posted on December 13, 2006 04:54:34 PM new
The US Government both directly and indirectly through price support programs, crop insurance programs, tax deduction laws for "business expenditures" SUPPORTS THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY in the USA.
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There is no reason that taxpayers should subsidize an industry when the consequence of using the industry's product is death. It is important to remember that tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States - over 400,000 Americans die each year due to cigarette smoking.
The settlement proposed by the Attorneys General and tobacco industry lawyers did not address the issue of crop insurance subsidies or other direct spending programs which support tobacco. However, the proposal designates all payments made by the industry as ordinary business expenses. As a result, these expenses will be tax deductible. If you assume that tobacco companies pay the standard corporate tax rate of 35 percent, $129 billion of the proposed settlement costs will be borne by the taxpayers.
I believe that taxpayers should not have to subsidize the tobacco industry, and any tobacco legislation should not give the industry special tax treatment.
Smoking and International Issues
USA: The number 1 worldwide exporter of cigarettes
* !!!!! 118.5 billion in 1988 !!!!! 31% of the US crop is exported
* From 1954 to 1984 the food for peace program of the US Department of Agriculture included shipments of tobacco products to the hungry countries of the world...
* An amendment to section 301 of the 1974 trade act enlists the US Government to use or threaten trade sanctions against countries not permitting the sale of US tobacco products. Recently this was in active use against Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.
* Exported tobacco products are not required to comply with US standards for disclosure of tar and nicotine content, as well as quality control standards regarding concentrations of additives, herbicides and pesticides. Warning labels, restrictions on advertising and consumer protection from false representation do not apply to exported US made cigarettes.
Brand names of exported cigarettes include long life, sportsman, life, prosperity island and new paradise.
In Brazil the annual advertising budget for US cigarettes exceeds the country's national budget for health research.
* Asia is a rapidly growing market for tobacco companies and in China there are 10000 smoking related deaths per week!!!
Advertising strategies for exported US cigarettes include sponsoring of sporting events, free samples, and free admission to discotheques in exchange for empty cigarette cartons . . .
The US government allows tobacco companies to deduct 100% of their cigarette advertising costs for tax purposes.
Growth of the foreign market parallels the reduction in the domestic market:
Cigarette consumption is on the decline in the US while marked increases have been noted in developing countries . . .
- up 300% in Papua New Guinea
- up 400% in India
- up 33% in Africa, 24% in Latin America
Increases in tobacco related diseases have been documented as well, with mortality from lung diseases up by 600% in India.
As a crop, tobacco is the most widely grown non food crop in more than 120 countries.
The US tobacco industry incites and aids farmers to start growing tobacco using tax deductible financial incentives, technical expertise, free seeds and fertilizers. An added incentive is their guarantee of short term profits from foreign exchange following the harvest.
Despite gains from the employment of unskilled laborers and the generation of tax revenues, developing countries face long term losses from:
- diversion of land resources away from food crops and grazing
- health care costs from tobacco related illnesses
- environmental damage due to pollution from fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides
- losses of forests . . . wood smoke curing of tobacco requires 1 acre of forest to cure each acre of tobacco crop.
Malawi has lost 1/3 of its trees to tobacco curing
In Tanzania 12% of its trees are felled each year for curing
The US government asks other governments to curb exports of cocaine and other substances of abuse while it directly and indirectly subsidizes a tobacco industry that causes more harm to society than all other known substances of abuse combined, even allowing for the loss of revenue from the underground economy and crime costs.
Ownership of tobacco company stocks represents indirect endorsement of the industry's practices. Several prominent us hospitals and medical schools have been pressured to give up their investment holdings in the tobacco industry, thanks to individual and group efforts, notably through the American Medical Association. Aid in divestiture can be obtained through the Clean Indoor Air Educational Foundation: 617 266-6130
http://unr.edu/homepage/shubinsk/smokint1.html
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WITH THE ABOVE BEING THE CASE and there is now NO REAL DEBATE that even second hand smoke is a health hazard and the fact that with the one hand the US government is giving the tobacco industry money, with the other it is suing it for doing what it is PAID TO DO.
