• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Ban Confiscate And Outlaw The Most Dangerous Item Owned By Millions Of Americans

Do we confiscate the phones, the cars, or both of the people who insist on texting while driving?

I smell an opportunity for someone to replace a worn out car. Whip in front of the texter; slam on brakes; demand phone records in discovery; get paid.
 
I smell an opportunity for someone to replace a worn out car. Whip in front of the texter; slam on brakes; demand phone records in discovery; get paid.

I'm sure that's been done.
 
Dying from smoking is a great thing. They pay into SS and never collect. A winner!

Not to mention all those taxes they pay. There'd be a real shortfall if everyone who smoked quit.
 
That is one way to keep SS solvent: Encourage people to take up smoking.

It is funny, isn't it? Tax the **** out of it as a disincentive to do it, but then become reliant on that tax money so that there's an actual vested interest in keeping people smoking.
 
The National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year.
Nearly 330,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving.
1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving.
Texting while driving is 6x more likely to cause an accident than driving drunk.
Answering a text takes away your attention for about five seconds. Traveling at 55 mph, that's enough time to travel the length of a football field.
Texting while driving causes a 400% increase in time spent with eyes off the road.
Of all cell phone related tasks, texting is by far the most dangerous activity.
94% of drivers support a ban on texting while driving.
74% of drivers support a ban on hand-held cell phone use.
Teen Driver Cell Phone Statistics


11 teens die every day as a result of texting while driving.
According to a AAA poll, 94% of teen drivers acknowledge the dangers of texting and driving, but 35% admitted to doing it anyway.
21% of teen drivers involved in fatal accidents were distracted by their cell phones.
Teen drivers are 4x more likely than adults to get into car crashes or near-crashes when talking or texting on a cell phone.
A teen driver with only one additional passenger doubles the risk of getting into a fatal car accident. With two or more passengers, they are 5x as likely.


https://www.edgarsnyder.com/car-accident/cause-of-accident/cell-phone/cell-phone-statistics.html

And now add to that, the states who made weed legal and the intoxicated drivers are on a steady climb and accidents increasing. People **** themselves!
 
It is funny, isn't it? Tax the **** out of it as a disincentive to do it, but then become reliant on that tax money so that there's an actual vested interest in keeping people smoking.

Except that treating smoking's illnesses costs far more than any taxes that are collected on tobacco. Now, figure out how to pay the costs of living an additional ten years or so, and we have it made.
 
Except that treating smoking's illnesses costs far more than any taxes that are collected on tobacco. Now, figure out how to pay the costs of living an additional ten years or so, and we have it made.

That's not true, I don't think.

CDC: States make billions from tobacco taxes and lawsuits, but spend little on smoking prevention - CBS News

While this is not exactly on point (and it is from 2012), it does show that states rake in a lot of cash from taxes on cigarettes.

Cigarette Tax To Help Pay For Healthcare Hits A Wall - NewsOn6.com - Tulsa, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports - KOTV.com |

Again, not exactly on point but much more recent and you can see where those with health problems unrelated to smoking are bummed it didn't pass.
 
That's not true, I don't think.

CDC: States make billions from tobacco taxes and lawsuits, but spend little on smoking prevention - CBS News

While this is not exactly on point (and it is from 2012), it does show that states rake in a lot of cash from taxes on cigarettes.

Cigarette Tax To Help Pay For Healthcare Hits A Wall - NewsOn6.com - Tulsa, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports - KOTV.com |

Again, not exactly on point but much more recent and you can see where those with health problems unrelated to smoking are bummed it didn't pass.

No, not exactly on point.
The point would be, how much is collected in tobacco taxes, and
how much does it cost to treat the resulting cancers, emphysema, strokes, heart disease, and chronic bronchitis.

and my comment about saving SS by encouraging smoking was just ever so slightly on the sarcastic side. Hard to believe, I know, sarcasm coming from me, but it does happen on occasion. (Hey, there it was again!)
 
No, not exactly on point.
The point would be, how much is collected in tobacco taxes, and
how much does it cost to treat the resulting cancers, emphysema, strokes, heart disease, and chronic bronchitis.


and my comment about saving SS by encouraging smoking was just ever so slightly on the sarcastic side. Hard to believe, I know, sarcasm coming from me, but it does happen on occasion. (Hey, there it was again!)

You'd also have to factor in how much of those costs are covered by private insurance as opposed to tax dollars, and now, thanks to Obamacare, insurance companies could not turn anyone down who might already be suffering from any of those. I don't know about you, but if I had some chronic illness, I'd go get insurance real quick (if I didn't already have it).
 
You'd also have to factor in how much of those costs are covered by private insurance as opposed to tax dollars, and now, thanks to Obamacare, insurance companies could not turn anyone down who might already be suffering from any of those. I don't know about you, but if I had some chronic illness, I'd go get insurance real quick (if I didn't already have it).

