attempting to legislate tobacco out of existance in increments. What's more dangerous to our love of the leaf than taxes is the proposal to allow the FDA to regulate tobacco products as 'nicotine delivery devices'.

That some legislators and some citizens in general would do away with it outright or incrementally, I have no doubt whatsoever. That said, legislatures of all stripes simply cannot afford to do away with tobacco. Tobacco taxes pay for too much stuff, and doing away with it incrementally or otherwise would require them to either engage in an activity to which they are notoriously averse (loss allocation) or conduct an activity to which the voting public is frequently opposed (increasing general taxes).

What they are doing is finding alternative ways to suck more money out of this cash cow they have while maintaining the appearance that they actually give a damn about public health; thus re-classifying certain products previously freely used for hundreds of years as the referenced "drug delivery devices." That they are in bed with plaintiff lawyers is assured, and this is yet one more way to withdraw more cash from the bank accounts of those who use tobacco.

So, I do not think as a whole they are intentionally trying to tax or regulate it out of existence. The end result may in fact be something resembling it, but they see a pot of money to be had either as politicians or as attorneys, and they are pursuing that pot. The smart ones do not want to kill the goose that is laying the golden eggs, they only want to bleed it regularly. It is really just one more argument in favor of limited government.

[Smokey Bob]

I smoke a minimum of 90 cigars a month. Trying to "stock up" a meaningful number of boxes would be prohibitive on many levels.

I don't see this law passing, but then again, this government often appalls me. In any event if it did pass, I would be forced to reconsider smoking as an economically practical activity.

Hell, I can't really afford it now.
Robert

[field]

Originally Posted by discdog

The answer is no. Bush has already said he would veto the legislation if it landed on his desk. He wants to tax employee benefits, not cigars.

Try this instead of buying sticks.

http://capwiz.com/rtda/home/rs.

I'm not ready to panic just yet, and this link doesnt seem to work... this might. Did for me.. http://capwiz.com/rtda/home/

[Addiction]

I'm not stocking up......anymore than I typically am.

[Bigga Petey]

I'll just move in with Klugs.

[ColdCuts]

Originally Posted by field

http://capwiz.com/rtda/home/

That's the working link. Thanks Field. Time to get involved. Also, try to get your cigar and pipe smoking friends and relatives involved too.

I just sent emails to:

George W. Bush
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Senator Charles E. Schumer

I guess all we can do now is fire one up and cross our fingers.

[SteveDMatt]

I voted YES, but not because I think this will come to fruition, but more because I think I want to. I have been stocking up since I joined CS. I like to stock up. It's a hobby for me now. When I joined CS, I had about 50 sticks. In about 5 months, I have managed to acquire an additional 600 or so while smoking an avegare of 5-6 a week.

So I am stocking up one way or the other.