Letter – An April fool's tax

Talk about it

To the editor:

President Obama signed a law to raise taxes from 39 cents to $1.01 per pack of cigarettes effective April 1. How can this be a tax and not apply to those making less than $250K per year? After all, he did promise their taxes wouldn’t go up one dime. Are we to assume only rich people smoke and will be paying this additional tax?

On the other hand, it might depend on Obama’s understanding of the word tax. He might have used that term only in reference to income tax. This is obviously just a misunderstanding. I’m sure he will explain why this is not really a tax on those he promised not to tax. I’m also sure many will believe him.

On April 1 there is one phrase that should be on the mind of those many Obama supporters who believed in a politician’s promise of hope and change: April fool!

Dave Bartlow

Alexandria, MN

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