Hell Toupee
Originally Posted by COMB2
Can someone type up a well worded statement? I'm no good at that stuff. Don't want to write the congressmen and sound stupid.
Use this link, http://capwiz.com/rtda/issues/alert/?alertid=10008296
once you enter your zip, there will be a text box with "pre-written well worded statements" on the right hand side, just click on one or more and yoou're all set.
"We're at NOW now... everything that's hapening now... is happening NOW!"
~ Col. Sanders ~
"I guess all we need to do now is give a shit what you think. I'll work on that."
~ ashauler ~
Destroyer of Safiness
Well, my message got through to Bush and Kay Baily Hutchinson. It took me like ten tries to get a message through to Cornyn; his stupid website kept timing out. Booooo Cornyn, upgrade your servers!!!
There's only two kinds of cigars, the kind you like and the kind you don't.
Half Fast
According to Cornyn he opposes the bill anyways, not because of cigars but because this is a gimmicky and short sighted way to fund an important health care program. So we're good there.
spiffy
Destroyer of Safiness
OK, good, where or when did he say that?
There's only two kinds of cigars, the kind you like and the kind you don't.
Member
Here is the response I received from Mel Martinez (FL):
Thank you for contacting me regarding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. I appreciate hearing from you and would like to take this opportunity to respond.
The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) enables states to provide coverage for low-income children with no health insurance in families with incomes higher than Medicaid eligibility levels. States are provided with three-year block grants from the federal government in order to administer these programs.
On February 5, 2007, President George W. Bush submitted his fiscal year 2008 budget request to Congress. This request proposes reauthorizing the SCHIP program for five years and increase SCHIP allotments by $5 billion. In addition, it encourages states to focus SCHIP on low-income, uninsured children below 200 percent of the Federal poverty level.
There are several proposals before Congress which would expand the SCHIP program to include millions of children and adults – many of whom already have coverage. In order to fund the $50 billion expansion, these proposals would raise the federal excise tax on tobacco by 61 cents and would cut funding to the Medicare Advantage program.
It is critical to our national economy that Congress act responsibly with taxpayer dollars when reauthorizing SCHIP. The Urban Institute recently released a study on the number of children eligible for SCHIP but who are not currently covered. They found that there are 690,000 children without coverage, which is far below the 9 million estimated by proponents of SCHIP expansion.
The mission of SCHIP is to ensure that low-income children have access to quality and effective health care. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to ensure that the “C” in SCHIP continues to stand for children, and that your tax dollars continue to support a program with proven results.
Again, thank you for sharing your views. If you have any additional questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me. In addition, for more information about issues and activities important to Florida, please sign up for my weekly newsletter at http://martinez.senate.gov.
Sincerely,
Mel Martinez
United States Senator
Half Fast
That's what i got on the phone with an aide, plus from a reply email. Here's a clip:
Dear Mr. Ingram:
Thank you for [blah blah blah blah blah]
[blah blah blah blah blah blah blah]...I believe Congress should not rely on budgetary gimmicks or tax increases. Instead, Congress should focus on eliminating wasteful government spending. In fact, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), an independent, investigative arm of Congress, has identified billions of dollars in federal expenditures that are vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse. The GAO found that more than 10 percent of SCHIP enrollees are actually adults whose participation in SCHIP is diverting funds from the needs of low-income children. Instead of raising taxes, Congress should strengthen SCHIP by considering the President’s proposal to terminate or reduce the budgets of over 140 inefficient or ineffective government programs.
[blah blah blah blah blah blah]
Sincerely,
JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator
spiffy
Yeah
I have not heard back from Pres. Bush yet, but I hope to soon.
The very existence of flame-throwers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, "You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done." -unknown
father of Lord Calvin
me neither. I have gotten in contact w/ my senators, but they are both for the bill. I sure hope Bush vetos it.
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity,
and I'm not sure about the former." -Albert Einstein
Administrator
I got the same form letter response from Martinez:
Nothing back from Bill Nelson, granted I think being a Democrat he will be all for this bill. It kind of pisses me off Mel Martinez would support this legislation. Not only is his party supposed to be anti tax, but he's Cuban American. Most of the cigar business in the State of Florida is run by Cuban Americans.Dear Mr. Gonzalez:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. I appreciate hearing from you and would like to take this opportunity to respond.
