Can someone please tell me why there is a five page article in the April 2008 Edition of CA about Florida Congressman, Kendrick Meek? He voted TWICE FOR the SCHIP Bill that would tax to DEATH tobacco and Cigars? Oh.. Right.. he said he knew it would get vetoed. So what the hell right? So he just votes to appease the party even though he's a cigar smoker too??? Wow. Now that's Democratic Politics at its finest! I guess if I was using the taxpayer dollars to pay for my stash I wouldn't really care what they cost either!

Seriously, CA, is that the kind of cigar smoker we're interested in? I thought we were FOR tobacco and being able to smoke cigars without being taxed MORE than we already are. It's already bad enough - we can't even smoke in bars anymore. In some states we can't smoke in apartment complexes or within 40 feet of business doors. Now there's a push for a tax that will drive tobacco into the ground (no pun intended) and you did a 5 page story on a guy that votes for it?! How are you going to fund your magazine and writers when no one can afford to care about cigars anymore?

The tax is ridiculous and falls short on so many aspects it's hard to even get started on it. First, those "poor" people the tax is trying to help is about 65% of the cigarette smoking population. So they will be the ones paying the majority of the tax! Nice work there - that's simply ingenious! Secondly, and more importantly, if everyone gets fed up with the tax or can no longer willingly or unwillingly afford tobacco - where will the money come from then?

I don't know what the hell is going on over there, but it looks to me like another liberal writer trying to improve the overall opinion of a democratic party member by showing all the good aspects of his character and ignoring what the readers of the magazine really care about. Oh, yea, you mentioned it and Mr. Meek describes some BS things that might happen to people in a foreign land. He says, "it went too far", but he voted for it?? And you published this nonsense? I don't care if he is Mother Theresa back from the grave. He voted TWICE for a huge increase in tax on the product your magazine promotes and what your readers love - AND YOU INTERVIEW HIM? I'm sure he's a nice guy. He has a great smile and looks good with a cigar. But...

Why don't you do an entire story about the wonderful things the SCHIP will do for the cigar business! Make it a 10 page spread! Make sure you put in lots of pretty pictures of people smiling and holding cigars! I'm sure all of the manufacturers (Rocky Patel in particular) would FIGHT tooth and nail to advertise in that issue. Hahaha.

This man, Congressman Meek, would rather vote for bad policy along party lines than for the good people of the cigar industry. Frankly, I don't need to know anything more about him.

Nice work, guys. Real nice.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: JSmithMesa,