There is NO KNOWN LEGITIMATE USE for the product of tobacco that even begins to outweigh the HEALTH DEVASTATION AND DEATH IT CAUSES, yet our wonderful US GOVERNMENT FINANCIALLY SUPPORTS THE INDUSTRY!!
HOW can there be ANY DOUBT THAT THE US GOVERNMENT THEN OWES EVERY AMERICAN TOTAL AND COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE?
posted on December 13, 2006 10:45:48 PM new
I beg your pardon dequirrel?
I never once said anything about saving taxpayers money in any sense.
I focused on the US Governmental policy of DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY GIVING MONEY TO AN INDUSTRY WHOSE PRODUCT KILLS MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF PEOPLE EVERY YEAR. This is not a fact that is in any kind of credible debate at this point in history.
Since the consequences of that industry's product is the destruction of human health, I also addressed the inequity of the same US GOVERNMENT NOT PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE FOR EVERY AMERICAN.
Do YOU have a problem with that?
In fact, do YOU DISPUTE anything that I posted in my OP as being legitimate and factual?
posted on December 14, 2006 12:17:55 AM new
The gov supplies subsidies or breaks to countless industries. Tobacco is particularly strong. I wouldn't count on the Democratic Congress "fixing" this, since this particular pork barrel is covered in donkey prints.
posted on December 14, 2006 12:18:33 AM new
The gov supplies subsidies or breaks to countless industries. Tobacco is particularly strong. I wouldn't count on the Democratic Congress "fixing" this, since this particular pork barrel is covered in donkey prints.
posted on December 14, 2006 12:51:49 PM new
Introduction
States in the south are among those with the highest prevalence of tobacco use and the largest amount of tobacco produced in the United States. Compared with the other states, the four major tobacco-growing states are among those that lead the nation in the percentage of adults who smoke cigarettes. In 1998, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia exceeded or matched the US adult smoking rate of 23% (31%, 25%, 26%, and 23% respectively).[1] These four states also lead the nation in tobacco production. In 1998, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia produced a total of 1.2 billion pounds of tobacco (444, 552, 111, and 96 million pounds, respectively).[2]
Given tobacco's stronghold on the economy of these states, congressional lawmakers from tobacco-growing states are less likely to vote in favor of tobacco control legislation.[3] Moreover, Kentucky legislators who own tobacco allotments are less likely to favor a wide range of tobacco control laws.[4] They also are less likely to support farm diversification and agricultural infrastructure measures to reduce the state's dependence on tobacco.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/431603
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Lets See Here;
STATE OF KENTUCKY
Bunning, Jim- (R - KY) Class III
316 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4343
Web Form: bunning.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email
McConnell, Mitch- (R - KY) Class II
361-A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2541
Web Form: mcconnell.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
Burr, Richard- (R - NC) Class III
217 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3154
Web Form: burr.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home
Dole, Elizabeth- (R - NC) Class II
555 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6342
Web Form: dole.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.C...
STATE OF TENNESSEE
Alexander, Lamar- (R - TN) Class II
302 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4944
Web Form: alexander.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home
Frist, William H.- (R - TN) Class I
509 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3344
Web Form: frist.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=AboutSenatorFrist.C...
STATE OF VIRGINIA
Allen, George- (R - VA) Class I
204 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4024
Web Form: allen.senate.gov/index.cfm?c=email
Warner, John- (R - VA) Class II
225 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2023
Web Form: warner.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm
THE FOUR BIGGEST TOBACCO STATES AND AS OF THE 109TH CONGRESS, OUT OF 8 US SENATORS, ALL ARE REPUBLICAN!
Where are those "donkey" prints all over the PORK BARREL TOBACCO SUBSIDY LEGISLATION????
posted on December 14, 2006 01:45:27 PM new
Oh great....another TAKER....wants to live off the earnings of other Americans. Another give me ...give me...give me person.
Can't stand on your own two feet and take care of yourself either?
Or you just want it so you don't have to earn it yourself?
Well...when you're ALL living off the earnings of others......
who will those OTHERS be? LOL LOL
Children want to be taken care of. Adults can take care of themselves.
Guess more want to remain child like...and have BIG BROTHER nanny take care of them.
posted on December 14, 2006 01:54:25 PM new
Oh great....another TAKER....wants to live off the earnings of other Americans. Another give me ...give me...give me person.
