Apparently the Irish exchequer is losing revenue due to its eye-wateringly high tax on tobacco:
A spokesperson said that last year the government increased VAT and excise again and the illegal tobacco market has soared.
“The government is trying to achieve two things, decrease smoking rates and increase revenue from legitimate markets and the statistics show that currently they are achieving neither with the predicted tax take from tobacco down by over €80million and the consumption rate at 29 per cent as it has been for 5 years,” the spokesperson said. “Any increase will make this worse and solve nothing.”
The spokesperson added that illegal cigarettes are available in every town and city across the country with consumers “choosing to pay €4.50 to criminals and contribute to local gangs” rather than pay €9.20 in a local shop and contributing to the Irish economy.
Leaving aside the false notion that paying tax is contributing to the Irish economy, what did these greedy, exploitative idiots expect?
Hat tip: Dick Puddlecote
Libertarian Home 
Mayor Bloomberg made the same mistate in New York City – his ultra high tax just benfittted organised crime gangs.
Related point – someone can be a very good businessman (as Bloomberg was) and still be an utter moron in politics.
After all whenever Warren Buffett opens his mouth about political economy, what comes out is excrement.
LikeLike
I’m not sure Bloomberg is a bad politician, or just a politician with terrible ideas and an authoritarian streak.
LikeLike
There’s a difference?
LikeLike
Well, a ‘bad politician’ could mean one of two things; a politician who is a bad man, or politician who’s not very good at being a politician.
LikeLike
Surely it should say “…rather than pay €9.20 to a local shop and contribute to the National Gang”…
LikeLike
I did not say that Bloomberg was a bad politician – I said he was a utter moron in relation to politics.
However, I was still wrong – I should have said he was an utter moron in regard to political economy (not the same thing).
Business and political econony (economy policy) are very different things.
A person can be very good at one of them – and totally useless at the other.
LikeLike
BBG as a strong entrepreneur has the momopolist streak, yet there is no day to day competition in politics. Bad idea.
Let him decree all he wants in his own company down to hemline length and stocking dernier, where people and customers are free to refuse. But as Mayor?
LikeLike
Quite so.
LikeLike