Tammi's World

Damn You Teddy

Well, it looks like the bill I mentioned in THIS post has passed the Senate Panel. And it seems to be a bit more extensive than I originally thought.

If it passes the Senate, the tobacco industry will be regulated by the FDA. Huh. Yeah, that ought to fix a lot of things, cause we all know how GREAT the FDA is!!

It's all about adding the taxes to the smokes. That's what it all boils down to. I don't give a rats ass what they try to say, how they spin this one, it's all about the money.

"This is the public health community speaking with one voice," said Kennedy, now chairman of the committee. "With all the provisions we have in the tobacco bill, we have a real opportunity to save a generation of Americans from a lifetime of addiction and certain death." (emphasis mine)

Really, Teddy? I don't see you so worried about alcoholism. Hell Drinking and Driving has killed more "innocents" than smoking has. I've had family members that have actually drank themselves to death. I don't see him jumpin' up and putting more restrictions and taxes on THAT little "drug". (not that I'm a fan of that either, it's just a point I'm trying to make!)

So the FDA, the government, is going to start policing the advertising for cigarettes. OK. I thought that already happened. Remember Joe the Camel? Yeah, he's been gone for a while now. You don't see cigarette ads on TV. And I'm alright with all that. No big deal. They can play in that arena all they want to. And they've done a great job of educating children about the evils of smoking. Hell, when my nieces and nephew were young, they knew a hell of a lot more about the consequences of smoking than I did at their ages. And who knows, if I'd have known maybe I wouldn't have started.

But the other thing the FDA is going to regulate is the amount of nicotine that goes in the cigarettes. THIS, is gonna be a trick. How are they gonna do that? I'd be interested in knowing the plan on that one.

And how are they gonna pay for all the extra labor and expenses this is all going to consume? The money from the tax is supposed to fund the Children's Health Care bill. So, are they planning on reallocating other monies currently used, to pay for this? Hey Teddy? How 'bout moving some of that funding for Massachusetts industry to cover THIS? You willing to piss off your constitutes for the "betterment of the country"?

So yeah, they'll raise the price of every pack of cigarettes bought with a tax. They'll huff and puff and bloviate about the health risks and how the government will save us from our own stupidity. And when it's all said and done? Nothin'. They will have achieved nothing but get more money out of average Americans and damaged an industry that is as old as this country they are claiming to serve.

We've got more important things to worry about. You know, like the War on Terror maybe. But, that isn't puttin' money in anyone's pocket so I guess that's not so vital after all.

Posted by Tammi at August 2, 2007 07:08 AM | TrackBack