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McDonnell backs 'Big Tobacco'; vote Deeds

Date published: 10/8/2009

McDonnell backs 'Big Tobacco'; vote Deeds

This letter is addressed to the undecided voters who supported the ban on smoking in Virginia restaurants.

After four years of struggling against legislators who defied the public will, public health prevailed over the nicotine lobby.

As a state senator, R. Creigh Deeds voted for the smoking ban.

Voters should understand that Bob McDonnell opposed this legislation despite the overwhelming support of Virginians.

No surprise, since he consistently protected Big Tobacco throughout his legislative career.

More than a decade ago, he voted against a comprehensive smoking ban that would have significantly protected public health.

Mr. McDonnell also led the opposition to any cigarette-tax increase at a time when the state desperately needed revenue and had the nation's lowest tax, 21/2 cents per pack.

He voted for a "smokers' rights" bill that would have elevated smoking to a legally protected status.

Big Tobacco was not ungrateful. They stuffed Mr. McDonnell's pockets with hefty campaign contributions during his legislative tenure, then gave him more than $50,000 before his gubernatorial campaign even started.

It has been a long, brutal struggle to get our state out of the death grip of the tobacco industry.

If you want to set Virginia back 50 years, just put Bob McDonnell in the Governor's Mansion.

Hilton Oliver

Virginia Beach

The writer is executive director of the , Virginia Group to Alleviate Smoking in Public (GASP).



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Date published: 10/8/2009


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Vote for Jazz Deeds to eliminate farming (posted by Mandrake , Oct. 9, 2009 8:35 am)   
in Virginia. Tobacco causes cancer. Corn causes obesity, drunkenness and cancer (corn likker). Apples are used to make wine which causes liver disease. Grain is used to make likker, causing drunkenness and child abuse. On and on...all that farming kills people. Let's put a stop to it all now and vote for Chuckie Deeds!

A thought (posted by PUBLIUSTWO , Oct. 9, 2009 6:31 am)   
I submit that the legalization, cultivation, regulation and subsequent taxation would in fact generate sufficient revenue for the Commonwelath of Virginia to realize a budget surplus for no less than 10 years. So long as the product is grown, processed and sold within the boundaries of the Commonwealth, interstate (federal) commerce laws and federal trade regulations are not applicable in accordance with the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America.

Forget about tobacco! Check out what is going on on the left coast.. (posted by Mandrake , Oct. 8, 2009 8:47 pm)   
Most of the left states allow dispensing of pot for medical purposes including "anxiety" and "bad moods". They don't even need a prescription any longer. I think Virginia needs to get in on the ground floor here and start collecting tax on joints sales as well as providing tax credits to pot farmers. Now what was I saying...I'm hungry...

I would rather............ (posted by postoak , Oct. 8, 2009 3:47 pm)   
have "big tobacco" anyday rather than "big goverment" atleast we have a choice if we want to smoke or not.....with all you Dems we get the goverment b.s. shoved down our throat with no choice!

I agree...... (posted by postoak , Oct. 8, 2009 3:44 pm)   
we are not forced to smoke it is a choice we all make smokers are going to smoke if they want to.......this state was founded by big tobacco HAPPINESS IS A NORTH BOUND YANKEE!!!!

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