It looks like Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City, is at it again. Several years ago he led the charge to outlaw large beverages in New York City. Now, they have added taxes to raise the price of a pack of cigarettes to $10.50 in the city. Of course, New Yorkers that want to smoke and can't afford the high price can always go to New Jersey or Connecticut to buy cigarettes. So the folks getting hurt are the cigarette vendors in New York. Of course, in case anyone is thinking of evading the New York taxes, that has been addressed with new, increased penalties.
First, I will tell you that I don't smoke. I never have, except a few times as a young kid. I think cigarette smoking is a bad habit that can damage your health. A number of my family members have died from emphysema, and one of my cousins had lung cancer. My brother-in-law smoked until he had heart bypass surgery. Many of my co-workers smoke, and I hear them hacking and coughing all day long.
This is not about what I think about cigarette smoking, because I wish everyone would stop. However, it isn't my place to tell other adults that they shouldn't smoke. In fact, it isn't the place of a government official to decide whether any adult should smoke either. Of course, Mayor Bloomberg hasn't banned smoking altogether in New York City. Instead, taxes are being used to discourage smoking. If the government wasn't paying for your health care, it truly wouldn't be any of their business that folks choose to suck tobacco smoke into their lungs. If the city run hospitals weren't providing free care to these folks when they are indigent, it wouldn't cost the government a dime.
Maybe you smoke, or maybe you don't. Do you do anything that is considered unhealthy? Do you like a good, thick, juicy steak? What if we had a tax on red meat to discourage you from eating that steak? How about French fries? Do you think a tax on fries is a good idea? Maybe McDonald's is your favorite fast food joint. Would it be a good idea for a government panel to be appointed that decides which restaurants are good for you and which ones aren't? Those guys could levy a tax on any restaurant the serves meals with too many calories or too much salt or too much fat or any ingredient that has been deemed unhealthy. Maybe cars should be sold with a governor on the engine that won't allow you to exceed the speed limit based on a GPS reading of where you are driving. Would that be good for you? The government could mandate a maximum size and horsepower for your car, and make the automaker include all kinds of rear view cameras and automatic braking systems to prevent accidents. These new features may raise the price so much that you can't afford a new car. Maybe your family is too big to fit in one of those small, green vehicles. Should the government tax you for having extra kids that inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide?
These sorts of things are exactly the reason why the federal tax code is such a convoluted mess. Politicians everywhere are using the tax code to steer Americans to do the right thing as defined by them. Now it takes a degree in accounting, an expensive tax preparer, or tax preparation software to get the tax return filled out. That, of course, is the least of the problem though. In fact, the MessAPolitico is using the tax code to run your life. Wake up America; more of your freedoms are being stolen by the MessAPolitico every day.
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