25% Australian Tobacco Tax Increase & Internet Sales Ban

[Stalebread]

Anyone for Benevolent Monarchy ?

[MontrealRon]

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

Really?

Perhaps you'd like to show us one example from all of recorded history?

And who, pray tell, are "the people"?

Karl Marx was absolutely right in pointing out that all societies are composed of various social classes,

with incompatable interests, and that these interests will inevitably lead to conflict.

These conflicts may simmer on the back burner for a long time, but sooner or later,

they break out into open class warfare.

England in the 17th century, France and the US in the 18th, Haiti in the 19th,

Russia then Cuba in the 20th,

not to mention the numerous slave revolts, peasant uprisings, revolutionary movements,

etc, that were violently suppressed, from the revolt of Spartacus to Spain in the 1930s.

What is good for the slave owner is not so good for the slave;

what is good for the noble, is not so good for the serf;

same holds for the industrialist and the factory worker,

large agricultural corporations and their migrant workers, etc.

The true function of government is to protect the power, property, and privileges of the wealthy.

Armies are raised and police are hired, for that purpose alone.

The underclasses are brainwashed to believe in the legitimacy of the state,

and to accept as natural their place in society.

From a co-opted priesthood that teaches the divine right of kings,

and that wealth is a sign of God's favour;

to today's government run schools that start the day

with the children singing the national anthem,

is a simple straight-line progression.

Nationalism, racism, religious intolerance, the hierarchy of men over women,

are all tools of the State, used to confuse the people over who are the true enemy.

And the biggest boondoggle of all is the concept that our so-called "democracy"

is the same thing as freedom.

How well we have been brainwashed on that one!

We choose our leaders, therefore we are free!

Well, my brothers, choosing between a liberal and a conservative,

a republican or a democrat,

a liberal democrat, social democrat, christian democrat, or whatever,

is no different than if you were handed a ballot that asked you to choose either

the bloods or the crips, the cosa nostra or the ndrangheta.

We forget that the Soviet Union also had supposedly free elections.

The catch was that all the candidates were Communists.

So why do we believe that our elections are so much freer

when all the candidates are Capitalists?

Where Marx went tragically wrong was his short-sighted belief that

the road to a free society of equals was by following the same

methods and tactics used by the enemy; that the ends justify the means.

As history has shown, the Worker's State became the worker's prison.

The Dictatorship of the Proletariat was really the dictatorship of the Party over the proletariat.

The concept of the elitist Vanguard Party is perverse in the extreme.

The Intermational Working Men's Association, back in the 1870s-80s,

was the focal point of the developing revolutionary socialist movement.

It had two wings, totally opposed to each other;

one, which eventually dominated, was the authoritarian, headed by Karl Marx,

the other the libertarian, whose most famous spokesman was Mikhail Bakunin.

It was the corruption of socialism with authoritarianism,

that some say was secretly encouraged and even funded by the international bankers,

that led to the disasters of both Soviet Communism and German National Socialism,

and ultimately, the total destruction of the revolutionary socialist movement,

and the triumph of globalized corporate capitalism.

Only when the concept of Socialism becomes once more decoupled from Authoritarianism,

and linked again with Libertarianism, will the tide finally begin to turn.

[gfoster]

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

That's not universally true. Might be true on the Federal level (dunno) but I assure you it is NOT always true on the state and local level. My wife has worked most of her career in local government, is a very senior manager with a bachelor's in economics and a master's degree in public administration, supervises something like a hundred people and makes significantly less than what I do in the private sector (and I supervise *no one*). In addition, her pension is most DEFINITELY based upon contribution.

-- Gary F.

[habanablue]

Some comments from Readers left on my original post. http://inluminocomms.blogspot.com/2010/05/...-packaging.html

Prez, besides the proposal I sent thorugh yesterday for an inudstry get together, what are your thoughts on an Australian consumer group a la CRA?

[habanablue]

ps nice work on new Cigar Talk vid/podcast! http://www.cigartalk.com.au/

[El Presidente]

Prez, besides the proposal I sent thorugh yesterday for an inudstry get together, what are your thoughts on an Australian consumer group a la CRA?

