UPDATE: Cigar Tax Bill

[koolhandk]

I think it's important that we all talk about this bill to those who may not smoke or read these forums. The opposition is already starting the spin that Bush vetoed "the bill" and the media is making it sound as if he cut the funding totally. The important points are that the existing funding has not been cut, it has just not been expanded, and families who do not qualify for medicare but can't afford private health insurance are still covered. Bush vetoed the bill to prevent the expansion of yet another entitlement program and prevent yet another tax increase. It stopped folks who can afford private health insurance from dropping their own and being covered by the government. If passed, this would have allowed a family of 4 making upwards to $80K/year to obtain federal health care benefits paid for by the taxpayers, and "children" upwards to the age of 25 would have been covered by the government.

We need to talk this up in a way that non-smokers can understand.

Well stated Shelby07.

[Shelby07]

Here's an interesting article by George Will from Newsweek

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21047607...sweek/page/0//

It's pretty interesting to note that the bill would have required 22,000,000 new smokers to keep it funded. And his point that care for the middle class would be put mostly on the shoulders of lower income families is revealing, too.