And the fairy princess shook her magic wand and goodness fell throughout the land

"Its for your own good." Whenever you hear this just know you are about to be screwed. Screwed without even a kiss.

I hear it most from government, but that's only because I don't much trust the revenuers so I keep my ears open. You know, just to confirm it. "See! I told you so.... see how they said this, but its really that!!!"

Additional federal tax on cigarettes go into effect today. (The state will also be increasing their tax cut, too.) Its the largest tax increase ever put on tobacco products at one time. This rant isn't so much about the tax itself, but the lies used to present it to the public... although something might slip through here and there.

I've had a long period of time to adjust to this tax. Its been talked about for several months and over this period of time I have been able, when I focus, to accept the fact that I must help the children of the state have health insurance coverage. The government certainly isn't serious about it. If they were serious about it, they would fund it through stable means and not through something as variable as how many people smoke.

The real point of the spear is that 'they' say the purpose of the tax is to encourage people to stop smoking...then won't the world be a healthy place. Bullshit. The purpose of the tax is to get the government some money. Just tell it like it is and stop bullshitting people.

(She stops to wonder for a moment... )

Who am I kidding. You can't be completely truthful to the general public. They freak out too easily.

Someone in our state government got chewed out really good one year because her budget for the children's health insurance coverage wasn't met. Too many people stopped smoking so the tax revenue declined. They had to cut coverage to lots of kids and restrict coverage on procedures. (What good is health insurance coverage if it doesn't cover anything? In name only, I guess. Looks good on the governor's resume.) This whole process seems to have been created to fail.

If the government was really serious about raising some revenue, it would legalize weed the same way they do alcohol. Now there's a revenue stream! It would also reduce spending and increase jail space, etc.

It would be interesting to find out whether or not the entire tobacco tax goes to health coverage for children. Well, I'm going to go have a puff or two on a cigarette. With each puff I'm going to tell myself that I just paid for one two year old to get an innoculation and I will smile. Okay... maybe I'll have to smoke several cigarettes to cover it. The doctor needs a new car.