25% Australian Tobacco Tax Increase & Internet Sales Ban

[Colt45]

This raises a question in my mind:

"How are we SUPPOSED to live?"

Does the government have some sort of blueprint for human life and how it should be lived?

Yes, how are we supposed to live. But from my point of view, keep the government out of my life and how I live it, as much as possible.

Keep their hands out of my pockets - local, state, and federal - all of them.

Democratic governments seem to have lost sight of their roles - they need to be reminded, in no uncertain term, what it is.

[khomeinist]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/30/business.../30tobacco.html

sorry guys. I hate this populist nonsense. Bully tactics. Rudd seems like a smug ass.

[Kangaroo495]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/30/business.../30tobacco.html

sorry guys. I hate this populist nonsense. Bully tactics. Rudd seems like a smug ass.

Good link.

Sounds like Rudd needs a picture of a gangrenous foot on his tiny penis.

[samb]

Geez!! That is some horsepoo!! Condolences for the Aussie members F-ing government!!

[gfoster]

Man, I feel really bad for the Aussies, their government is every bit as f'ed up as ours. At least you guys still have a decent international reputation though. Many years ago when I was travelling to Europe a lot, I used to tell people I was Canadian so I wouldn't get an earful about how f'ed up us Americans are...

-- Gary F.

[BobLobLaw]

Brutal. The tax thing sucks, but has sorta become the norm. (28% in Chicago, I think) The ban on internet sales is really the kicker.

[jacksfull]

Geez, that sucks. Sorry for you guys.

We face the same sort of "social engineering" here in the USA. I say it's social engineering because in the same breath that they hit you with a revenue generating scheme they also put further limitations on advertising. Same thing happens here. Seems counterproductive when you think about it. If it were purely about raising more tax revenues then encouraging sales would bring in more tax money. But, it's really nanny-state think... without the balls to give up the loot.

..............................................

Wanker Politician #1: "Hey, you know, we have the power to diictate a decrease in smoking."

Extremist Politician #2: "Yeah, we could outlaw tobacco. I have a lot of constituents that'd love that. More votes for me!"

Greedy SOB Politician #3: "But then we'd lose all that lovely tax revenue we enjoy pissing away so much. In fact, we'd have to fund enforcement. And, much as that would please some of the busy-bodies out there, I'd still worry a little about the smokers finally getting together as a voting block."

Pragmatic Wanker Politician #1: "Hey, I have an idea..."

[PigFish]

Yes, how are we supposed to live. But from my point of view, keep the government out of my life and how I live it, as much as possible.

Keep their hands out of my pockets - local, state, and federal - all of them.

Democratic governments seem to have lost sight of their roles - they need to be reminded, in no uncertain term, what it is.

You opened a box here my friend. Here is the problem. Democracy as a form of government is drastically flawed. Democracy as a process of law and democracy as a mean of government are two different things! Democracy always tramples the rights of the minority and that is the reason for a constitution, a Magna Carta or some form of laws that define human rights as those innate to man and not defined by the majority.

We have many people on this forum with many differing political views and for those of you that I offend, I apologize in advance. The lesson here is that when you vote for socialists you get socialist solutions to problems. The socialist will always, and I mean always vote to empower himself as an individual and himself as a governmental power over you and your freedom as an individual.

I don't know anything about Aussie politics but this is not an Aussie only problem. It is endemic of societies whose populations have been indoctrinated by a government run schools systems to believe that government solves all problems. What ever happened to self interest and self reliance? Why is making your own way and making a profit a bad thing? Why??? Because self reliant people don't need a powerful government to act as a nanny.

Next time you go to the ballot box my friends you might want to consider the link between your favorite social program and those who wish to steal your rights and property, your liberty to fund them. In general, these programs are not brought to you by those who are considered political conservatives.

