I generally support Patricia Todd, but her latest proposal stinks

[Syrinx]

She's by far the most socially liberal member of the state legislature, and our first openly gay rep.

But I think her proposal to raise the cost of a pack of cigarettes by a dollar is a terrible, regressive tax.

It is a regressive tax proposal, since more poor people smoke than rich people, and also because a dollar or two a day hurts poor people a hell of a lot more than it does rich people.

And she'll probably get some Republican support for this proposal, even if she is a "damn lesbian," because the Republicans love regressive taxes even more than they hate gay people. I think.

Maybe the government should encourage people to quit smoking, but not by confiscating a significant part of their income.

[enuegii]

1. I have always wondered what the state of Alabama would do...

if everybody in the state suddenly gave up alcohol and tobacco. Talk about a crisis--would they raise property taxes? Eliminate loopholes in the tax code for corporations? Not very likely. Might be fun to watch from a safe distance, though.

Unfortunately, I don't have anywhere else to go.

[prodem755]

2. i agree