The thing that sucks about sales tax is that it's regressive - the more money you make, the less percentage of your income goes to sales tax. They should really raise income tax rates - especially on the wealthy, except for all the fearsome whining this would generate.

We don't have income tax here.

I'm sure from a smoker's point of view that's kinda like me saying they're welcome to sit in the back of the bus.

From this smoker's point of view it sounds just about ideal. I don't need or want to smoke everywhere I go. But I am feeling a little pissy about the upcoming total ban here (right now it's only allowed in bars; sometime this summer that'll change).

I don't need or want to smoke everywhere I go. But I am feeling a little pissy about the upcoming total ban

I feel the same way.

We had a sales tax increase for public transit, a minimum wage increase, the smoking issues, and the moot point workers' comp thing which covered a BUNCH of stuff, including how the picked investment managers.

I felt the same way with California.

Hell, the city I work in on Saturdays has made it illegal to smoke OUTDOORS in public places, unless there is a marked smoking section.

I get really pissy about it, sometimes.

I loved the ad Jon Stewart showed accusing some guy's opponent of voting to taser 7-year-old kids. The expression on the 'I don't want to be tasered" moppet's face was priceless.

You're pulling my leg. This was not a real ad. Was it?

I am SO GLAD that I'm not in the States with a phone right now. Also glad I voted a month or so ago. Still angsting, though. I'm torn between hopeful and fearful and cyincal.ful.

However, Mallory has consented to go to bed pleasantly for three nights running, so all my stress can go towards the election results rather than Gorbachev, the Head Banging Baby.

I'm sure from a smoker's point of view that's kinda like me saying they're welcome to sit in the back of the bus.

From this smoker's point of view it sounds just about ideal.

THere's a prop on the ballot here today to put a $2.60 tax on cigarettes. As as smoker, I think I actually plan on voting yes on that one. $7 - 8 for a pack of cigarettes is too much, and would go a long way towards helping me put this nasty habit back down again.

The Birkenstock-wearing granola-eating lefties in the city of Decatur voted for no smoking in restaurants or bars, and they get more restaurants there every day. The county commission is going for a county-wide ban, but it looks like the county CEO is going to veto it. The state law says that you can either serve people younger than 18 or have smoking, but not both. The Vortex (a bar I went to with Vortex) is basically a biker bar with great hamburgers, but as more families moved into the area, they started to get a lot of families with children. They immediately went with smoking, saying, "We never wanted kids here anyway."

We don't have income tax here

Is this because of all the navel bases? I know Texas doesn't have state income tax (because of oil money) and Nevada doesn't have one because of gambling profits. I don't know if there are any other states out there that don't charge income tax.