I find it stunning that the pay-for in this bill contemplates an additional 22 million people who are nonsmokers today needing to take up the smoking habit so they can pay the 61-cent per pack tax in order to have enough money to pay for the bill. So I did this graphic. I created all these cartons. There are 22 cigarette cartons sitting in front of me, representing 22 million, a million for each carton, new Americans who don't smoke now who would have to take up the habit to pay for the bill. I think that is a little deceitful. I certainly can't believe that the proponents of this bill would walk down here and say they think it is a great idea to have 22 nonsmokers in America start the habit.
John Shadegg: “I find it stunning that the pay-for in this bill contemplates an additional 22 million people who are nonsmokers today…”
Editor's note · Context
Discussing concerns about a bill's funding mechanism involving nonsmokers taking up smoking.
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