Yeah, I know

Why bother keeping a blog if you don't, you know, blog? I wonder that myself. I almost went the whole month with hardly anything written. It's not because I have nothing to say...hell, ask Mrs. Right.

But I'll keep this thing going because I sometimes have the need to put crap in writing. Just between you and me, my job requires me to keep my non-business opinions to my own damned self. That's a good thing. And this blog allows me to vent some things, which seems to help me maintain my cool.

And I've met some really cool people this way. You know who you are.

ALSO: This blog gives me a perfect platform to keep the world apprised of important happenings right here in Marion County. Such as, did you know that 2 weeks ago, we celebrated Mel Tillis Day?

Mel owns a farm here and does visit. He accepted a proclamation in person from our county commissioners, and I was glad to be there at the time. The man is a class act and I'm proud to tell you that.

"A Rookie President"

Doncha just love Thomas Sowell?

We now have a rookie president of the United States, and, in the dangerous world we live in, with terrorist nations going nuclear, just one rookie mistake can bring disaster down on this generation and generations yet to come.

Barack Obama is a rookie in a sense that few other presidents in American history have ever been. It is not just that he has never been president before. He has never had any position in any kind of organization where he was personally responsible for the outcome.

Other first-term presidents have been governors, generals, Cabinet members, or others in positions of personal responsibility. A few have been senators, like Barack Obama, but usually for longer than Obama, and not having spent half their few years in the Senate running for president.

Talk about speaking truth to power. No one does it better that Thomas Sowell.

And speaking of the Florida Legislature

The know-it-alls at the local fish wrapper have an editorial that instructs us, the great unwashed.

Floridians in general have no cause to complain about taxes: According to the Tax Foundation, Florida's state and local tax burden ranks 47th among the 50 states. At 7.4 percent of taxpayers' income, it is well below the national average of 9.7 percent.

A recession is not a good time to raise taxes, but if the state is at the point of denying glasses and hearing aids to the poor and turning out the highway lights, it's time to consider tax increases.

Glasses and hearing aids for the poor? What the hell!! Peanuts! The real budget problem centers around education. Yep, you got a problem funding the educational system for your precious heir? And you voted for the incredibly expensive "class size amendment" a couple of years ago so precious will learn so much more in a smaller class? Wow, more teachers and more schools are needed? Who knew these would have to be paid for! Damn, life is so unfair.

So let's just increase taxes. Wouldn't want to admit that we made one helluva mistake. Of course, we could correct that and cut down on the expensive outlays. But why bother, it's only taxes. Besides...it's for the children.

Members of the statewide teachers union are pushing to raise the state's sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent for three years, with the extra percentage going to education. Senate leaders have proposed asking voters to consider the sales tax hike, but that step is an uphill struggle.

There are some logical tax increases that the Senate is set to consider this week and that even the most stalwart conservative lawmakers should stop ignoring. Among them:

Increasing the cigarette tax: This should be a no-brainer. The tax has not been increased since 1990 and, at 34 cents, it is fifth lowest in the nation. A $1 increase would raise an estimated $870 million. Polls say 80 percent of Floridians would favor a cigarette tax increase. (Hey! Didn't I just post on the Feds raising tax on ciggies? Yes, I did. So let's just add another buck on top of that. This can't have negative consequences...can it?)

Repealing some sales tax exemptions: The state allows some $12 billion in sales tax exemptions. Most of them — about $10 billion, by some estimates — are for necessities. But that leaves some $2 billion in exemptions that the Legislature can and should re-evaluate.

Wow...billions more for the state treasury. Wonder where that's going to come from? Probably a Democrat money fairy. I hear there's lots of them.

Well, Here We Go Again

Yep, when you haven't a clue...raise the sin taxes.

Our well-paid public servants have determined that there's no problem paying for their crap. Just raise cigarette taxes. This time it's the feds, but our Fla legislature is panting over the same right now.

WASHINGTON — However they satisfy their nicotine cravings, tobacco users are facing a big hit as the single largest federal tobacco tax increase ever takes effect Wednesday.

Tobacco companies and public health advocates, longtime foes in the nicotine battles, are trying to turn the situation to their advantage. The major cigarette makers raised prices a couple of weeks ago, partly to offset any drop in profits once the per-pack tax climbs from 39 cents to $1.01.

Wow, this is a win-win according to certain geniuses who seem never to have read a history book.

Medical groups see a tax hike right in the middle of a recession, as a great incentive to help persuade smokers to quit.

But some of us live in the real world.

Some policy analysts have questioned the wisdom of boosting tobacco taxes to finance health care for children. They argue that the fate of such a broad program should not depend on revenues derived from a minority of the adult population, many of whom have low incomes and are hooked on a habit. The tobacco industry is also warning that the steep increase will lead to tax evasion through old-fashioned smuggling or by Internet purchase from abroad.

Oh, but what the hell, right? After all, we've elected a messiah...so all rules of human nature have been repealed.

I'm in my third decade of non-smoking, but I still get pissed at the arrogance of lifestyle nazis.

UPDATE:
Gee...maybe this is relevant?

A Cutler Bay man was arraigned Thursday for allegedly smuggling 13.3 million cigarettes to Europe and avoiding more than $4 million in customs duties, according to federal officials.

Roman Vidal, 57, was charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and smuggling goods out of the United States, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Of course this guy was smuggling smokes out of the US. If he put his mind to it, he might have thought of smuggling smokes into the US. I'm sure some of his fellow smugglers may find it profitable now.

Florida Legislature will be in session

It's that time of year...again. The Florida Legislature will meet in general session on Tuesday. So, like all governments, watch out for your wallet.

Of course, this seems like Groundhog Day, the movie. There's been so many fiscal problems over the past year, the Legislature or just the leaders have been much in the news. And none of the news has been good so far. I don't think the chain will be broken.

Raise taxes, cut expenditures...it's all a crap shoot. Let's just say that I don't have a lot of confidence that any decisions made will fix any problem. But then I'm an optimistic pessimist...which means I expect the worst, so I'm often pleasantly surprised.

Update to previous post:

In a previous post on cigarette taxes, I mentioned a post on the Babalu blog.

Well, here's another post by George Moneo that will update you on this likely action. Now George is a current smoker, and I haven't had a smoke in over 22 years. But we're both conservative and are on the same page regarding "sin" taxes.

Let me remind all of you conservatives who are non-smokers and who preach to me that this is a good thing: You are deluded. Regardless of your position on tobacco, if you care about liberty, call your representative and urge them to vote against the proposed tax increase. Once they get one of their hands in my pocket, their other hand will be searching for yours.