The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) enables states to provide coverage for low-income children with no health insurance in families with incomes higher than Medicaid eligibility levels. States are provided with three-year block grants from the federal government in order to administer these programs.
On February 5, 2007, President George W. Bush submitted his fiscal year 2008 budget request to Congress. This request proposes reauthorizing the SCHIP program for five years and increase SCHIP allotments by $5 billion. In addition, it encourages states to focus SCHIP on low-income, uninsured children below 200 percent of the Federal poverty level.
There are several proposals before Congress which would expand the SCHIP program to include millions of children and adults – many of whom already have coverage. In order to fund the $50 billion expansion, these proposals would raise the federal excise tax on tobacco by 61 cents and would cut funding to the Medicare Advantage program.
It is critical to our national economy that Congress act responsibly with taxpayer dollars when reauthorizing SCHIP. The Urban Institute recently released a study on the number of children eligible for SCHIP but who are not currently covered. They found that there are 690,000 children without coverage, which is far below the 9 million estimated by proponents of SCHIP expansion.
The mission of SCHIP is to ensure that low-income children have access to quality and effective health care. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to ensure that the “C” in SCHIP continues to stand for children, and that your tax dollars continue to support a program with proven results.
Again, thank you for sharing your views. If you have any additional questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me. In addition, for more information about issues and activities important to Florida, please sign up for my weekly newsletter at http://martinez.senate.gov.
Sincerely,
Mel Martinez
United States Senator
And this is why I'm happily independent.
Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere. -- Carl Sagan
Silky Smooth
Up here in my province there is a 56% tax on all tobacco imports that the retailer pays, then more tax on the consumer when he buys. SUUUUUCKS.
-W.
The Internet - All the Piracy, None of the Scurvy
Junior Member
Another e-mail to be read by a staffer....
Sent my e-mails to Senators Bunning and McConnell of KY. They're both Republicans, so I'm assuming they're already against this. As recently as a few years ago, I could have guaranteed any Kentucky politician would line up to defend the tobacco industry, but since the federal government ended tobacco subsidies a couple of years ago, far fewer people here still grow it...
Oh well here's hoping for the best...God I hate my Macanudos being lumped in with cigarettes...
Administrator
Depending on which Macanudo and who you ask, they already are...
Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere. -- Carl Sagan
The Grim Reaper
The Grim Reaper
I found the tax bill if you want to read it..
Heath Act S.1834
Now, what is really scary is this...
Under Bill Summary & Status file
S.1834
Title: A bill to improve the health of Americans through the gradual elimination of tobacco products.
Sponsor: Sen Enzi, Michael B. [WY] (introduced 7/19/2007) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 7/19/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
We are watching Cigar Prohibition slowly happen...
Destroyer of Safiness
They'll have to lock me up and tie me down to keep me from doing what is not illegal and doesn't hurt anyone (except maybe me, and that's my own damn business). If women can claim "it's my body and I make decisions about my body", then so can we.
There's only two kinds of cigars, the kind you like and the kind you don't.
Junior Member
Couldn't find the bill on THOMAS...are you sure that's the right number?
BTW, another political sign of the apocalypse: Louisville, KY (my nearest major city) has joined Lexington with a smoking ban, effective everywhere except Churchill Downs (so our celebrities, politicos, and campaign contributors can puff away undisturbed on Derby Day, I suppose). The two major cities in a tobacco state banning smoking...makes me wish I still lived in Baton Rouge...
They're Maduros, thank you very much! At least they WERE...my obsession of the moment is the Hemingway Short Story...mmmm...Depending on which Macanudo and who you ask, they already are...
BTW my first two posts on this forum have been made in this thread...I feel so very political and righteous now.
Last edited by cherokee244; 07-27-2007 at 01:53 PM.
The Grim Reaper
Interesting. Yes that was the bill last night when I looked it up. Checking to see if it's been taken out.
The Grim Reaper
Found it...it's still there.
CLICK HERE
If that don't work, then CLICK HERE, this is the Senate Bills list. From here, scroll down to 1826 and there you will find the HEALTH Act (Introduced in Senate) [S.1834.IS]. Read to your d lite.
Lopaka
Yeah
fucking scary.
The very existence of flame-throwers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, "You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done." -unknown
Bad Mo Fo Mandolin Player
Done!
Our government has long ago stopped representing "we the people". I hope they still listen to us even a little bit and will stop this insanity.
Greg
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