Congress poised to regulate tobacco

[Charity]

BY PETER HARDIN
TIMES-DISPATCH WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT Feb 9, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Bipartisan legislation to give the federal Food and Drug Administration regulatory control over tobacco products may be introduced next week.

Rep. Henry A. Waxman, D-Calif., and Virginia Rep. Thomas M. Davis III, R-11th, urged colleagues in a letter circulated yesterday to join in co-sponsoring their upcoming bill.

The lawmakers are chairman and senior Republican, respectively, on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. They asked allies to sign on by 5 p.m. today. The legislation may be introduced as early as Monday, said a congressional aide who asked not to be identified.

In the Senate, Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, plan to introduce the legislation, called the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, according to Waxman and Davis' letter.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArti cle&%09s=1045855935264&c=MGArticle&cid=1149193107313&path=!news!politics

[UnkHiram]

Smoking Nazi's continue their ceaseless March towards banning of all smoking.

[Charity]

Looks that way Unk. :-(

[Eagle1]

hopefully they dont find trans-fats in there

[Wolfcounsel]

Why don't those assholes just illegalize tobacco? Never mind. They would just be forced to join the candy lines of the black market, if they wanted their cut of the black profits. Many would be caught with their peepees hanging out. Police precincts would become further corrupted, if they already are. Still, I believe the best thing for smokers to do is light 'em if they got 'em, and tell the candy asses to blow their whines out their asses. You get caught? Good. Go to jail and tell the judge where to shove his fine.

[DeclinetoState]

In the Senate, Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass. . . .The Massachusetts Swimmer is throwing his considerable weight around a little too much, IMHO.

[Kathy30]

The article does not state what kind of regulation they want. I remember a few years ago, the regulation they wanted was to have cigarettes by prescription only. Black market ready!

[buckeyepete]

Tons-o-laughs Kennedy ought to take up smoking. It helps to curb the appetite.

[DoctorDoom]

Will Ted also harass Big Alcohol, since he's the poster walrus for the consequencess of drunkenness?

[DeclinetoState]

I dunno, but it's unfortunate that Mary Jo is unavailable for comment.

[dPrasse]

Should read ..

"Congress on the verge of Regulating Congress" ...

[BuckeyeMike]

Nah, those bastards make it so's they are EXEMPT from just about any and all restrictions they put on us peons!

[libertyman]

Smoking Nazi's continue their ceaseless March towards banning of all smoking.

Absolutely--whether it be tobacco, marijuana, or anything else, the federal gov't always knows what's best for you.

[Wolfcounsel]

Time to start overthrowing the assholes, and place real statesmen in their place, people who will follow the letter of the Constitution. HEY! Nothing illegal about running the assholes out of Dodge before their time is up, is there? You want to mess with the law you swore to defend, you deserve to get your ass kicked for all eternity.

[Naturalized-Texan]

They don't dare ban cigarettes because they need the tax revenues produced by their sale.

[dPrasse]

They don't dare ban cigarettes because they need the tax revenues produced by their sale.

If they "REALLY" cared ... that is exactly what they would do ...

but , since they don't really care .. they drive up the cost of cigarettes thru "rules" , thus , increasing sales tax revenues , since sales taxes are a percentage of the cost ...

drive up costs , get automatic tax revenue increase ....

I'd hate to see the tax increases needed to replace the tobaco taxes if smoking were banned ...

[Patrick Henry]

I'd hate to see the tax increases needed to replace the tobaco taxes if smoking were banned ...

And why would that be neccessary? I don't see any viable service, provided by the government, related to tobacco usage should that usuage be declared illegal. I don't know what service they provide with it being legal as it is.

[dPrasse]

Well , it will HAVE to be replaced ... I've seen few politicians actually want to lower govt spending ... all the fighting in Washington is "your" pet projects vs "my" pet projects

[Patrick Henry]

Weird.. I was unaware of the law that said you have to replace a rescinded tax with another tax.

[dPrasse]

Weird.. I was unaware of the law that said you have to replace a rescinded tax with another tax.

It seems to be a Congressional Law ...

[Patrick Henry]

It seems to be a Congressional Law ...

So, what was the asbestos tax replaced with?