The government where I live is in equal chaos. We are now over the 100 trillion dollar mark in unfunded debt. My post therefore is not meant to attack the Australian form of government or my Australian friends. But as simple as it sounds smoking rights are as good a place as any to make a distinction between those who believe in individual liberty and those who believe in a soft tyranny. Smoking is just a small facet but if you vote those who support these types of bills out of office you will likely make a large stride to invigorate your individual liberty and as insignificant as it may seem, your right to smoke. -Piggy

[Mel]

Well the Pigfish hits another home run.

I was thingk that ya'll must have the bastard brother of our retard-for-prez.

[khomeinist]

I think Pig tore an ACL trying to lay down a bunt. Sheer nonsense. Last time I checked, the right loves to tax and raise deficits for unnecessay projects (two wars) as much as the left. The liberty versus tyranny false-dichotomy is a product of right-wing populism, surely as misguided as the left-leaning version. The W.H.O. is pushing this guys. Illogical rants about socialism aren't going to dissuade them I suspect.

We need to lay aside the petty stuff if we are going to fight the anti-smoking lobby.

[Wiley]

Oh boy, more of this!

You're correct, both parties love to spend. However, the tax part is wrong. The left believes in the redistribution of wealth, and achieves it by forcing the wealthiest 10% to pay for something like 40% of the entire budget, while allowing at least half of the population to skate. Oh, and lots of progresso-socialist, deficit madness.

The right believe in lowering the taxes on the wealthy while still pandering to the middle class who apparently can't afford to pull their own weight and still buy flat panel TVs. And lots of military spending. So the result is still massive deficit spending.

Hurray! How else would we even know that figures in the trillions of dollars even existed?

[khomeinist]

Lol. I actually agree with you today. More or less. Enough so that I would shake hands and give you a fine cigar. Many of my friends veer right. Etc. Etc.

[PigFish]

Fans wearing rose colored glasses rarely see the game with any clarity! -Piggy

[Colt45]

You opened a box here my friend.

Ray, as you probably already know, I'm for clearing them all out. They work for me, and can consider themselves fired. If we are to continue to have "parties",

I'm for the common sense party.

[khomeinist]

Fans wearing rose colored glasses rarely see the game with any clarity! -Piggy

Lol. Players sniffing around Rush Limbaugh's medicine cabinet tend to need rehab.

[El Presidente]

Democracy empowers mediocrity through promoting to positions of power a sector of society who have never achieved outside of the bureaucracy from whose teat they suck. They measure their success through the growth of the bureaucracy. Regulation entangles and chokes society to a standstill until a fresh face comes along promising small Govt, less "red tape" but alas while they may be the head of the great government the bureaucracy knows to bide its time before it again turns a wide eyed passionate statesman to a blank eyed puppet of the state.

[Trevor2118]

Democracy empowers mediocrity through promoting to positions of power a sector of society who have never achieved outside of the bureaucracy from whose teat they suck. They measure their success through the growth of the bureaucracy. Regulation entangles and chokes society to a standstill until a fresh face comes along promising small Govt, less "red tape" but alas while they may be the head of the great government the bureaucracy knows to bide its time before it again turns a wide eyed passionate statesman to a blank eyed puppet of the state.

Yes Prime Minster!

[PigFish]

Lol. Players sniffing around Rush Limbaugh's medicine cabinet tend to need rehab.

Yes but Rusty enjoys a good Cuban cigar and is an ardent opponent to Marxist smoking laws; this brings us full circle!!! Cheers amigo! -P

[khomeinist]

Lol. Then perhaps you are aware that Karl was a huge smoker and that many on the left enjoy fine cigars and detest 'homeland' types telling them what to do as well?

Cheers. Would love to share some fine marevas and continue jabbing and conversing.

[Sandman]

Keep voting these idiots in. People always ask me why I don't move back to OZ as I am dual citizen. NEVER. This recent proposal is the very least of your problems guys.

