Hello World
On Tuesday, November 7, 2006 the voters of Arizona have approved Proposition 203, the discriminatory tax against smokers which increases the tax on each package of cigarettes sold by 80 cents. This new excessive tax comes just four years after a similar increase of 60 cents per pack which was approved in 2002. That is a whopping one dollar and forty cents on each pack of cigarettes sold in the State of Arizona in just four years.
I admire the "NOBLE SACRIFICE" of these non-smoker, anti-tobacco activists are making. As best I can calculate it will cost them absolutely nothing. It's not to difficult to see why it was so easy to vote for this proposition. I feel certain that with this latest success they will be emboldened to return again four years from now with another wonderful program which they are too cheap to help pay for themselves through a fair increase in the state sales taxes which all of us have to pay. Did you notice they always put these initiatives on the ballot during the mid-term elections when there is a lower voter turnout. They know full well if it were on the ballot during a Presidential election year the higher voter turnout would surely lead to defeat. No instead these fanatics say, to hell with fairness. Why would they do such a stupid thing as that when it's so easy to increase the tax on cigarettes. Besides the anti-smoking activists believe smokers are the scourge of the earth and deserve being discriminated against because of their nasty, distasteful habit.
I have thought about this for the several days and come to the following conclusion:
Since I consider smoking to be a personal civil liberty. That cigarettes are a product which is legally sold and consumed in each and every one of these United States of America. Also, I have no intention of being forced to give up smoking, which I enjoy, just because these self-righteous, pious zealots through their overwhelming numbers can increase the tax on tobacco products. If anyone reading this is interested enough to know how I truly feel about this issue you can read what I had to say about it before election day by clicking here.
How I intend to pay that tax which will cost me an additional $32.00 monthly.
1. I intend to cancel my subscription to the Arizona Republic newspaper which will save me $16.25 per month. I have been a loyal subscriber for the past ten years. But since the paper was such a staunch supporter of this tax increase I'm going to give them the opportunity to help pay for it. I can live without reading the Arizona Republic each morning. I can only hope and pray every other tobacco user in this state will do the same.
2. I intend to stop buying those dozen donuts from Basha's Market each Sunday morning that I normally buy. This will save me another $4.99 per week or $21.62 per month. Again I want to be fair about this and since Nadine Basha was also such a staunch supporter of this tax increase I'm going to give Basha's Markets the opportunity to help pay for it too. Furthermore I intend to boycott Basha's Markets forever. I can find everything I need at Fry's Markets, Safeway, Walmart Superstores or Costco. Again I can only hope and pray every other tobacco user in this state will do the same. Perhaps even non-smokers who see the injustice of all of this will also help send a powerful message to the Arizona Republic and the Bashas of the world.
3. WOW! These two actions will save me $37.87 each month. Subtract the $32.00 I have to pay in new taxes and that leaves me with a monthly net profit of $5.87. That's almost equal to an hour's pay based on the new minimum wage. Thank GOD I've got all these asses looking out for my well being. And all I have to give up is reading what the editors of the Arizona Republic have to say and eating Basha's donuts. Now that's a deal that's hard to beat.
I need and am asking for your help.
I seldom ask anything of the readers of this page. However, today I'm making an exception to that policy. Today I'm asking you to assist me in a grass roots effort to send a message to the anti-smoking activists and their cooperate sponsors in the State of Arizona.
This Proposition was named "First Things First". It's purpose to fund early childhood development programs and medical screening for children. Personally I think it is an excellent idea. I just have a problem with the funding of it. I believe that, if it is as important as it's supporters say, then it is a program that each and every citizen of the State of Arizona should be responsible for helping to pay for it. That is accomplished in only one way if it is to be shared equally among all of our citizens and that's by imposing an increase in the State's sales tax. Not by placing the burden of it's financing on the back of tobacco users. More specifically on the backs of cigarette smokers. Isn't it ironic that not a single dollar of this tax money goes to any program designed to help smokers stop smoking.
Now back to "First Things First":
First of all there are over five million residents in the State of Arizona. The turnout for the 2006 election I'll estimate at 1,168,753 total voters. That was the total number of votes cast in the race for Governor. Next, Proposition 203 passed with 52% of the vote cast. That is slightly over 600,000 votes. Divide that by 5,000,000 (5 million=total population)and you will see that 12% of our citizens have passed an initiative which increases the tax on cigarettes 80 cents per package. That is not representative government as was intended by the founding fathers. One of the bedrock principles this nation was founded upon was "NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION".
Arizona is one of eight states which require a supermajority of two-thirds majority vote in both chambers of the legislature to pass tax increases. Therefore the passage of Proposition 203 by a 52% majority of the vote cast on November 7, 2006 effectively nullify's state law.
Have you ever heard of, or read about the "Stamp Act of 1765"? Perhaps you should. You can read about it here. Ever read "The Declaration of Independence"? Basically both of them state, taxation should be left to our elected representatives in the Legislature to pass a "Bill" then send it to the Governor for approval and signature to become law.
Proposition 203, passed with 52 percent of the vote in Tuesday's election held on November 7, 2006. Nadine Basha, was the driving force behind the First Things First initiative, Proposition 203. She credited home builder Ira Fulton, along with her husband, supermarket magnate Eddie Basha, of Basha Markets, with raising money for the initiative. Here is EXACTLY what she said, "People are hungry for something positive and something to engage in, and we gave them that opportunity." That was real nice of her. And an easy call for non-smokers to vote for since it doesn't call for any money out of their pockets to fund it. Absolutely NO COST to them at all. I'd say she gave those hungry people something positive to make them feel good all right. At the expense of others I might add. I ask you dear reader do you honestly believe that this is fair?
This is why today I'm asking for your help. I would greatly appreciate it if you would copy the link to this page http://victorcase.com/chiefscorner.html and send it to five (5) of your friends who still smoke asking them to visit this web page and hopefully when they do they too will lend their support to this effort to end this type of disgraceful, discriminatory taxation without representation. Our Country is a great country because ordinary citizens stand up for what is right and oppose what is wrong. Will you stand up and be counted today? Perhaps you are a non-smoker yourself, if so I'm not asking you to make a judgment, moral or otherwise about whether smoking is detrimental to one's health or whether one is going to hell for smoking. That's not what this is about. If you are a non-smoker that's even better because if non-smokers stand up for equal justice and fair-mindness regarding this matter then we can all take another step together along that long road against discrimination.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TODAY TO READ THIS. I ASK YOU AGAIN WILL YOU PLEASE ACT NOW BY COPYING THE FOLLOWING LINK
http://victorcase.com/chiefscorner.html
AND SENDING IT TO FIVE OF YOUR FRIENDS ASKING THEM TO VISIT HERE.
James Casebier
Chief Petty Officer
U. S. Navy, retired
Vietnam 1967 & 1970
Today's Humor
Today's humor takes you outside of this site. Click here to see what Mexican tourism is like.
After viewing click the back button of your browser to return here. Have a great day.
PEACE be with you..Brothers and Sisters
until we meet again.
Victor