[dPrasse]

I'm sure they figured something out ... just the nature of the "beast" ...

[DeclinetoState]

It's an unwritten law, but far more strongly obeyed than anything written on the books, or so it seems.

[DesertFox]

Congress been regulatin' backer since the day before forever.

[Kathy30]

So, what was the asbestos tax replaced with?

Tobacco tax.

Politicians do not need the revenues from taxes on tobacco. Once the taxes are in place, should the revenues fall they simply raise taxes on another product.

Years and Years ago when San Francisco had a major earthquake that flattened freeways a "temporary" tax of a quarter percent was tacked onto sales taxes to pay for repairs. Those repairs were paid for years ago but the tax not only didn't go away, another quarter percent was added to pay for something else.

[Beowulf]

They don't dare ban cigarettes because they need the tax revenues produced by their sale.

Yeah but then they'll move the tax onto a "lesser evil" like soda. After all, it rots your teeth ya know.

[Patrick Henry]

Tobacco tax.

Politicians do not need the revenues from taxes on tobacco. Once the taxes are in place, should the revenues fall they simply raise taxes on another product.

Years and Years ago when San Francisco had a major earthquake that flattened freeways a "temporary" tax of a quarter percent was tacked onto sales taxes to pay for repairs. Those repairs were paid for years ago but the tax not only didn't go away, another quarter percent was added to pay for something else.

That's why whenever there's a 'new tax' on the ballot come election day I always vote NO. I don't care if it's called the 'Feed the Starving Children' tax, I still vote NO.

[dPrasse]

That's why whenever there's a 'new tax' on the ballot come election day I always vote NO. I don't care if it's called the 'Feed the Starving Children' tax, I still vote NO.

Good idea !!

When I was on the local County Board , support picked up for an increase in sales tax in order to reduce the property tax that was hitting farmers and fixed income retired folks especially hard ... the tax passed ...

At the next meeting , we Conservatives started the ball rolling to cut the tax rate before the next tax cycle started , the RINOs in charge said that they had promised to "TRY" to reduce the tax rates ...

The RINO's got their tax increase with no cut in tax rate ....

Just another RINO lie ...

My experiences in closed door negotiations with RINO's and seeing how things REALLY play out is the main reason I will not vote for the "lessor of 2 evils just because he has an (R) behind his name" ...

I don't tryst a RINO or Moderate Repub ant more than I do a Moderate Liberal/Commie Democrat

[Patrick Henry]

Good idea !!

When I was on the local County Board , support picked up for an increase in sales tax in order to reduce the property tax that was hitting farmers and fixed income retired folks especially hard ... the tax passed ...

At the next meeting , we Conservatives started the ball rolling to cut the tax rate before the next tax cycle started , the RINOs in charge said that they had promised to "TRY" to reduce the tax rates ...

The RINO's got their tax increase with no cut in tax rate ....

Just another RINO lie ...

My experiences in closed door negotiations with RINO's and seeing how things REALLY play out is the main reason I will not vote for the "lessor of 2 evils just because he has an (R) behind his name" ...

I don't tryst a RINO or Moderate Repub ant more than I do a Moderate Liberal/Commie Democrat

Call me an oddball if you like, but I think that it's pretty damn stupid to cast a vote to raise taxes given the track record of 'government' in general.

[dPrasse]

Oh , but the RINO's sold it ....
(and , in my defence , I was a young naive idealist ...I thought a compromise was a co-promise ... wrong when dealing with Liberal/Socialist/Commie/RINO's )

Just like they sold a bond to build a "self supporting" county run Nursing Home ... we fought it tooth and nail .... they won ....

after building the "self-supporting" home , the RINO's come out and said ... "Ooops , we forgot to figure in the added costs of a bigger staff needed to care for the increase in residents ... "

Voters just keep on falling for the RINO's every time ...

[Air-Warrior]

This should be a states issue. I support controlled smoking areas but not a total ban.

[Phil Osophical]

Well I don't care if the safety nazis do ban cigarettes. I roll my own and grow my own "tobacco" in my back yard. It looks like hemp, but it ain't.:biggrin:

[DesertFox]

Call me an oddball if you like Oddball if you like

[DesertFox]

Shoot all smokers on sight. Then there won't be a need for a law.