For a while, internet cigarettes were largely delivered through UPS. Then the standard became USPS. Now that option is allegedly gone. DHL anyone?
Smokers who were buying over the internet aren’t likely to start running to the corner store again. They’re going to run to the internet and find ways around the PACT Act.
The Indian Nations will lose revenue, forcing more Native Americans back into poverty. The United States Postal Service, USPS, will lose all the shipping revenue so it, being in BIG financial trouble already, will be making further cuts and increasing rates yet again. How about 2 days of delivery/week and $1 for a basic letter stamp? Congress doesn’t care because they get to mail what they want for free. Oh, yes, a part of what you pay for in stamps is for them to mail you all that crap for free, well, at YOUR cost and without it showing up on the federal budge because it’s buried in the USPS budget. The USPS is a quasi-governmental agency now so…
Because smokers will find other sources, the states will NOT get the tax money they allege this is all about getting.
Because smokers will be buying from abroad, the federal government won’t get the taxes it was getting from sales through the Indian Nations.
Loss, loss, loss… Ain’t Congress smart?
The Congress can say this is about whatever they want but the truth is that it’s about prohibition through restrictions and excessive taxing. What’s worse is they build in the extra taxes they think they’ll get and, when those don’t materialize, the federal deficit goes up and/or they increase taxes. All that is after they’ve done the harm to the productive businesses here in the US that used to make money from tobacco sales. Pray tell what the sense is in sending that money abroad?
Could some of those new businesses abroad be using their income to finance anti-Americanism? Of course they could and we’ll never know that’s where the money is going but it isn’t even going to slow down the US residents who purchase from abroad.
It has been all over the news in recent years how international shipments don’t get properly checked. By its PACT Act, the Congress is sending more money abroad which will result in an increase in packages coming in; increasing the load in need of being checked. Gee, wonder if that’s going to help being able to find the problematic shipments by increasing how many need checked. I’m guessing it won’t.
Think I’m joking about all this? I’ve been watching as the Indian Nations who sold cigarettes have sent out emails, posted notices to their websites, and are now beginning to shut down. Then I did a quick search for “cheap cigarettes” and here’s a few of the results:
No doubt the number or sources will increase along with the selection in the near future. With more of the money going abroad than ever before.
The History of Cigarettes. It began here but it will not end here as we are now well on the way to outsourcing it abroad completely. We’ll retain all the downside and lose all the upside. Ain’t we getting smarter by the day?
Did you know that most of the civilized and uncivilized world permits people to buy simple drugs like antibiotics without a prescription and people regularly bring them in through customs without a problem? Did you know you can order the equivalent of HeartGard Plus from abroad without a script from your vet and for MUCH cheaper than through 1800petmeds?
I generally resist using the term "Nanny State" but I think I'm going to have to start using it as we in the US become more and more provincial in restricting the rights of people to access goods; to property ownership; to rights generally. It won't stop access. It merely sends the money abroad and many people too as many decide to become ex-patriots. How sad to watch as the rest of the world begins to realize that we are no longer the beacon of freedom. There are days I hope I don't live to see the 4th world country we are working so hard to become.