46 Thieves in the Jersey Senate.

  
New Jersey Lawmakers Pass Millionaire Tax; Veto Looms

Why do people have to wonder why conservatives think that liberals are ignorant?  46 New Jersey state senators vote to tax their state millionaires more. How much of a share of their income is consider a fair share?  Coveting neighbor’s possessions has no place in this country and these senators need to be called out.  I have far more trust in Jersey's 16,000 millionaires to use their wealth more wisely than the state senators that seek to redistribute their wealth in order to buy votes. Weren't Jersey senators paying attention when Maryland millionaires left their state because they were going to be taxed even more?

They should be thankful for the governor’s veto; otherwise their state would lose billions when its millionaires decided to move to a state that wouldn't seek to confiscate their wealth in the name of 'fairness'.

    

In a State’s Search for Sales Tax, Amazon Raises Privacy Concerns

    
NOW privacy concerns are raised?

In a State’s Search for Sales Tax, Amazon Raises Privacy Concerns

This rant is entitled, “Why won’t you listen?!” Instead of lowering their tax rates to attract more business, states are bent on raising them and than finding a way to extract those taxes even from people that go elsewhere to avoid sales taxes because they are too high. This is a classic example why federalism is a good thing. Each state is sovereign and there are some states that understand lower tax rates bring in more business and more money.

The examples of misguided states trying to extract more and more money leading to less and less revenues are plentiful.

California comes to mind, and more recently Maryland with their millionaire’s tax. How’s that working out? Read the links and find out.

Keep in mind that states that have tried to increase revenues by increasing tobacco taxes or “sin” taxes have not realized the revenue increases that they sought and lusted for. My brain is not large enough and my intellect not high speed enough to provide the examples and research by my lonesome. Thankfully places like The Heartland Institute are doing it for me. :)

“Experience in other states shows that once tax revenues from tobacco and other affected businesses begin to fall short of projections, legislators end up looking for more money from more taxpayers.”

Excerpt from Research & Commentary: New Hampshire’s Vanishing Tax Advantage

For those on the sidelines when the states came after tobacco users for more tax money, welcome to the receiving end – uncomfortable isn’t it. :)

End rant.

Revisiting Fred Brown's Outrage in White

    
Fred Brown of the Pipe Smokers Intelligencer wrote an article detailing a trip he took to Colorado, Outrage in White.  He witnessed two individuals smoking outside a smoke shop and makes a logical assumption that there was a local smoking ban in effect even for smoke shops.  This prompted a reader to lash out and defend the great state of Colorado, informing us that there was no such ban.  When standing up for our rights as pipe smokers we should stick together and never assume that you are safe from smoking bans - not even in your local tobacco shop. 

From The Smokers Club...

Colorado: Lakewood Smoking Ban Update
 

The War on Cigarettes (and Tobacco)

   
The War on Cigarettes

I love it when I can link to an article that saves me a rant.  :)
 

TAXES! TAXES! and MORE TAXES!

      
Washington State: Concerning the taxation of cigarettes and other tobacco products.

A tax increase of 75% to 95% of retail on tobacco in the great state of Washington. Gee, what do you think will happen now - the tax revenues start flowing into Olympia? Would you pay a 95% tax on anything? Stupid is as stupid does. This will only result in more business and job loss in Washington. Watch out - the legislature will than be looking for additional sources of revenue when this new tax fails to deliver.

The same argument keeps being sung over and over - the health care burden and productivity loss due to tobacco users. The same could be said of the obese and dare I even say the same can be said with individuals that don't practice monogamy. Think about the health care burden of individuals that acquire STDs and the productivity loss. See where I am going with this. You let these politicians and petty bureaucrats get away with this reasoning than no lifestyle choice is safe. Junk science than can be used to grow the list of what is a burden to society and thus in need of taxation. 
  

What should get more attention!

 

Congressman to hold hearing into baseball and chewing tobacco
     

Look at the photos and tell what should have a greater priority for the congressman.

I can't believe this is what our congress is spending their time on.  Parents are responsible for making sure they teach their children about the effects of chewing tobacco, not a crusading congressman. 

I can hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth now.  Yes, I have seen the nasty photos of the guys with missing jaws due to mouth cancer.  Again, the parents are responsible.  No parents at home?  Than those poor kids have bigger problems than being influence by baseball players to chew tobacco. 

Cloud of confusion envelops Michigan smoking ban

  
Cloud of confusion envelops Michigan smoking ban

This is funny AND sad.  Michigan's economy is in the crapper and they are passing laws that hurt business.  Brilliant!