Archive
Regulation of tobacco - Berkeley
Rulon-Miller, 1/26/01 10:28AM
Dear Sirs or Mesdames;
I vigorously protest any effort by the
United States government to regulate, control, or affect my constitutionally
guarantied right to acquire, consume or dispose of a legal product (in
this case, tobacco).
As a citizen of this country, I deeply
resent the continuous intrusion of this government into my affairs. I have
never received a dime of government money (my education from kindergarten to
graduate school has been entirely private); I am privately insured, and I am
fully prepared to deal with the financial consequences of my actions. I have,
nonetheless, been burdened by the government mandated taxes on my consumption
of tobacco products and by the price increases which are the direct result of
the payoffs and bribes made to the tort lawyers and the plaintiff's bar.
You are beginning to get dangerously
close to making me both a criminal and disabled, not to mention the insult to
my intelligence. By the way, I run four miles quite easily after thirty years
of moderate tobacco consumption and have completed a marathon in 3 hours, 21
minutes.
Very truly yours,
Berkeley Rulon-Miller