As a smoker, Freeman's article "Fat Smokers Save You Money" struck a nerve with me. I too have been irritated by the argument that the government has a right to interfere with my personal choice to smoke because I somehow "cost everyone else money". BOLOGNA! For every pack of cigarettes that I buy I pay an excise tax of $0.17, 4.23% sales tax and any local taxes that may apply, depending on where I purchase them. I pay nearly $80.00 per year in excise taxes alone. Now considering that I've been doing so for 15 years, that's approximately $1,200 so far. I have yet to receive any medical treatment paid for by anyone other than myself, and none for smoking related illnesses. My smoking habit has yet to cost ANYONE but me ANYTHING. Can the non-smoking speedsters that have caused my car insurance to go up say the same thing? .
In 2002, the State of Missouri collected $94,890,000 in excise taxes. That's more than it cost to cover the cost of all Missouri public school transportation ($162 million) and special education ($149.1 million). Forty five states have even higher taxes. The federal government collected $7,512,700,000 in excise taxes in 2002. I believe we smokers have more than paid for the possibility that we may need help paying for medical treatments due to our smoking habit. The fact of the matter is, if you run the numbers, we pay FAR more into the system than we get back. From an economical standpoint, we smokers should not be criticized, we should be recognized for our contribution to "the system" and patted on the back.
One door, no windows, no closets. ... I got up, and squeezed my way out all the twisted metal. ... With only two shots left, there was no way of getting past them. ... One door, no windows, no closets. ... I got up, and squeezed my way out all the twisted metal. ...
There was no way the French would stay the way they were and allow Deutschland to keep the loot. ... If we pay close attention to the last three paragraphs we can come to the conclusion that the war was certainly inevitable. ... The only argument against my statement could be that the war might have been postponed, but never stopped. ... If someone still wants to doubt my facts, I must tell you; the only way to stop the war could have been if some kind of European Union would have been created between all empires in the continent in order to form one gigantic powerful. Other than that I rest m...
She had no idea her engine was on fire. ... Simonet I find that I too had a problem with my physical appearance. ... He has no problems with anybody except his mother and his so called father. ... The main thing the concept of Pay It Forward does is to get each person closer to one another and the world. ... This movie could not have ended any other way. ...
One of those concerns, not surpisingly, being teen recreational activities. My business proposal is a teen night club in Greenwich. ... On the other hand, although opinionated, I can estimate that no less then a hundred percent of teens enjoy music. ... This takes much of the weight of finding capitol and paying it off, off my shoulders. ... It also benefits my partner (United Way) and even more so the Town of Greenwich it self is benefited....
For some student the only way to college is through sports, because they come from low-income families. ... Although I would consider my parents quite wealthy in my country, they do not earn enough money to pay for my college in the United States. ... Opponents say that elimination of the scholarships are the only way to stop violation of the NCAA rules. ... On one hand, we have an industry worth billion of dollars with a monopoly on student athletics. ... On the other hand, this corporation created possibilities for many talented people, very often with no money sources, to receive a good edu...
If an individual says no to their group they fear that eventually they will be eliminated as a group member. ... As a child I remember a time playing with other kids on my block. ... John was punished for breaking the window and his parents had to pay to get it repaired. ... One of the times that sticks in my mind was when I was 13 years old; a group of us were at a playground hanging out; some older boys came over with cigarettes. ... Making decisions on our own is hard enough, but when other people get involved and try to pressure us one way or another it can be even harder to say no. ...
Often women don't understand why men react to the things that they say, the way they do. ... However, no book or seminar in the world can ever teach an individual how to be in a relationship better than that individual being in the relationship paying attention through out the experience. ... It is very apparent that women are more than capable of this style because my girlfriend uses this style. ... I believe this because if some one is biologically a certain way and is put into a certain environment they are liable to change to suit the environment that they are placed in. ... I be...
One of the defining aspects of culture is subsistence. ... Every culture can fit into one of these subsistent styles. ... The group I chose was a group of my teammates on the cheerleading squad here at Colorado State University. ... The two men have no jobs and their parents pay for all their extraneous expenses. Nichole and Elizabeth have no jobs as well and their parents pay all their expenses as well. ...
Rhode Island is one of the few states that has a paid family leave legislation. ... "The idea that my daughters wouldn't have the same opportunities as somebody's sons, well that's unacceptable" Obama said. He is strongly pushing equal pay for women and a higher minimum wage. ... That also brings the subject of equal pay for women, women will work as hard or maybe even harder and don't get the same pay as a man would. ... There is no reason why these differences in wages should continue or go unchanged. ...