Every time I visit, things are more expensive, there is more crime, druggies(heroin and meth) everywhere, and there is advertising on literally EVERYTHING!!! Including every pro sportsmans jersey. Watch any TV, and there is a 5 minute advertisement for every 5 minutes of TV. Buy a hundered page news paper and 95 pages are advertising. What a joke. You can't even watch the morning news without a half hour infomercial. Crime issues in OZ are a complete joke, you can do anything and get a slap on the wrist, and now every single thing is taxed to hell!!!! A 6 pack of beer is near $20 now!

Unfortunately Australia is but a shadow of it's former self.

[Guest rob]

Who's going to join me in a good 'ol uprising? Revolutionally leader is somthing I kind of think I'd be good at .

[smll2]

Democracy empowers mediocrity through promoting to positions of power a sector of society who have never achieved outside of the bureaucracy from whose teat they suck. They measure their success through the growth of the bureaucracy. Regulation entangles and chokes society to a standstill until a fresh face comes along promising small Govt, less "red tape" but alas while they may be the head of the great government the bureaucracy knows to bide its time before it again turns a wide eyed passionate statesman to a blank eyed puppet of the state.

I blew thru this thread...angered relative to my Aussie mates and the shitty news...I'm on the right....in the US.... what f'ing drives me f'ing nuts is the realization that our government and goverment unions...administration, police, fire, teachers are all about themselves first and the community second. Government jobs...pensions...health benefits are way more beneficial and lucrative than what can generally be found in the private sector. WTF? The private sector takes risks....works 18 hours a day to create and make things happen.. We manufacture goods...provide services provided people will pay for them....and we are paid based upon supply and demand...we are paid based upon what we contribute. Whatever happend to making a sacrifice to work for the better of humanity?

The government pays themselves handsomely...with wonderful pensions...not based upon contribution....but based upon god awful politics and bullshit..

The whole dogone thing is crazy. Rudf'k is trying to get a few more votes...however at the end of the day...it's about supporting government pensions....health benefits for folks that don't contribute to the GNP....etc.. They need more money...so tax smoker another 25%

Makes me sick.

However...we shall prevail. The tide will turn... we just can't afford these knucleheads.

The gig is up. The global economy has been tough for all....but wasteful and overnments for the benefit of it's workers have been exposed. The middle class is suffering..and they are pissed. The middle class doesn't generally have close to the same benefits of public employees.

Oh......what a rant... I feel better.

This will change..just like GM, Chrylser...et all....

One day soon govenments will be working for the benefit of the people.

What's been happening is failing worldwide.

[PigFish]

Lol. Then perhaps you are aware that Karl was a huge smoker and that many on the left enjoy fine cigars and detest 'homeland' types telling them what to do as well?

Cheers. Would love to share some fine marevas and continue jabbing and conversing.

And this is where we meet on common ground; I am willing to call this game a tie. The comradeship of a fine Cuban cigar defines us briefly as we reside in this place, not as left and right, right or wrong but as brothers of the leaf, as Habanotarians! Cheers Mate. - Comrade Pig

[PigFish]

Ray, as you probably already know, I'm for clearing them all out. They work for me, and can consider themselves fired. If we are to continue to have "parties",

I'm for the common sense party.

As you probably know of me Ross I am an Originalist. I believe in law and order and a good foundation for it. Like you I care little about a party affiliation.

What is it that makes a society great? Some would say it is the collective, society itself. Yet others the might say it is the individuals in it. My perspective is one of fostering collective greatness through individual achievement and not visa versa. This can be argued to the contrary by others I am sure.

My best to you my friend. I know that you can find your way home without my help! I respect your ability to make a point in few words whereas I tend to use too many!!! I am after all a Polarized Pig! -R

[Stalebread]

Well in a screwed up world I at least manged to find one piece of normality today. Levis 501's are now available unwashed, unbleached, untorn, unbaggy - just like they were in the good old days!!!

There is still some hope left for the world..

Now if they would only do the same for 505's . . .