Mate, I am happy to support or lead anything. Truthfully though mate, I will spend 20% of my effort overturning it and 80% of my effort avoiding it. It really didn't come as a surprise.

I don't trust politicians or bureaucrat public servants Sam. Legislation is one thing, enforcement another. The Jolly Roger has been raised, let the games begin.

[ChanceSchmerr]

Mate, I am happy to support or lead anything. Truthfully though mate, I will spend 20% of my effort overturning it and 80% of my effort avoiding it. It really didn't come as a surprise.

I don't trust politicians or bureaucrat public servants Sam. Legislation is one thing, enforcement another. The Jolly Roger has been raised, let the games begin.

Hearing this just warms my heart! That's the kinda spirit I like to hear from my Cigar supplier!

[smll2]

That's not universally true. Might be true on the Federal level (dunno) but I assure you it is NOT always true on the state and local level. My wife has worked most of her career in local government, is a very senior manager with a bachelor's in economics and a master's degree in public administration, supervises something like a hundred people and makes significantly less than what I do in the private sector (and I supervise *no one*). In addition, her pension is most DEFINITELY based upon contribution.

-- Gary F.

Edit to acknowledge that I made it home after dinner and to many drinks with friends and was well...pretty much drunk when I wrote my orignal rant....Mrs stink was the DD.

I should have been clearer with my rant. I'm really speaking to the state of affairs in California although I'm imagine Calfironia isn't the only state in crisis from the issue. In 1999 Gray Davis (Governer recalled) without voter approval and in conjunction with other politicians raised the pensions of the 3 largest state pension funds by 50%. The pension funds of course fund the politicians. California's annual operting budget is approximately $85 billion. The deficit projected for these pensions alone in 15 years is estimated to be north of 1/2 trillion dollars. That's $36,000 for every California family. That's 535 Billion dollars. This is a bubble that's going to burst...just like GM, Enron...etc.

I heard a respected news reporter state something along the line of.....these employees on average contribute approximate $125.000 over a 30 year career to their pensions. If they retire at 55 and live to be 85 they will recieve well in excess of $3,000.000 in pensions and health benefits. That is robbery. What's worse....is they can still go out and get a job without their pension being reduced. Many of them have the opportunity for pension spiking...working as much overtime as they can in a given year so thier pension is based on that high salary year. Robbery again. This type of robbery is legal.

I usually avoid political threads....but this issue will ruin the State of Calfornia just like the unions have ruined so many company's in recent times. It really bothers me.

80% of the taxes paid today in California go to salaries and pensions of public employees. When the parks and libraries close....and we can't afford the police and firefighters we need...the government as we know it will be thrown out on it's ass.....

[Warren]

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.

In England they have a party called the Raving Loony party and it's kind of a running joke.

Each election they run for office and everyone has a big laugh and then forgets about it.

The problem is that last election we actually voted them in but we're not laughing, we're dying.

[maalouly]

In England they have a party called the Raving Loony party and it's kind of a running joke.

Each election they run for office and everyone has a big laugh and then forgets about it.

The problem is that last election we actually voted them in but we're not laughing, we're dying.

[ARRV]

I unfortunately think that the writing is definitely on the wall that eventually some idiot in this country is going to try to ban tobacco altogether - probably the same day they legalise marijuana..

Only issue that will stop it is the tax revenue - government enjoys that too much.

I see in the paper today that having obtained plain packaging and huge tax increase the next step is to prevent smoking in all public places.

This will leave smoking to private venues - your backyard, cigar lounges and other designated smoking areas. Not a huge problem for cigar smokers though due to the nature of smoking a cigar compared to cigarettes. Cigar lounges are fine.

I wonder what the next target will be - fast food? alcohol?

It is all just ridiculous.

[Warren]

I unfortunately think that the writing is definitely on the wall that eventually some idiot in this country is going to try to ban tobacco altogether - probably the same day they legalise marijuana..

Only issue that will stop it is the tax revenue - government enjoys that too much.

