An Example of How Liberals Rationalize That Taxes Are A Good Thing!

An Example of How Liberals Rationalize That Taxes Are A Good Thing

Liberals have utilized Taxes to manipulate public policy (Your Behavior and choice) through taxes for 50 years!

Recently, a coalition of more than 100 health care, business, education and health advocacy groups comprising the Coalition for a Smoke-Free Tomorrow called on the Kentucky legislature to raise the state tax on cigarettes by $1 per pack, with parallel increases in taxes on other tobacco products.

This $1 increase would keep 23,200 of today’s youths from becoming adult smokers and prevent 5,900 infants from being born too early due to smoking during pregnancy. Another 29,400 current adult smokers would quit. (Rationalization statistics)

The increase is clearly a win for the health of Kentucky, where 8,900 residents die every year of smoking related illnesses. That’s why Kentucky health advocates support the increase. (Boogy Man Scare)

It’s also a win for business leaders in the Commonwealth, who currently lose nearly $2.8 billion every year in reduced productivity due to smoking. The extra cost for businesses adds up to an estimated $5,816 per employee every year. Economic development experts also know that Kentucky’s high smoking rate — the second-highest in the nation at 24.5 percent, right behind West Virginia, and 62 percent higher than the national average — makes it harder to attract new business and jobs to the Commonwealth. That’s why so many of Kentucky’s leading employers and economic development officials support the increase. (More rationalization using cost to justify robbing liberty)

The $1 increase also would generate more than $266 million in new revenues, which would go a long way toward filling the state’s budget shortfall, not to mention the need for funding to shore up the state’s pension systems. Cigarette tax increases are particularly effective at reducing smoking among youths, lower income smokers and pregnant women — reductions that directly decrease state Medicaid expenditures. That makes it a win for the state budget. (Using needing more revenue rather than less spending to justify)

It’s time to enact the proven measures that will reduce smoking and its related illnesses, reduced quality of life and massive health care expenditures in Kentucky. We can honor our tobacco heritage without allowing it to continue plaguing both our health and our economy. We urge you to contact your legislators and tell them you support a $1 tobacco tax increase because it’s a win-win-win for Kentucky.

Ben Chandler is chair of the Coalition for a Smoke-Free Tomorrow Steering Committee.

NOTE: Virtually every tax that has ever been introduced (sin tax) that will mitigate or correct a problem in society has failed. Not only failed, but in the ensuing years, the tax spiraled upwards without ever producing the promised or predicted benefit. It is time to stop buying left wing liberal logic for increasing taxes!