You would, and so would I, now that Obamacare is passed. Before that, we might have tried, but any policy we could have bought would not have covered the pre existing condition.

and, regardless of how they're paid for, smoking caused illnesses are expensive to treat.
and that doesn't even count the inability to work and make a living as a result of those diseases.
 
You would, and so would I, now that Obamacare is passed. Before that, we might have tried, but any policy we could have bought would not have covered the pre existing condition.

and, regardless of how they're paid for, smoking caused illnesses are expensive to treat.
and that doesn't even count the inability to work and make a living as a result of those diseases.

Actually, how they're paid for is pretty much the crux of the point I was making. If tobacco taxes aren't used or needed to pay for those things, that means a lot of freed up extra revenue for the states.

I know a lot of people who work every day and also smoke. /shrug
 
Actually, how they're paid for is pretty much the crux of the point I was making. If tobacco taxes aren't used or needed to pay for those things, that means a lot of freed up extra revenue for the states.

I know a lot of people who work every day and also smoke. /shrug

Once they're in the latter stages of emphysema, they won't work any longer, and they'll cost a lot of money.
 
Since no one is coming for the guns, I think it's safe to assume that no one is coming for the phones either.

Wait until Hillary appoints 3 maybe 4 Judges to the SCOTUS. Coming for the guns will only be the next step.
 
1. The average non smoker lives about ten years longer than the smoker. Those are averages. There are outliers, of course, some who live to old age despite smoking, others who die at 40.

There are non-smokers that die at 40 and earlier. Should a country that claims to be free make laws that mandate or attempt to control how it’s citizens live their lives as long as they infringe on nobody elses rights to life, liberty and property?


I agree, at least in the case of adults. Should teens be allowed to purchase alcohol as well?

Is anything stopping them now? Should government raise your children for you?

Why should tobacco, which is more harmful than even the illegal drugs, be given special consideration? I think all drugs should be legal for adults, but not for teens.

So, government should punish only the teens that use drugs the government doesn’t want them to use, right?
 
Wait until Hillary appoints 3 maybe 4 Judges to the SCOTUS. Coming for the guns will only be the next step.

I've been waiting for those jackbooted thugs and their gun collectors to pound on my door for the past 8 years. So far, nothing.
 
There are non-smokers that die at 40 and earlier. Should a country that claims to be free make laws that mandate or attempt to control how it’s citizens live their lives as long as they infringe on nobody elses rights to life, liberty and property?

Absolutely not. I thought I made my position on that issue clear already.


Is anything stopping them now? Should government raise your children for you?

Is anything stopping who from what? Your post is not clear.

So, government should punish only the teens that use drugs the government doesn’t want them to use, right?

No, and that's not what I said either.

The government should not allow drugs to be sold to minors. Tobacco is one of the most addictive drugs known. Can you think of any reason why it should be treated differently from other drugs? Alcohol can't legally be sold to minors, and yet it's less harmful than tobacco.

Are you suggesting that parents decide what their kids can purchase? How would they monitor that?
 
Once they're in the latter stages of emphysema, they won't work any longer, and they'll cost a lot of money.

That stuff is my no means a given, though. I know a few long term smokers, including my parents. Don't get me wrong, I get that it's a significant health risk and wish the folks would give it up. Maybe they can just switch to marijuana if it ever becomes legal here (I'm in Texas, so fat chance). I hear that's downright good for you.
 
No one was hurt, but in Rapid City, SD I had a teen girl ram into the back of my SUV while texting.

Her hood was ripped up by my trailer hitch.

We both got out, and after seeing my truck was not damaged, I told her I would not report it, but she has a whole lot of "splainin'" to do with her Dad.
 
Why not just confiscate cars? That way you combat drinking and driving, texting while driving, eating while driving, checking the radio while driving, talking to passengers while driving, having sex while driving, and doing whatever else people are doing while driving.

j/k
 
Smokers pay cigarette taxes, which is good. Many die before collecting the SS benefits, which is equally good.

So. why should the feds be against smoking?
 
Why not just confiscate cars? That way you combat drinking and driving, texting while driving, eating while driving, checking the radio while driving, talking to passengers while driving, having sex while driving, and doing whatever else people are doing while driving.

They sometimes do when they find enough illegal drugs.
 
No one was hurt, but in Rapid City, SD I had a teen girl ram into the back of my SUV while texting.

Her hood was ripped up by my trailer hitch.

We both got out, and after seeing my truck was not damaged, I told her I would not report it, but she has a whole lot of "splainin'" to do with her Dad.

Your risk by letting her go was that she would later claim that you backed into her. Women lie a lot and very well pretty much about everything.
 
Yes, yes, keep lashing out at those dumb lazy poors and then turn around and ask why they wont vote Republican.

Yet the left says that very same thing about Trump supporters, and feel it is OK to overly generalize in the other direction.

Watch Samantha Bee's "Full Frontal" if you would like more proof, other than posts done here.

You know, if I was a comedian, the last thing I would want to do is alienate 50% of my potential audience and fans.

but she is New York City based and thinks that is how the rest of the country is like.

Poor dumb bastid.
 
Back
Top Bottom