[Winona Online Democracy]
It is legal product. If you blame the tobacco companies for people
smoking cigarettes, then who do you blame for people smoking Marijuana and
doing other drugs that aren't advertised.
Personal responsibility, not a nanny government is the key.
Tom O. Severson
265 E. Mark
Box 736
Winona, Mn. 55987
507 452 3402 ext 214 Direct
452 4743 Office Switchboard
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Behalf Of Cherisa Templeton
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2003 7:15 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: [Winona] Healthcare Solution?
[Winona Online Democracy]
Tom,
I'm going to do a little more research before I reply to some of your e-mail
facts, but I have to address the statement that raising the tobacco tax is
discriminatory. People do not HAVE to smoke, no one FORCES them to buy a
pack of cigarettes,- it is a choice, one option of many that people have to
spend their money on. Poor people and minorities have been targeted by the
tobacco industry for decades (how's that for discrimination?) Should we keep
the cigarette tax low so that these targeted people (many of whom, by the
way have their health care paid for by the tax payers) can make more money
for Phillip Morris?
Having to give up a habit or addiction because it's too expensive is not
discriminatory. Smoking is not a right protected by the constitution. It's a
choice. If the tobacco companies want to keep the price low for their lower
income smokers then they'll just have to give up some of their profits.
Cherisa Templeton
>From: "Tom Severson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "Cherisa Templeton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>CC: "Rob Seveerson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: RE: [Winona] Healthcare Solution?
>Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 11:58:50 -0500
>
> Minnesota and Humphrey should be exposed for not participating in the
>Tobacco settlement. Humphrey decided to not join the Master Settlement
>Agreement, which paid allot of money to the states. True Minnesota did get
>some money, but nothing compared to the others. Also, the sate run
>program
>has no way to access a treatment program other than brochures or programs
>of
>little value. Wasting money that should be used for cessation programs on
>cumbersome redundant bureaucracy.
>
>Additionally, by numbers from the center for disease control if we took the
>money the states have put into their coffers from cigarette taxes, spending
>it on their general budget. We would dwarf the amount of money the health
>care system has spent on smoking related causes.
>
>The current Minnesota proposal on raising cigarette taxes is very
>regressive
>and discriminatory when you look at the demographics of a smoker.
>
>There is no free lunch. However we should not have to tell consenting
>adults that a legal product is beyond their reach because we choose to say
>smoking is not good for them.
>
>Tom O. Severson
>265 E. Mark
>Box 736
>Winona, Mn. 55987
>507 452 3402 ext 214 Direct
>452 4743 Office Switchboard
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Behalf Of Cherisa Templeton
>Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2003 11:42 AM
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Re: [Winona] Healthcare Solution?
>
>
>[Winona Online Democracy]
>
>Terry,
>
>Please don't feel sorry for the tobacco industry!
>
>The amounts those attorneys earned is nothing compared to what the tobacco
>company "executives" (kingpins) have earned addicting children to a lethal
>product. And then lying about it, covering it up and then making
>billions...It takes guts to stand up to the tobacco cartel, in the past
>they've stalked, terrorized, and blackballed attorneys and scientists who
>have dared to take them on. I won't say what the present attorneys have
>earned isn't excessive, but I'm not going to criticize them for it either.
>
>The states have received a tremendous amount of money and very little of it
>was ever used for healthcare or to treat smokers. It's gone for almost
>everything but healthcare- in one state it's buying equipment for tobacco
>farmers! Minnesota has done one of the better jobs of using the money in
>the way it was intended, about 24% of the settlement payments have been
>directed towards healthcare, and 76% has gone straight into the general
>fund
>- until now. After this session ALL of our remaining settlement money is
>slated to go to the general fund to fill the black hole of the deficit.
>None will be left for tobacco prevention except the few million that MPAAT
>received and has left.
>
>Minnesota has made great leaps in a short time reducing smoking rates, we
>could have done much more with this funding, which in turn would save a
>tremendous amount of tax payer, money treating medicare patients for heart
>disease, emphysema, lung cancer and COPD. We're blowing it by using the
>money for roads and bridges.
>
>
>
>Cherisa Templeton
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >From: Terry Angst <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >To: online democracy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >Subject: Re: [Winona] Healthcare Solution?
> >Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2003 14:17:11 -0500
> >
> >I�m not too sharp on big business matters but it seems to me that unless
> >a company earns money, it will go out of business.
> >
> >In insurance, I believe the concept is to spread the risk, (health,
> >auto, or whatever industry) over a large number of people to minimize
> >the cost to any one individual. As society continues to mandate
> >increased coverage by the insurance industry, premiums increase. I don�t
> >think it is unreasonable for an investor to expect to earn a profit on
> >an investment. What is excessive is open to debate.
> >
> >I think the amount lawyers have charged for tobacco settlements in the
> >individual states could make health care provider greed look miniscule.
> >In Florida, Circuit Judge Harold Jeffrey Cohen �estimated the fees
> >amounted to $7,716 an hour for each of the 12 private attorneys billing
> >24 hours a day for the 42 months that the case went on. "Perhaps tens of
> >millions or hundreds of millions of dollars might be reasonable," Cohen
> >wrote, "but 2.8 billion dollars simply shocks the conscience of the
> >court."
> >
> >It would seem that such a settlement would greatly deprive the states of
> >revenue for education and the medical industry of funds to treat past
> >and future smoking related costs.
> >
> >Perhaps we should also have National Legal.
> >
> >Terry Angst
> >
> >
> >[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> >
> > > Tom;
> > > I couldn't agree less.
> > > As a disabled individual I have in the past had access to
> > > comprehensive health care coverage which enabled me to, among other
> > > things, receive the transplant surgery I needed to survive. No
> > > insurance company would dream of providing the coverage I needed at
> > > that time. Insurance companies exist to make money for their stock
> > > holders, officers, etc. They are not in business to protect and
> > > provide for people's health.
> > > Health care should be a right for all, not just those who can afford
> > > to pay insurance companies.
> > > National health care works in virtually every other civilized nation,
> > > there is no reason it cannot work here.
> > > Isn't it ironic that in the aftermath of Bush's destruction of Iraq,
> > > the Federal Government plans on providing Iraqis comprehensive health
> > > care when we have millions of people in our nation without even the
> > > minimum of health care protection?
> > >
> > > Dean A. Lanz
>
>
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