Isn't There Something More Important- Like the Budget?? (sale, how much)

[BobKovacs]

First we have a congressional hearing on steroid use in major league baseball, which means there must not be any pressing issues to focus on like the war in Iraq, the economy, education, immigration, etc. Now, even NJ is jumping on the bandwagon, and rather than spending time trying to cut spending and reverse unfathomable budget deficits, they're spending their time worrying about passing a bill to ban the sale of "flavored" cigarettes.

Is this really something that needs such attention? To make matters worse, if they take these things off the market for whatever stupid reason, they'll elminate the revenue that comes in from the taxes on them. See the story (second down) in the link below.

NJBIZ - Daily News & Publications for New Jersey

[CuCullin]

This is why I try not to read the news - it gets me too irritated. I spend enough time trying to write letters and call these morons, just seeing things like this drives me nuts!

[mike0421]

Great, they're going to ban fake cigarettes, AND KEEP THE REAL ONES! If this is such a harmful and loathesome product, why not ban the REAL cigarettes? Well, we all know the answer to that one, don't we? NJ politicians have an insaitable appetite for tax dollars, and what a better way to collect through income (and simultaneous ostracism) of increasing taxes on real cigarettes? Mind you, I've never smoked a real cigarette in my entire life, and if someone wants to be stupid enough to puff on one, that's his or her own business. Last I looked, there was nothing unconstitutional about stupid behavior. But the mixed message it sends to ban fake cigarettes is truly absurd. If the politicians were somehow affixing a $2.57 cent tax on candy cigarettes, I can assure you they would not be banned either.

Now I know this is bound to **** off half the board here, but I think I have at least one advocate on my side (who shall remain nameless) who lives in New Hampshire!

[njkate]

Unreal...but most of these politicians are such dopes they have to come up with something to make it look like they are working....

Have RUINED a once marvelous state

[apvbguy]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

First we have a congressional hearing on steroid use in major league baseball, which means there must not be any pressing issues to focus on like the war in Iraq, the economy, education, immigration, etc. Now, even NJ is jumping on the bandwagon, and rather than spending time trying to cut spending and reverse unfathomable budget deficits, they're spending their time worrying about passing a bill to ban the sale of "flavored" cigarettes.

it's easier for those clowns to pick the low hanging fruit, why tackle the real issues when you can abuse a baseball player?

[jy_2007]

Originally Posted by mike0421

Great, they're going to ban fake cigarettes, AND KEEP THE REAL ONES!

haha.
we do the same thing with guns. I think george carlin made a joke about it in (coincidentally) his standup special from new jersey.

[CuCullin]

Originally Posted by apvbguy

it's easier for those clowns to pick the low hanging fruit, why tackle the real issues when you can abuse a baseball player?

For me, its because I don't care if a baseball player got a few shots, more muscles, and shrunk his berries. I don't care in the least - his problem, not mine.

I think if we got less of this silly nanny-state stuff going through (you know, preservation of "family values" because the families are too lazy/stupid to instill their own values in their children), alot more would get done. ie; that doesn't effect my vote in a positive way.

[nicolem]

Originally Posted by mike0421

Great, they're going to ban fake cigarettes, AND KEEP THE REAL ONES! If this is such a harmful and loathesome product, why not ban the REAL cigarettes? Well, we all know the answer to that one, don't we? NJ politicians have an insaitable appetite for tax dollars, and what a better way to collect through income (and simultaneous ostracism) of increasing taxes on real cigarettes? Mind you, I've never smoked a real cigarette in my entire life, and if someone wants to be stupid enough to puff on one, that's his or her own business. Last I looked, there was nothing unconstitutional about stupid behavior. But the mixed message it sends to ban fake cigarettes is truly absurd. If the politicians were somehow affixing a $2.57 cent tax on candy cigarettes, I can assure you they would not be banned either.

Now I know this is bound to **** off half the board here, but I think I have at least one advocate on my side (who shall remain nameless) who lives in New Hampshire!

Yes of course I agree

I too have never smoked but it really gets me angry how smokers are demonized. On one hand they are demonized and on the other hand they pay lots of taxes on smokes. Politicians-many times-claim that the cig tax money will go for healthcare, anti-smoking programs, etc. However, in most cases this $$ goes into the general budget to increase already bloated entitlement programs and pet projects. It is the same thing with the lawsuit money from big tobacco-in most cases that goes into the general budget.

[nicolem]

Originally Posted by njkate

Unreal...but most of these politicians are such dopes they have to come up with something to make it look like they are working....

Have RUINED a once marvelous state

Such a shame. I still love New Jersey but my memories of how it used to be and how much it has changed make me sad.

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by nicolem

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Such a shame. I still love New Jersey but my memories of how it used to be and how much it has changed make me sad.

Amen. You and I have discussed it ad nauseum, but it bears repeating. I consider the typical NJ resident to be exceedingly perceptive: that said, how can the remaining folks who give a damn about the state they grew up, and the heritage they'd hopefully want to preserve, continue to elect every 2 years politicians that exhibit the degree of banality and incompetency the likes of the article BobKovacs posted? Is this the best the state of NJ can do? To draft a bill on banning candy cigarettes? While raising the tolls 1000 percent? WTF?

Oh by the way, I used to LOVE candy cigarettes when I was a kid. Yeah they were loaded with sugar (next there'll be a ban or a tax on this) but SO WHAT? How about letting kids be kids once again?