| Re: Lewisville Council Mulls Restaurant, Bar Smoking Ban |
Poster: James Posted: 2012/6/23 3:04:25 CIGARETTE TAX [UNCONSTITUTIONAL] ALSO HURTS THE ECONOMY ==================================== 14 July 2011 by Guardian A. A****** According to recent statistics, only about 19% of the U.S. population smokes cigarettes, therefore that particular group becomes a minority group. For that reason, the cigarette taxation becomes unconstitutional, because it taxes a minority group without representation. Ref: [1] http://www.gallup.com/poll/109048/us-smoking-rate-still- coming-down.aspx Ref: [2] http://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/t ... .asp#13106969617182&close If the total U.S. population is about 280 million, then 19% of that, equals about 53.2 million smokers. Well, lets just round that off to an even 50 million, just to resolve any potential arguments? A "very heavy" smoker might consume as many as three packs of cigarettes a day. A "heavy" smoker would most likely smoke about two packs of cigarettes per day, and a "moderate" smoker only one pack per day. Well, just for the sake of "possible argument," lets just use the "average" of 1.5 packs of cigarettes per day for our mathematical computations below. If our 50 million U.S. smokers consume just an "average" of 1.5 packs of cigarettes per day, that comes to [at least] a total of some 50.5 million packs of cigarettes consumed per day by United States citizens. Likewise, that particular figure becomes [50.5 x 30] at least some 1,515,000,000 packs of cigarettes consumed per month by United States citizens. Yes, that means the total of some ONE TRILLION, FIVE HUNDRED FIFTEEN BILLION packs of cigarettes per month. In similar manner, the "annual" total [1,515,000,000 x 12] becomes: 13,030,000,000 packs of cigarettes per year, consumed by a "MINORITY" of United States citizens! Yes, that is in fact, some 13 TRILLION, 30 BILLION packs of cigarettes per year, consumed by a “MINORITY” of United States citizens. Now then, as recently as year 2009, the taxes per pack of cigarettes was most exorbitantly raised to: *STATE [average] TAX: . . . . . $1.59 per pack FEDERAL TAX: . . . . . . . . . . . $1.01 per pack ==== TOTAL [average] TAXATION: $2.60 per pack *In New York, the government imposes $5.26 in "government fees" per a pack of cigarettes, and the cost of a pack of cigarettes there is at least $9.00 per pack. Ref: [1] http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/200 ... -a-pack-in-new-york-city/ Ref: [2] http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/pr2009/pr010-09.shtml Once again, we can make use of a simply five-function calculator, to be able to figure out that the TOTAL annual tax, state and federal combined, collected on cigarettes becomes: [13,030,000,000 x $2.60] becomes that of a most horrendous $33,878,000,000 dollars per year, collected by that of the combined state and federal taxes collected on cigarette purchases. Yes, we are talking about THIRTY-THREE TRILLION, 30-BILLION dollars per year! What this all translates to, in that of simple math, is that every year, at least some 33 TRILLION DOLLARS is "yanked-away" from our overall economy, by that of the state and federal [unconstitutional] taxation of cigarettes. Ref: [1] http://blog.turbotax.intuit.com/tax-t ... -of-tobacco/06222010-3345 Ref: [2] http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/t ... -03-31-cigarettetax_N.htm NOTE: During year 2009, the entire [annual] Social Security budget was about $74.5 billion, and the entire [annual] Medicare budget was about $1.2 trillion. Ref: [1] http://www.warresisters.org/pages/piechart.htm Ref: [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_United_States_federal_budget Well, if any and all of the above should not be at least "alarming," the "overall situation" becomes even much more worse than that..... Today, in year 2011, the average cost of a single pack of cigarettes is about $5.50 per pack, or about $55.00 per carton. What that means, is that every year, that estimated 53-million smokers, will "actually" expend a grand total of some $291,500,000,000 on cigarettes! Yes, we are in fact talking about nearly THREE-HUNDRED TRILLION DOLLARS, that is being spent on cigarettes alone, as opposed to "buying anything else" from the "rest of the overall economy." You see, many, if not most smokers, are either "simply enjoy," or are otherwise so "completely addicted" to their cigarettes, that they will "buy their cigarettes first," and then worry about their groceries or new shoes. To that end, some of these “heavily addicted” smokers, just might even resort to cutting back on food and clothing for their children, including infants, in order to be able to “enjoy” their cigarettes. Both state and the federal governments have always said how: “We have to have these increased taxes, in order to cover for the higher cost of medical costs incurred by smokers.” Well, according to the above-described, the “taxes appreciated” by both state and federal, should be enough to “FUND MEDICARE ENTIRELY!” Then, at the very same time, these very same governments come out with all of their “CIGARETTE BANS,” as if they want to “BIGHT THE VERY HAND THAT IS FEEDING THEM?” Well, for those who are already shaking their heads and thinking: “NONE OF THIS MAKES ANY SENSE?” Well, it gets even worse! Perhaps contrary to common belief, “SMOKING” is “NOT” the “NUMBER ONE KILLER IN AMERICA,” but that of “HEART DISEASE,” immediately followed by “CANCER.” Of course, one might pose the immediate argument: “See there, smoking causes cancer and heart disease as well! But hold on a minute….. Much, if not most of the heart disease in question, is “NOT” brought about by smoking, but by that of diet. For example; eating too many potato chips or greasy French-fries, can cause cholesterol buildup in the arteries, leading to heart disease, perhaps the second most costly of burdens for the U.S. medical system. So, one might ask; What is the “MOST COSTLY” of any and all medical ailments in the United States? Well, what about the question of “OUTRIGHT OBESITY?” You see, this problem of “OUTRIGHT OBESITY in AMERICA,” is most commonly caused by eating too many of those greasy French-fries, or maybe too many potato chips, leads towards perhaps the most costly of any and all of medical [health] ailments in the United States; “DIABETES.” We say that “DIABETES” is the “most costly,” because of the “long-term medical care” as required. You see, a person with [acquired] DIABETES, can live [hang on] on-and-on for years, what with “appropriate [but very costly] medical care, as opposed to a “smoker,” who would most likely expire much sooner. Ref: [1] http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm When it might come to the question of “CANCER,” the second most leading cause of death in America, pursuant to Ref: [1]? Well, there are an awful lot of “other things” in America that cause “CANCER,” besides that of “smoking cigarettes,” at least one of which could in fact be that “BACKYARD BBQ GRILL!” Not to mention that of a virtual myriad of various other types of “HOUSEHOLD CONSUMABLES!” Ref: [1] http://www.nutritioninstitute.com/cancerprevention.html Ref: [2] http://dailyhubbub.co.uk/518/toilet-paper-causes-cancer/ Ref: [3] http://www.naturalnews.com/021761.html When it might come to the question of “RESPIRATORY AILMENTS,” there are also comes the question of “THE VERY AIR ITSELF!” Yeah, like that of “CEMENT FACTORIES” and/or “NATURAL GAS WELLS?” Ref: [1] http://www.nodirtyenergy.org/index.ph ... ion=com_content&task=view Ref: [2] http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/20 ... c-Air-Youre-Breathing.htm Please not to overlook the three attachments to this message. If your email system has been set to “REJECT ATTACHMENTS?” Well, if you wish, you could just send an email request, and the attachments in question could be sent do you in that of “HTML FORMAT.” Signed: Guardian A. A****** [page 4 of 4] |