SIN TAX GOES INTO OBAMA'S SYNTAX

A big hike in the federal tax on cigarettes taking effect on April 1 may prompt 1 million U.S. smokers to quit, according to public health experts. Expansion of a popular public health insurance program for lower income children is being financed by an increase in the federal excise tax on a pack of cigarettes of about $1.01 per pack, up from the current 39 cents on a $4.35 pack.

President Barack Obama signed the expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program on February 4. President George W. Bush had twice vetoed the bill, which also raises federal taxes on cigars and other tobacco products.
The industry is unhappy. Higher prices will lead to at least a 10 percent decline in cigarette sales and could put 117,000 people out of work, said Thomas Briant, executive director of the National Association of Tobacco Outlets. This tax increase will be the single largest tax increase on a single product in the history of the United States."

While everyone will agree that if you want consumers to stop purchasing any particular product, you can simply tax the hell out of it and make it so expensive that many people can no longer afford it. And in the case of tobacco products, raising the tax will cause a slight decrease in all cancers. Tobacco is bad for us, and large purchases of petroleum from nations who dislike us is bad for the nation. Such is the argument for tobacco and oil products, the two products with the largest taxes levied on them.

Following with this logic, may I suggest, in all fairness, some additional tax increases on other products deemed unhealthy. After all we are a free nation, and we have to be fair across the board, don't we?

MARIJUANA: currently untaxed, I propose a 40% tax on a baggie or bail.

ALCOHOL: a 25 cent increase on cans of beer, and a 10% tax increase on all other alcohol products, including wine. These products are known to cause alcoholism.

SATURATED FAT: a 25% increase on any product containing saturated fat. This product is known to cause diabetes, coronary heart issues and obesity.

BIRTH CONTROL: a 20% tax increase on all birth control products, which are known to promote promescuity.

GUNS AND BULLETS: A 50% tax increase as studiens have shown these products lead to death.

COMMUNION WAFERS: a 25% tax increase in these products as the users of these products have been proven to cause statatory rape in underage boys.

BATHTUBS: studies have shown that a majority of accidents occur in the home and many of these are slip and falls out of bathtubs. 35% tax increase.

AUTOMOBILES: studies have shown that accidents cause an alarming number of homicides involving many forms of transportation. I propose a 35% tax on all new cars, trucks, vans, SUV's....and what the hell...lets throw in skateboards, roller skates and Heelies (sneakers with wheels).

You get my point. If you want to raise taxes, raise the friggin' taxes, but do not target individual products. Let's make the taxation fair for everyone, say a 15% surtax on breathing.