Don’t mislead yourself that the FDA regulation was a Democratic move. It was approved with bipartisan support in both chambers, in the Senate by 79 to 17 and in the House by 307 to 97. If you’d like to see who voted which way, you can check Thomas. For the Senate: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_l…
For the House: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll335.xml

I agree that opposition to the entirety of the FDA's current crusade is necessary, but to make any real change, there will need to be regime change in Washington, starting in the 2010 elections. There is no possible way the current Congress will vote to take away tobacco-regulating power from the FDA, so cigar smokers need to work to limit the damage now while hoping for a better future solution.

You are correct that we can no longer allow cigar/pipe smokers to try to fight a separate battle than cigarette smokers, but there are severe limits to what can be accomplished with Pe-lousy and Dinghy Harry running the show.

You should be adamantly opposing the FDA regulation of cigarettes because it is a portender of what's to come for smokers of all stripes.

The point I am trying to make is this:

We have a common enemy that is referred to as 'anti-smoking' or 'anti-tobacco'. They are not called 'anti-cigarette'. They loathe the use of tobacco in any form whether it's smoked or chewed. Cigar and pipe smokers seem to think they can curry favor with these zealots by distancing themselves from cigarette users. It will not work. They are going to come after you as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow. The FDA regulations you are seeing for cigarettes is an exact preview of what is in store for cigars and pipe tobacco.

Something else you may not be aware of. This health care bill currently working its way through Congress allows and recommends that insurance companies charge smokers an extra 50% (that's huge) on their premiums. Rest assured they will not make an exception for connossieurs of fine cigars.

I agree that the entire bill is wrong, but how is it "divide and conquer" when cigar smokers do there best to keep the awful provisions imposed on cigarettes from being expanded to cigars?

Congress explicitly ordered the FDA to regulate cigarettes while leaving the question unanswered for cigars and pipes. Would you have cigar smokers welcome the very same regulation that you despise for cigarettes?

I opposed the entire bill, and would welcome and support its repeal no matter the status of cigars under the FDA at the time. Just because I smoke cigars and not cigarettes, doesn't make me anti-cigarette.