Rush speaks on the proposed cigar tax increase

[No1der]

I am not a big fan of Rush and his politics but as the old saying goes;

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

So way to go Rush, on this issue, we are on the same side so give 'em hell and get the message out there about what "they" are trying to do to us stogie smokers.

On this issue, cheers to you Rush

On a side note I've already gotten my whole family to contact our representatives and I'm getting my friends on top of this one.

[The Pict]

Originally Posted by jrw

I emailed my California Senators, Feinstein and Boxer, today. Another thread here says that the amended portion of the health care bill raising tobacco taxes and attaching the proceeds for child health care didn't make it into the final version. I hope this to be true, and I hope that my Senators will be dissuaded from voting in favor when it comes around again (and undoubtedly it will.)

As did I today.

[montecristo#2]

If this passes, the rest of the country will finally know what it is like to live in WA, CA or any other state with crappy tobacco taxes. Now for people who already live in WA or CA, we can kiss our local B&M's good bye. And now buying over the internet will suck as well.

Does the $10 cap only apply to the federal tax or does that include state taxes as well (total tax: state plus federal)?

I have a feeling if this passes, retailers are going to start dumping their inventory to avoid the penalty and people are going to be stocking up. I know I will be.

[tippytwo]

Originally Posted by montecristo#2

If this passes, the rest of the country will finally know what it is like to live in WA, CA or any other state with crappy tobacco taxes. Now for people who already live in WA or CA, we can kiss our local B&M's good bye. And now buying over the internet will suck as well.

Does the $10 cap only apply to the federal tax or does that include state taxes as well (total tax: state plus federal)?

I have a feeling if this passes, retailers are going to start dumping their inventory to avoid the penalty and people are going to be stocking up. I know I will be.

IDK, but the $10 cap is based on a 53% price increase. The most you will be charged is up to $10 tax on a cigar on that 53% price increase. The cigar would have to be $18 to qualify for the full $10 tax. So a box of cigars that now costs $50 would cost $76.56 under this current bill. A cigar that costs you $5 at a store would cost $7.65 under this bill.

[PadronMe]

Originally Posted by coffeemonkey

If they don't represent 95% of America, why does 51% of America vote them in?

You get what you pay for.

It doesn't matter who you vote for because a politician is going to fill the spot.

[montecristo#2]

Originally Posted by tippytwo

IDK, but the $10 cap is based on a 53% price increase. The most you will be charged is up to $10 tax on a cigar on that 53% price increase. The cigar would have to be $18 to qualify for the full $10 tax. So a box of cigars that now costs $50 would cost $76.56 under this current bill. A cigar that costs you $5 at a store would cost $7.65 under this bill.

I understand it is a $10 maximum, but a $5.00 dollar cigar already costs $7.50 in CA. So if you take the 53% + the CA 46%, you are basically getting taxed 100% (the taxes might be on different values, MSRP versus wholesale price). So a $10 cigar would already have roughly $10 in total taxes.

In some states, the taxes are already over 100%.

I guess I am just wondering how state taxes would be affected by the new federal tax?

[Andyman]

Originally Posted by tippytwo

IDK, but the $10 cap is based on a 53% price increase. The most you will be charged is up to $10 tax on a cigar on that 53% price increase. The cigar would have to be $18 to qualify for the full $10 tax. So a box of cigars that now costs $50 would cost $76.56 under this current bill. A cigar that costs you $5 at a store would cost $7.65 under this bill.

We are forgetting to add the wholesale state tax.. MN is 40% I beleive. Take an Anejo Shark - lets say you find it for retail.. $9.50 then add 40% MN wholesale tax.. Figure wholesale is way half of retail so that would be roughly $2.00 in state tax.. brings you to 11.50. Then add the 53% federal tax.. Adding it to MSRP would be 5.00 - Now were up to $16.50 - then you add your sales tax to that.. MN 6.5% -

That puts us at $17.50 for a $9.50 cigar.. That Cigar in MN is taxed 85%

Someone please tell me I am doing the math wrong.

[FriendlyFire]

I think we should get them all hooked on Cigars so they won't touch the Tax.

[mostholycerebus]

Just watch Cuba's economy as ISOM sales soar...

[thunderbucks]

This is just f*cking dandy. I live in Massachusetts where, oh so handily, I am blessed with the presence of Tedward I'm-A-Drunk Kennedy, and John Are-We-Communist-Yet? Kerry. Something tells me my senators will do little to help the situation!

Fortunately, I'm staying in Ohio for most of my time, so my efforts will be much more useful in contacting Misters George Voinovich and Sherrod Brown.

[gefell]

Originally Posted by mostholycerebus

Just watch Cuba's economy as ISOM sales soar...

Here Here !

[replicant_argent]

Originally Posted by Andyman

We are forgetting to add the wholesale state tax.. MN is 40% I beleive. Take an Anejo Shark - lets say you find it for retail.. $9.50 then add 40% MN wholesale tax.. Figure wholesale is way half of retail so that would be roughly $2.00 in state tax.. brings you to 11.50. Then add the 53% federal tax.. Adding it to MSRP would be 5.00 - Now were up to $16.50 - then you add your sales tax to that.. MN 6.5% -

That puts us at $17.50 for a $9.50 cigar.. That Cigar in MN is taxed 85%

Someone please tell me I am doing the math wrong.

actually, cigar taxes here are 75% if I'm not mistaken, painter guy,

[Da Klugs]

Seems like political maneuvering. Very small percent of the population smokes cigars. Even smaller group of US cigar manufacturers to lobby against it. Cig tax going up is just like drug dealers raising prices. $ .49 to a $1.00 a pack is just the feds keeping up with their share given all the local "sin taxes". The cigar number will end up as a percentage before it's ever written into law. Just a bunch of look at me political posturing under the guise of nationalized health for the young and poor.

As an alternative how about a tax on fast food? It kills more people than cigars and cigarettes combined. Or maybe a $ 500 a container tariff on Chinese imports?

[WyoBob]

Originally Posted by Da Klugs

As an alternative how about a tax on fast food? It kills more people than cigars and cigarettes combined. Or maybe a $ 500 a container tariff on Chinese imports?

You bet. Tax fast food and ice cream & booze, too. And, I'd settle for just inspecting import containers and for the FDA to keep the stuff that's ingested safe for us to ingest. You know, do their job.

Lets face it. This is not a tax. It's a "fine" for people doing "disgusting" and unhealthy things. But, we are few in numbers so congress can ride rough shod over us.

Well, let's "tax" the overweight people. Obesity is a nationwide problem. We see and read about this every day. Our kids are getting fatter and fatter. Of course, then they need expensive health care. Diabetes is becoming epidemic, especially among children. Won't someone think of the children? We should really figure out how to tax parents who buy junk food and video games for their fat kids. And, fat people contribute to global warming: more gas burned, more square feet of clothing. So, we should have a "fat tax" based on BMI. Ooops, that won't work. Too many people in that voting block.

How about a tax on the 20 million or so of illegal immigrants? Hey, they could help pay for their own health care! That would be cool.
WyoBob (smoking a 5 Vegas "A" and still in a grumpy mood.)

[coffeemonkey]

Originally Posted by Trout

I agree in some ways. But when then choice is between the lesser of two evils it's hard to blame to public. If that's what you meant.

If there really are just lesser evils, but often in national races there are good people to vote for but very few do since they think 3rd party candidates "don't have a chance". That kind of thinking is why we are in this mess.