[PLUG-TALK] Re: [PLUG] Sounds good to me ;)

Craighead, Scot D craighead.scot at vectorscm.com
Tue Jun 18 23:21:56 UTC 2002


>You misunderstand.  The tax on tobacco is a tax levied to compensate the
>rest of the public for the burden of supporting the minority that choose
>to pollute themselves and others.
>
>Our state and municipal governments are required (by laws passed by the
>people and the legislature) to provide inexpensive health care insurance,
>litter clean-up services, and occupational safety insurance.  Cigarettes
>increase the cost of ALL of those services substantially... not to mention
>the number of automobile accidents caused by smoking while driving.
>
>I mean, we could take this debate on for AGES, but the simple fact is that
>smoking provides a substantial burden to the non-smoking public as well as
>to the services provided to smokers and non-smokers alike by our state and
>municipalities.

This is all bolagna.  That is the retorate that they use to justify it.
Where does the money go?  Into the state's general fund were it is used for
many other purposes.  The truth is states have been raising tobacco tax
because it is less of a political liability than other taxes that are paid
by everyone.  Gov. Tax-haber said that in a speach just a few weeks ago.  He
also said they need the money for schools.

>I got the impression that you were saying laws discriminating against
>redheads are as justifiable as any other law that impacts a minority more
>than the majority, regardless of rationale.
>
>If not that, then what WAS the point of bringing up cigarettes in response
>to his statement about redheads?  (This is a serious question.  If you
>choose to reply to any of this post, please include a response to this
>question.)

No, Russell said I was saying that.  What I was saying is that if a majority
of people want something and a minority do not, the majority will win.

>Then you misunderstand true democracy.
>
>True democracy is not the rule of the majority, but the rule of all people
>equally.  True democracy is consensus and understanding.

This is impossible.  There is never a concensus on anything.  No matter what
you propose, someone will always oppose it.

>I don't see how a republic with majority-elected (supposedly)
>representative legislators solves any of the problems of minority
>oppression or exploitation or consolidation, abuse, and corruption of
>power that comes from any other kind of tyranny.

That's why we have to have the Bill of Rights.




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