Originally Posted by B-Line

LOL... Next you'll accuse me of buying a Prius, moving to San Francisco and smelling my own smug farts...

- First off, I do believe in smokers rights. I've never, ever, in my entire life, paid for any type of sexual conduct, But I still believe prostitution should be legal.

And while I may find cigarette smoke to be repulsive now, I believe in personal rights. If you want to smoke in your car, FINE. If you want to smoke outside at a restaurant, FINE. What you do with your body is your choice. Shoot it with heroine, take an ecstasy pill up the butt, snort some horse tranquilizers for all I care.

But that also doesn't mean that smokers should be able to smoke whenever or wherever they like. I was still a smoker when I moved to LA and liked the idea of restricted smoking. It's disgusting going to Vegas for example, where people are smoking where other people are eating. Those were smart rules even when I was a smoker.

But since there are taxes that need to be collected, I see no reason why tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, junk food, etc. aren't as good a place to get the money as anywhere else..

- And I don't just advocate higher taxes on tobacco. I advocate higher taxes on real estate (California prop 13.) - I advocate higher taxes on lots of luxury things.

The only thing I really don't advocate tax hikes on is disproportionate tax increases on the wealthy, small business owner, etc. and estate taxes that are enormous. If someone spent their entire life paying taxes, why should the government get 1/2 their money at time of death? That means their heirs will only get 1/4 of what the family worked for.

Nobody likes taxes and I wish our tax money was better spent.