Bertster7 wrote:
JohnG@lt wrote:
Taxes on cigarettes and other things are not meant to stop the person from smoking (although they will say something to this effect every time they raise said tax), they're a revenue generator with a captive audience. If everyone in New York City stopped smoking the city would go bankrupt from billions in lost revenue. Ignoring the fact that the tax is ineffective, it's being used as a tool to coerce the population into taking an action that others want them to. They're trying to make the decision to quit for me every time they raise that tax.
How can you say the tax is ineffective? If the city would go bankrupt without it, then I'd say it is pretty damn effective.
These taxes also cover the added cost of healthcare for smokers, most of which is paid for through taxation.
A perfectly fair and well reasoned tax. Which is, I imagine, supported by the majority of people in the state. That's how democracy works. It is something that is frowned upon by the majority of people and is something that costs the government money, taxing it is the fairest solution.
The tax is ineffective because it fails in it's stated mission. People don't quit cigarettes if they raise the tax by a dollar every few years. If you hit them with a $10 increase in one year, then yes, they might quit but that's not the way they do it because it would kill their tax revenue.
"A perfectly fair and well reasoned tax. Which is, I imagine, supported by the majority of people in the state. That's how democracy works."
Good, you stated it for me. Mob rule. Tyranny of the Majority. This is nothing more than a money grab against a defenseless minority.
Congrats Berster. Without irony, you just pointed out every single flaw in a democratic system. Instead of one Stalin forcing you to conform to his ideal, you get 300 million Stalin's all forcing you to conform.
Last edited by JohnG@lt (2010-05-10 08:51:07)