Can't stand on your own two feet and take care of yourself either?
YES I CAN AND DO!!!
Do you read what people post before typing?
I have never QUALIFIED or TRIED TO QUALIFY for any of the free this or that programs ! Ya know WHY -- cuz my DH and I have worked all our lives!
I do not know if you were answering my post ... but notice I said we pay almost $800 a month for Health Insurance -- $793 to be exact
I was just saying since some are going to get a free ride reguardless, give us all the basics.
Then we try to make a decent living can actually spend our money on ourselves.
Much like those who "qualify" yet make money under the table or have live ins -- their money is free for their use not for rent, food, health care,child care, and on and on
posted on December 14, 2006 01:57:22 PM new
Okay....so after ALL decide to jump on the 'freeloaders bandwagon' like you stated you'd like to....then WHO will be paying for all those things???
ANY comment to make about YOUR US Government providing DIRECT AND INDIRECT TAX DOLLARS to the tobacco industry to produce a product THAT KILLS AMERICANS, gives them CANCER, both to smokers and non-smokers alike?
posted on December 14, 2006 02:08:38 PM new
So you were just being sarcastic in your first post....I wasn't able to tell that you really didn't mean what you said.
But I agree...too many are getting handouts rather than earning it themselves. And it's NOT fair that those who are already paying their own way be FORCED to pay for those who won't earn it themselves.
But I don't agree with your 'solution'. We just have to keep those who continue giving more and more entitlements to others....from being elected in the first place.
Just like in this thread.....too many want to be given everything by the BIG BROTHER nanny...rather than taking care of themselves and their own....like you sound like you are doing. I too was raised to take care of myself....not become dependent on the gov. for handouts.
The US Government is DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE for aiding in the production of a products that is PROVEN to KILL AMERICANS and DEVASTATE their health. WHY shouldn't the US GOVERNMENT be held responsible?
posted on December 14, 2006 02:27:26 PM new
DO YOU HAVE ANY DIRECT COMMENT to make about US GOVERNMENT TOBACCO SUBSIDIES, both DIRECT AND INDIRECT
In CAPS --IF IT IS FOR ALL BOTH TAXPAYERS AND OTHERS _LET THE CHECKS COME --YA YA
IF THOSE WHO WHO CANNOT(WILL NOT) WORK, BUT STAND AROUND IN THE STREETS SMOKING CIGS OR WORSE GET HEALTH CARE BECAUSE OF THE TOBACCO COMPANIES __ THEN I WANT IT ALSO
posted on December 14, 2006 02:32:30 PM new
Since you will not state directly that you oppose the US Government subsidies, I will take it for granted that you support them. Do you live in a tobacco state that profits from the deaths of Americans?
posted on December 14, 2006 02:51:50 PM new
Roadsmith
Of COURSE they support that tobacco subsidies, they go to states that ELECT REPUBLICANS. They could care less that those states produce a substance that kills people, wait, Republicans also support the death of young Americans in total BS foreign "military actions" so nothing new there. After all, those little adventures benefit CORPORATE AMERICA and the US DEFENSE INDUSTRY COMPLEX, also groups that support REPUBLICANS.
notice how justsimpleme DEMANDS you address 'it's' questions....but don't ask him/her one for it starts RAGING that it will NOT be FORCED to answer any question.
lol
It's his/her double standard.
Different 'rules' for it...than for anyone else.
posted on December 14, 2006 03:20:21 PM new
ATTENTION: TROLL ALERT!!
The only way to deal with trolls is to limit your reaction to reminding others not to respond to trolls.
When you try to reason with a troll, he wins. When you insult a troll, he wins. When you scream at a troll, he wins. The only thing that trolls can't handle is being ignored.
posted on December 14, 2006 03:32:04 PM new
ATTENTION: TROLL ALERT!!
The only way to deal with trolls is to limit your reaction to reminding others not to respond to trolls.
When you try to reason with a troll, he wins. When you insult a troll, he wins. When you scream at a troll, he wins. The only thing that trolls can't handle is being ignored.
We just have to keep those who continue giving more and more entitlements to others....from being elected in the first place.