Before I, as a cigarette smoker launch my 1st Amendment-protected tirade here, let me tell you up front, that the PACT Act will not do diddly-shit to stop what is known as "bootleg cigarettes", and I will prove it MATHEMATICALLY (keep reading). In point of fact, like marihuana and other "recreational" drugs, tobacco will be procured by any means necessary by the people who use it. Like any other market that follows the natural laws of supply and demand, customers will gravitate to the suppliers who can supply the goods at a reasonable price. 'nuf said.
Way before this bullshit was even thought of, cigarette manufacturers (at least here in NJ / NY) have taken to adding some sort of chemical (they claim they just micro-perforated the paper) to cigarettes to make them go out if you're not actively smoking them. This was allegedly done to prevent someone's mattress from catching fire if he / she fell asleep smoking. SO.... just because some Assholes like to smoke in bed and light themselves on fire in the process, all the rest of us who smoke - and know better not to smoke in bed - have to breathe fuckin' CHEMICALS now - as if the already chemically treated brand-name cigarettes don't have enough chemicals in them already!
Many years ago, I started buying cigarettes at Indian reservations. They make good cigarettes, with pure tobacco, and don't add a shit-load of chemical additives to them. My favorite brand was Skydancer Kings, which cost $1.65 per pack when purchased by the carton via mail order. Now, I can't get them through the mail anymore, so when I need to get my cigarettes, I'll just make 10 trips in and out of a local Indian reservation. I'll be dipped in shit if I'll pay $8.95 per pack for Camel Filters or Marlboro anymore!
I live in New Jersey. A few weeks ago I had to go to New York City on business. When I got off the PATH train, I discovered I left my cigarettes at home. I went to the newsstand and asked "How much is a pack of Camel Filters?". the guy said "$12.95 plus tax".
Twelve Dollars and Ninety Five Cents --- Plus fuckin' tax!!!
I said:
"You GOTTA' be shittin' me!! It's ALL fuckin' TAX.... what do you mean "Plus TAX!!??".
Habib looked at me like I had 3 heads.
Had I known this shit only 3 months prior, I would have sold all my positions in the stock market and bought cartons of Newport and Marlboro - I could have (at least) TRIPLED my money in only one day of cigarette sales - and since they all would have had tax stamps on them, the Feds couldn't do shit about it - even if they caught me.
The PACT Act does ONE GOOD THING, however. It opens up a whole new golden opportunity for homeless people in New York City (most of which are Vietnam or Gulf War Veterans abandoned by the Veteran's Administration) to sell "loose-ies" on the street. Think about it!
A homeless person (we don't want to appear sexist here; there are homeless women, too) would pay $3.50 round trip to go across the river to New Jersey to buy cigarettes 30% cheaper than in New York. He or she picks up 2 cartons for a total of $150.00 ($75/carton). This is 4,000 cigarettes. If he sells the packs individually at a $2.95 discount from the New York price, he makes ($12.95 NY price - $2.95 discount) = $10.00 per pack. Multiply that by 20 packs (2 cartons) (20 x $10) = $200.00 This gives him a profit of ($200 - $150) = $50 Minus $3.50 carfare = $46.50 NOT BAD FOR A MORNING'S WORK - and if you don't think someone can sell 2 measly cartons of cigarettes by the pack on the street in New York City at $10 a pack - before lunch - well, you're just as naïve (or just as stupid) as Obama!
Well, let's take this one step further, shall we? Let's say that our hypothetical homeless person decides that they're going to sell these cigarettes INDIVIDUALLY. There are 400 cigarettes in the two cartons he / she has purchased in New Jersey, and so our homeless entrepreneur wanders around downtown Manhattan offering "loose-ies" for 50 CENTS a piece. Yeah, it might take a bit longer to sell them THAT way; it takes a lot more work and effort but the payoff (400 cigarettes x $0.50) = $200 minus the $3.50 in carfare yields a profit of $196.50. If that homeless person had to walk around Wall Street for A WEEK to sell all 400 cigarettes, I believe you would agree, it would be well worth his "while" to do so, especially since he or she probably won't be filing a 1040-EZ with the IRS come April... And you don't have to either - even if you've been doing it all of your life.
There is NO LAW that says you must file a personal income tax return, or pay income taxes on your wages.
Let me repeat... THERE IS NO LAW... and if you KNOW there is NO LAW, they'll leave you alone because the LAST thing they want is for the majority of Americans to know that there is no law requiring you to pay a tax on your personal income - see the feature-length videos on
So, my question is simply, "What does the PACT Act accomplish?". The answer is "Just the OPPOSITE of what the people who wrote it, and the Asshole who signed it into law want you to believe it accomplishes".
People will get what they want and suppliers will compete to supply it, no matter what the imbeciles in Washington do to attempt to control it.
The PACT Act has put many people out of (legitimate) businesses, and has REALLY PISSED OFF THE INDIANS.
Remember Dubya and the guy who threw his shoes at him? (Dubya was "in the Matrix" that day, eh?)
Well, I'm reasonably certain that there are many Indians on the Warpath, and a few tomahawks out there with Obama's name on them.
Duck, Asshole!!
You gotta' check out http://www.awesomelasers.com/
