Dems reject terror link to cigarette tax

[NVMojo]

State lawmakers pushing for butt-cleanup funding

March 17, 2005

Liberal Democratic legislators from Los Angeles and Northern California on Wednesday flatly rejected Bush administration anti-terrorism concerns about higher cigarette taxes, vowing to push ahead with environmentalists' butt-cleanup bills.
Assembly members Fran Pavley, D-Woodland Hills, and Paul Koretz, D-West Hollywood, were among lawmakers who held a news conference responding to U.S. officials saying they want to head off the legislation because higher cigarette costs would fuel smuggling that is becoming a primary source of terrorists' funds.

"I don't think there's a lack of illegal opportunities for terrorists and others that want to engage in that kind of activity to make their money," said Koretz, a co-author of the bill. "One way or another they will find a way to engage in illegal activities and to raise money for what they are trying to do."

"This is a legitimate fee," said Pavley. "I don't think a minor fee on cigarettes is unreasonable."

more...

http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20954%257E2766523,00.html

[NYC Liberal]

1. You could connect *anything* to terrorism, if

you really tried.

[Voltaire99]

15. If we don't extend the Humvee tax write-off, the terrorists win!

And etc.

[Robeson]

2. Gees, Republicans are truly pathological about taxes....

...that has to be one the all-time nebulous stretches....

[leftofcool]

3. Okay, I'll buy this...............

go ahead and put another small tax on the cigs (I used to smoke) but by god if you are going to raise the price of cigs again, the rest of you self righteous, anti-smoking assholes who like to preach about the sins of smoking leave those who prefer to smoke alone. Fair enuf?

Left of Cool

[NVMojo]

5. I could care less if you or anyone smokes. I thought this story was

funny! Terrorism is everywhere, eh!?!

[Robeson]

7. Cigarette smoking is the individuals business, not mine....

...I was just amazed at what length Repigs will go to. Whats next, using Lysol instead of Glade only helps the Terroists!!

[myrna minx]

4. That's funny-Bill Moyers did segment on NOW

http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript114_full.html

showing smuggling that was directly tied to Big Tobacco. The Republicans went as far as protecting Big Tobacco in the Patriot Act...Hmmmm.....


CARLOS ACEVEDO, LAWYER FOR THE EU AND COLUMBIAN STATES: The major multinational tobacco companies invented large-scale smuggling.

MOYERS: Carlos Acevedo is one of the lawyers representing the European Union and Colombian states in lawsuits against the tobacco companies, alleging those companies are behind the smuggling.

ACEVEDO: They are the jockeys, if you will, and they usher the product through this distribution channel.

MOYERS: It's all part of a strategy, says Acevedo, to avoid taxes, which lowers the price and lets the companies compete head to head with local cigarette producers abroad.

ACEVEDO: Whatever they can do to lower the price gives them a competitive edge, and that's why it's done.

MOYERS: But the accusations go beyond smuggling; lawsuits charge the smuggled cigarettes are paid for with illegal money, in some cases drug money, and they accuse the tobacco companies of laundering that money.

Faced with these charges, the tobacco lobbyists took action. They worked the corridors of Congress to derail the federal court cases against them, according to Congressman Henry Waxman. He says the tobacco companies did this by manipulating The Patriot Act, the Congressional response to September 11.

CONGRESSMAN HENRY WAXMAN (D-CA): The tobacco companies are famous in the Congress for working behind the scenes, often without people being aware of what they are doing.

MOYERS: The story about Big Tobacco and smuggling starts in an unlikely place. Here on this remote peninsula called La Guajira, part of Colombia, South America.


More....

[daleo]

6. If taxes on cigarettes raise money for terrorists,

Then doesn't prohibition on drugs do the same, but on an immensely greater scale? Does Bushco therefore want to eliminate drug laws, especially laws regarding marijuana?

[Robeson]

8. Oh hell, stop making sense, would you.....

...:P

[myrna minx]

10. Come now, logic went out with free speech.

Logic is sooooo twentieth century. :hi:

[David__77]

9. Is Bush administration arguing for heroin legalization?

I'm sure that banning it provides great criminal revenue opportunities!

[William Bloode]

11. Sadly...

It comes down to being a regressive tax, as most smokers are lower class. Why not charge a taxe on everything that gets thrown out like paper bags, plastic wrappers, soda cans. Or how about a tax on gas hog vehicles that over pollute the air?

It's just to easy to demonize smokers to rationalize what amounts to a regressive tax on the poor.

[KansDem]

12. I don't know..."Johnny Smoke" look pretty menacing as I remember...

Out of the land of the tobacco plant
Come a tall, fast-drawin', long lean bloke
Feared by his friends and enemies alike
Feared by all who come to know the name of...JOHNNY SMOKE!

http://www.geocities.com/dpjohnson.geo/johnnysmoke.html

Could be a terrorist?

[w4rma]

13. The Republican base who actually eats up everything their leadership says

must to totally insane at this point with all of the contradictions that they have to believe to trust their heros.

[atommom]

14. But if you tax cigarettes, Osama's scuba divers will get us!

I can't believe they say things like this with a straight face.

[Voltaire99]

16. Here they come now--smoking their goddamn high-tax underwater ciggies!

You know, they hate America because Winston takes good like a cigarette should.