Democrats tax the poor

When the bill for increased coverage for children's health care passed, to the tune of 35 billion dollars, the Democrats realized they needed to add taxes somewhere. Heaven forbid they act within their budget. They decided that a 156 percent increase to the cigarette tax would be the appropriate decision. This would raise the federal tax from 39 cents to a dollar per pack. Even with the tax being raised significantly it is not enough to cover the new spending, but it does discourage smoking.

Cigarettes are used at a much higher rate among poorer citizens, then among the wealthy. This seems out of place for the great defenders of the poor. It is hard to believe the Democrats would even consider taxing them. I doubt very much that many people will cry out that the Dems are taxing the poor unfairly. After all, it is only the smoking poor that they are raising taxes on. As they already admit, their tax increase to cigarettes will not be enough to cover their plan, so where will the next tax be on?

People need to realize that cigarette tax revenue will continue to spiral and, as more people quit smoking, the social programs that it pays for will be further in the red. Now, instead of budgeting and working within their means, politicians on the Hill will put new taxes up. Taxes that affect more people so that they can have a larger revenue base, such as a tax on pop or bottled water. Before I am willing to give more money to the government, who takes enough of my pay check already, they need to show that they can manage what the already have.