Clearing The Air

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Wanted: principled, steadfast, unwavering lawmakers who still remember that small business and jobs are the backbone of America

"Popular sentiment makes supporting (smoking) bans a risk-free no-brainer for opportunistic politicians..."

I borrowed that line from columnist Craig Westover's post today, because it exemplifies the spineless nature of today's politicians. They may campaign on priniciples, but once in office they check which way the wind blows and vote accordingly.... MN. Governor Pawlenty (taxes / fees debacle), MN. Rep. Meslow, etc. it makes no difference these are the "opportunistic politicians".

Gone apparently are the days of standing up for principles....like the fabled GOP principle of standing for limited, less intrusive government.....and supporting small business. The few GOP lawmakers which voted for a ban of civil liberties, and the manner in which a small business may decide to operate, otherwise known as smoking bans; sit idly by watching as nearly 100 twin cities businesses within a year, go bankrupt. Because its more palatable to be popular than principled. An indicator of that is this quote by Westover:

".....the Republican Party platform: Republicans stand for "Opposing any state or local adoption of a smoking ban on privately owned restaurants and bars."

That phrase is found in the 2004 party platform. The "tradition" of opposing smoking bans conveniently disappeared from the 2006 Republican Party platform...."

Westover concludes:

"There is no consolation but much amusement, however, in how quickly Meslow and Severson deny their political heritage, adopt the inevitable and try to make it look like a plan.

A running joke during the Cold War was that the statues of Russian leaders in Kremlin were on wheels, making it easier to roll them out of public view when a history rewrite was necessary. Reps. Meslow and Severson are doing a little of that wheeling and dealing on traditional Republican opposition to smoking bans in privately owned restaurants and bars."

And indeed Meslow seems to crow in his editorial letter to the Pioneer Press.......he's a spineless GOP politician and proud of it.......Doug if you do run for re-election again might I suggest Anyway the Wind Blows by Queen as your campaign ditty.

I would be remiss if I didn't close this post with the fact that the American Cancer Society test results prove secondhand smoke is up to 25,000 times safer than OSHA regulations. And the "right thing" to do is what public officials do regarding welding smoke in the workplace at factories -allow OSHA regulations to dictate health and safety standards. Why would you treat tobacco smoke differently than welding smoke? Unless you have a special agenda, and if your funding for that special agenda comes from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation , an off shoot of the Johnson & Johnson Company which manufactures Nicoderm & Nicoderm CQ. Welding smoke is far, far, more hazardous, concentrated, and dangerous, it contains airborne heavy metals which are known class A carcinogens.

Further, OSHA has regulations for each and every airborne component of secondhand smoke.

So here's hoping that the principled, steadfast, and spine intact State lawmakers, GOP and otherwise, put together a state law to pre-empt and nullify these local smoking bans.....yet leaving in tact a business owners right to choose his / her smoking preference clientele.