subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Fri, May 16 2008 

Published: November 17, 2006 11:33 pm    print this story   email this story   comment on this story  

Reflections on the Great American Smokeout

Floyd T. Neubauer, Clinton
Reader's Letter

This is, without a doubt, the biggest example of “Political Correctness” that one could ever witness.

Now I don’t smoke anymore, and am probably a poster child for what happens to one’s lungs after breathing Agent Orange for several years and smoking for 30 years and breathing industrial pollution for 25 more years. My lungs are shot!

However, I am forced to ask where, if the states and nation want everyone to quit smoking, are the states and nation going to get the tax revenue that they will no longer collect from tobacco sales and tax on the major cigarette and tobacco companies, which would eventually go out of business? Where are they going to tax us to death to make up the short fall in taxes?

The same people who push this day upon the smokers would have a coronary if 75 percent of the smokers suddenly quit! When Illinois raised its cigarette taxes a couple of years ago, the Illinois merchants had an economic disaster in that convenience stores and gas stations that also sold cigarettes at high prices due to high taxes lost about 40 percent of their business to Iowa, cause if you can’t buy cigarettes without paying higher taxes and gas is higher, then it is easier to cross the river and buy it all where it is cheapest!

If you think that this ploy by the non-smoking coalition is legitimate, you simply haven’t learned to follow the money!

Another thought is that if one really wanted to make a difference in the mortality rates in this country from recreational activities, and by that I mean unnecessary habits, then why not go back to the era when bars were closed all day on Sunday?

That’s right, no sale of beer or alcohol in stores or bars or private clubs on Sundays, and a really strong enforcement policy on drunken driving. No pleading down the charge … if your blood alcohol level says you are drunk then you don’t drive. The state pulls not only your driver’s license but also your license plates!

After all, I can sit next to a man or woman who smokes 15 cigarettes and be relatively sure that their habit is not going to result in my immediate demise, but 15 beers and I want him or her off the road before I get on the road because his or her vehicle is a death dealing device looking for somewhere to happen!



print this story   email this story   comment on this story  

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.



monster
wheels
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Hot Jobs

Fulton Fertilizer
Ag-Firm seeks A/P A/R clerk-with Excel experience. Please call (815)589-2715, fax resume to: 815-589-2538 or email ffc@...>MORE

THE ALVERNO
Cook
Responsible, creative cook wanted. Experienced, caring professional is
invited to apply to be part of ou
...>MORE

MORRISON COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
Openings available:
Admitting Office: Part-time 3pm-9pm.
LPN- Four season long term care. 11 pm-7 am. Part tim
...>MORE

IWI MOTOR PARTS
IWI Motor Parts
Counter/sales person in our Clinton store. F/T with benefits and commissions. Auto parts experience
...>MORE

EAGLE POINT NURSING & REHAB CENTER
Sales & Marketing
Director
Eagle Point Nursing & Rehab. Center
We are seeking a candidate to manage our
...>MORE

SKYLINE CENTER

Need a Summer Job
Direct Care, Part Time or Full Time in Clinton and DeWitt, 1st /2nd shift
splits and
...>MORE

COMMUNITY CARE,INC
Community Care, Inc. Has Career
Opportunities
Waiting For You
Part time 1st and 2nd shift Direct Support
...>MORE

Camanche Schools
Camanche High School
Immediate Opening:
Part-time evening Custodian (30-34 hrs. per wk.). Contact:
Gary D
...>MORE

COMMUNITY CARE, INC
Supported Community Living Facility
www.communitycareonline.org
108 Industrial Street
DeWitt, IA 52742...>MORE

PRINCE OF PEACE SCHOOLS
IMMEDIATE OPENING:
Administrative Secretary

Essential Skills:
*Strong written and verbal communica
...>MORE

See all ads

Hot Autos

Advertise Here! Call 563-242-7101!
...>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2008. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index

rc