I see in the paper today that having obtained plain packaging and huge tax increase the next step is to prevent smoking in all public places.

This will leave smoking to private venues - your backyard, cigar lounges and other designated smoking areas. Not a huge problem for cigar smokers though due to the nature of smoking a cigar compared to cigarettes. Cigar lounges are fine.

I wonder what the next target will be - fast food? alcohol?

It is all just ridiculous.

Yes, they are currently messing with the tax on wine and what will happen is that the cost of cask wine will double and the cost of premium wine is set to drop a little.

It seems that what Rudd wants is to make it as hard as possible for the average Joe to enjoy themselves.

I FFFFFFing hate this little prick.

I'm starting to hope to hear that he has met a painful death at the hands of the morons who voted him in.

This of course gives me the perfect alibi because I didn't vote for the little puke.

[zuma]

Damn! Thanx Trevor for the heads up... what'd like to know:

Will/Did the opposition agree to allow this to happen?

When will, or did, it come into effect?

Bloody hell...

It is reported.....

"Today is another sad day for the Tobacco Industry. Kevin Dudd has announced a Tobacco Excise increase of 25%. This will increase the price of a cigarette from 26.22 cents each to 32.776 cents in tax.

The increase in excise on cigars is from $327.77 per kilo to $409.71 per kilo.

For example a box of cigars the cost $450 will now be approximately $510.

Further bad news is, that the Government will restrict Australian Internet advertising of tobacco products, bringing the Internet into line with restrictions already in place in other media - whatever that means."

My understanding that this was only a proposal!

[El Presidente]

Will/Did the opposition agree to allow this to happen? YES

When will, or did, it come into effect? Duties went up last Friday. Legislation will take a few months to amend. Opposition is against plain packaging but it will pass with support of the greens and independents.

Bloody hell...

[Warren]

So what language are you speaking here Rob.

[Trevor2118]

Damn! Thanx Trevor for the heads up... what'd like to know:

Will/Did the opposition agree to allow this to happen?

When will, or did, it come into effect?

Bloody hell...

The Opposition?

Zuma, here we have Tweedledum in charge and Tweedledee in opposition.

They both love taxes, and the FN do-gooders are falling over them-self in excitement.

They all all working on what to F up next.

Note to webmaster.....we need an arsehole smilley....a large one.

[PhiDelt]

Note to webmaster.....we need an arsehole smilley....a large one.

Something like this, Trevor?

[Trevor2118]

Something like this, Trevor?

[MIKA27]

DO NOT BE CONFUSED THIS IS JUST ANOTHER TAX NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS

Pardon my french but "**** YOU KEVIN RUDD"

I feel a little better now bring on the Election i say

Cheers OZ

I second that notion OZ!

F**king Richy Rich lookalike!

My Mag 48 and VR Unicos tasted a whole lot better last weekend. But, I'll still be buying from Czars.

[zuma]

The Opposition?

Zuma, here we have Tweedledum in charge and Tweedledee in opposition.

They both love taxes, and the FN do-gooders are falling over them-self in excitement.

Bunch of midgets running a bloody great country... we get to chose between midgets and more midgets...

reminds me of:

[MIKA27]

MIDGETS freak me out!

[dicko]

The plain packaging component to the new law is worrying too. Simon devlin said in the paper in the West Australian that cigar boxes are pieces of art, often with years and years of history and culture. very true!

[El Presidente]

The plain packaging component to the new law is worrying too. Simon devlin said in the paper in the West Australian that cigar boxes are pieces of art, often with years and years of history and culture. very true!

That is a piece of cake to get around. Heat seal plastic over a box of cigars.

[dicko]

That is a piece of cake to get around. Heat seal plastic over a box of cigars.

We are firmly into pirate territory here and i like it

[OZCUBAN]

That is a piece of cake to get around. Heat seal plastic over a box of cigars.

Great Idea Rob I am pretty sure that sort of shrink wrap comes in Opaque white...

Soon will be known as Rebel Scum "And loving it"

Cheers Oz