LETTER: Fat chance the tax man will ignore your vice

To The Telegram:

The states all sued big tobacco

for adding addictive stuff,

But now that money is gone

and they're saying it wasn't enough.

They sued in court on my behalf,

But then greedily took all the dough;

Now I have a hard time distinguishing

If my government is friend or foe.

So what did they decide to do,

After getting those millions of bucks?

They took my money to balance the budget,

And I think that kind of sucks.

There is no money to help me quit,

As was promised with conviction;

No funds were made available,

To help in ending my addiction.

Now adding insult to injury,

Wisconsin is on the attack;

Their idea is to help me stop,

By taxing an extra buck a pack.

If you want to raise taxes

And still be everyone's friend,

Just pick out a national "problem"

And tax it to an end.

If the government was honestly

Just looking out for me,

Then wouldn't the patches, gum and stuff

Be provided all for free?

Watching me get beaten down,

For some might seem quite funny;

For government -- it's not about me,

It's just about the money.

Politicians want to be the judge,

And determine what's best for me,

But having them decide like this,

Steals a big bite from my liberty.

The research has all been done

For our next national threat;

The obesity problem swaggers on,

And will be our biggest one yet.

So when smokers are all gone,

And life seems nice and sweet,

Get ready for taxes that will come

on the fattening foods you eat.

They systematically tax us all,

From gasoline to booze;

Prepare yourselves for another tax,

When you're standing in my shoes.

If you think that I sound paranoid,

Or want to view this as a joke,

Just wait until the "buck" is passed,

And your Big Mac goes up in smoke.

-- Thomas and Sandra Hookham,

Ontario, Wis.