Congress is unfairly and unconstitutionally taxing smokers to fund government run child healthcare, not only at the federal level but also at the state level as is the case in states like California.  Why is it unconstitutional?  Because Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution states: "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises...  but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States."  Taxing one segment of the population for the benefit of another segment of the population is unconstitutional.  It is Marxism!

 

Now they want to raise this unconstitutional tax another 65c per pack.  They claim that second hand smoke is responsible for causing child illnesses but there is absolutely no evidence to support the assumption that second hand smoke harms anyone.  If liberals want government funded healthcare so much, then instead of cigarette taxes funding child healthcare, why not fund it with a tax on carbon credits, Hollywood movie production, and health foods?  Seems fair to me in that those who want it should pay for it. 

The question I have is:  Where does the Constitution authorize the federal government to spend taxpayers' money on healthcare?  I can't find it anywhere. Article 1 Section 8 clearly defines what tax revenues are to be used for.  Healthcare isn't in there.  Moreover, how do they get away with forcing those who won't use it to pay for it, as they're doing with the child healthcare plan paid for by cigarette sales?  In the case of HillaryCare, those who pay the least in taxes, if any, would benefit the most from it.  Those who continue paying for private healthcare would still be forced to pay for HillaryCare through higher taxes.  Can you say "Socialism?"  Not so much?  How about "Marxism", Hillary's favorite philosophy. 

 

The point is that there is another way to pay for these "charity" causes without unconstitutional government spending.  It's called "private charity" where citizens have the choice to contribute as much as they want to pay for these programs.  Democrats would have you believe that things can't be done unless the government does them.  That is an outright lie!

 

Most things can be done much better through private enterprise and without government involvement.  That is what this country was built on.  The responsibility of government is to do those things that the Constitution authorizes it to do and nothing more.  Private citizens and organizations will take care of the rest and do it much better than government ever can.  To quote California State Senator Tom McClintock, "If it's in the Yellow Pages, the government shouldn't be doing it."

Our country is in deep debt and Congress just keeps on ignoring it and spending beyond our means.  The future right now does not look all that secure and my feeling is that we should be trying to develop a budget surplus instead of increasing our debts.  Where is America's financial safety net?  How can Congress sleep at night without worrying about how we're going to pay for emergencies and pay off this huge national debt that just keeps getting larger and larger?  How can Congress face the taxpayers while they keep spending money they don't have year after year? 

If we are attacked again, it's going to be devastating on our economy and we will have no reserves to cover the loses.  Just as a responsible family would do, Congress should be saving money for a very rainy day.  Instead they continually spend more and more every year and will continue to until our credit is all used up. We are all going to end up paying the price for the irresponsible fiscal behavior of our elected officials.  Will we wait until then to turn to them and say "see what you've done to us" when our money becomes worthless?  No, probably not.  The entitlement generation will simply ask "where is my check?"  A question that will go unanswered from the fatcats in Washington who will be hiding under their desks and wondering how they're going to pay for their "earmark" commitments and ultimately, their next reelection campaign.

 

When I was much younger, I, like many Americans, ran up my credit cards, auto loan, etc, and tried to live beyond my means.  One day I came to the realization of my enslavement to my creditors and the loss of freedom it was costing me, and what might result if I should have some unexpected emergency expense that I didn't have the money for.  I changed my lifestyle, reduced my spending, sold one of my cars, moved to a cheaper home, got myself out of debt, and regained my freedom.  Today I am indebted to nobody and I cannot understand why my government can't do the same but instead just keeps getting our country deeper and deeper in debt.  It is totally irresponsible of our public officials in Congress.

 

Just like with individuals indebted to finance companies, our government is now committed to foreign governments for this huge national debt and committed to pay it off.  Until we do, America is not a free nation and neither are it's people.  The sad part is that instead of looking for ways to reduce spending, Congress just keeps looking for new ways of spending more and continues to hold the taxpayers responsible for it.  Mrs. Clinton is the best example of that right now but far from the only one.  Congress in general seems to think that their primary job is to spend our money, the more the better.  That is not their job!

 

I don't know how we're going to change this unlimited spending mindset of Congress and the president, but it must be changed and soon.  We must find a way to hold our government accountable to the Constitution or we're doomed.  All unnecessary spending must be stopped and stopped now before it's too late.  The consequences will be that our money becomes worthless, our country becomes worthless, and our lives become worthless.  The only solution is that only people who pay taxes should be allowed to vote.  That would clean up all this traitorous corruption in Congress in no time.