Smokers of America Unite
Send a butt to Congress and the President and thank them for the 60%+ tax hike to fund their middle class children health care. The taxes are being spent for children of families who earn more than most of the people paying the tax, which makes it upside down with the smokers not having good health care options that would help them kick the habit. It borders on Slavery, but that's OK since they're a minority without a voice or vote in Congress. Maybe we need a $2 tax per six-pack of beer or bottle of wine to help pay for that health care, just in case the smokers quit. I think it's time to stop the never ending class warfare, pitting one segment against another. That is only being done as a smokescreen to cover other agendas while debate roars on.

President Obama campaigned on no tax increases, rather tax cuts for working Americans. On Feb 4, 09 cigarette tax went up 63% affecting millions of lo/med income Americans, 80% of the smoking population. Now they want the tax of 90% on another segment of the population. It's just a matter of time until he gets around to the rest of us. Meanwhile he does nothing to address our financial crisis - it's a smoke screen for his other agendas.

I agree that we need a new batch of crooks to replace this batch we have now. I ceased voting for incumbents 25 years ago with one exception, my rep who voted against the bailout programs and that lost her her job. As far as I'm concerned that is our way of instituting term limits, which we so desperately need. I also refuse to vote for a lawyer unless I know him/her very well. I also agree on salary/benefits for our public servants, if Congress was capped at $100,000 and campaign contributions were capped at $100 (with a list of donors made public) we might get back to regular folks who are interesting in serving, not being Lords of the Manor.