Proposed Federal Tax Hike on Tobacco (SCHIP).

Hey Greg,

 

Could you post this on the website. Some pretty steep prices. Shawn and I signed the petition under the banthebanminnesota organization.

 

Thanks

Sheila

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Audrey Silk (NYC C.L.A.S.H.)

To: nycclash@nycclash.com

Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 1:39 AM

Subject: Sign on to a Press Release on SCHIP

Dear Friends,

 

Please forgive the impersonal greeting due to this message being distributed to many at once.

 

This request is in regard to a Federal Tax Hike on Tobacco (SCHIP).

 

State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is a program that already exists but which needs reauthorization upon a sunset date but also can be revised each time.  Back in Sept. 2007 a revision to raise tobacco taxes to cover funding was proposed.  At that time it was only because of a presidential veto that it failed to survive.  It's back.  And the players in office today are making all the difference in the world -- promising to have it signed, sealed and delivered to the president on his first day in office -- only 12 short days to January 20th!

 

An increase in the federal tobacco tax was proposed as the funding source as follows:

        Cigars from 20.719% to 53% with a $3 per cigar cap (+156%); 
        Little cigars from 4.0 cents to $1.00 per pack (+2,500%);
        Cigarettes from 39 cents to $1 per 20 (+156%); 
        Cigarette papers from 1.22 cents to 3.13 cents per 50 (+256%); 
        Cigarette tubes from 2.44 cents to 6.26 cents per 50 (+256%); 
        Snuff from 58.5 cents to $1.50 (+156%); 
        Chewing tobacco from 19.5 cents to 50 cents (+156%); 
        Pipe tobacco from $1.0969 to $2.8126 (+156%); and 
        Roll-your-own tobacco from $1.0969 to $8.8889 (+814%).

 

The economic arguments have been beaten to death.  Groups like the Heartland Institute and Americans for Tax Reform have done another wonderful job of covering that ground with their own press releases and letters to Congress just a day or so ago.

 

It's certainly welcomed assistance but despite it I've reached this conclusion:  There is nothing -- in any form of lobbying -- we, as smokers' rights and other civil liberty organizations, can do that will be effective.  No emails, no calls, no petitions asking members of Congress to consider voting against it.  In that form we would be like throwing a pebble to knock down the State Capitol.  I've concluded we are powerless to change anything approaching it from that direction considering the climate and make-up of our federal lawmaking bodies.

 

And so I offer one last Hail Mary suggestion.  Playing it with the same (lack of) "dignity" as those that chance to use the race card.  Or, for us, as the Abused and Oppressed.  Call it emotional blackmail if you like.  The plea to the public ear via press release that we have no voice.  We are not heard.  Taxation without representation.  No one speaks for us.  Not the anti-smokers and not the tobacco industry (a la our argument in the Kessler letter in the Rico suit). We take our case to the public (actually I mean in public) instead of the lawmakers as a backdoor pressure tactic to have lawmakers to respond.  To open a dialogue in public (and by public I mean from John on the corner to editors and program managers) and to alert the unsuspecting smokers and sympathizers.  It's all that's left to try in my opinion.  At the very least we will be able to claim We Spoke.

 

I cannot guarantee this press release will even be picked up.  But it can't hurt to try. And we're not going to convince this Congress through one-on-one interaction to vote otherwise in the majority.  I will be relying a bit on my own personal relationships I have with members of the AP and other press. 

 

In all likelihood, I (CLASH) will be issuing a statement -- with the above sentiments and some economic argument too -- hopefully by Monday.  What I'd like to have are signatories to it -- other smokers' rights groups, etc.  If you want in and/or know of others to ask let me know.  We had a very healthy and respectable signatory list for the ACS/ALA/AHA Boycott.  I'd like to see the same. 

 

When the Associated Press took interest in the CLASH release on the boycott and called to do an article which was then carried by over 300 news outlets around the country and world, it in fact was written this way:

 

"Smoking rights' groups, tavern owners and libertarian political parties in nine states are calling for a boycott of donations to major charities, saying their support of smoking bans is a threat to small businesses and civil rights.

 

...Smokers' and libertarian groups from Minnesota to Massachusetts are targeting the nonprofits for their political activities.

 

...The boycott effort is supported by Silk's CLASH, the national Smokers Club Inc., Illinois Smokers' Rights group, Indiana Amusement & Music Operators Association, the Kentucky Licensed Beverage Association, the Metro Louisville Hospitality Coalition, the Cambridge Citizens For Smokers' Rights in Massachusetts, the Smoke Out Gary group based in Minneapolis, Minnesotans Against Smoking Bans, the Fight City Hall group of Minnesota, Taverners United for Fairness New York, the American Arborist of New York, the Madison County Chapter of the Independence Party Ohio, the Lakewood Hospitality Association of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Smokers Action Network and Tennessee's Yes S.I.R. group."

 

 

If you'd like to be included, please provide:

 

Your name

The name of your group

What state/city you represent or if you're national

Your web site address if you have one (In lieu of web addresses an email address will have to suffice).

Your email address. 

 

Certainly no press release with your group's name on it will be issued until your organization approves the copy.  Upon your review you can ask to opt out. Though non-responses will be treated as approval.

 

Respectfully,

Audrey

 

 

Audrey Silk
Founder, NYC C.L.A.S.H. (Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment)
P.O. Box 1036
Brooklyn, NY 11234
(917) 888-9317
www.nycclash.com