Clearing The Air

Sunday, September 21, 2008

More proof that smoking bans cause damage to the economy

In Wisconsin, where there is no widespread statewide smoking ban, the unemployment rate is lower than the national average. 4.7% unemployment in Wisconsin versus 6% here in Minnesota.

Across the border here in Minnesota, we used to boast the very same statistic, until liberal, behavioral control, Nicoderm funding influenced lawmakers enacted smoking bans which have closed 260+ hospitality establishments leading to the additional loss of approximately 10,000 jobs.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Smoking bans increase unemployment rate, contribute to the mortgage foreclosure crisis, and destroy our economy

Thursday, September 11, 2008

RWJF funds American Lung Association instructing them to sell alternative nicotine products owned by RWJFs partner Johnson & Johnson

St. Paul Democrat lawmaker tells constituent to get fu**ed, this election day let's tell the DFL what we think of them

Minnesota smoking ban architect and number one cheerleader, Dave Thune, is in the local news for emailing a constituent, "fuck you, you little p(ussy or pissant" (were not sure what really followed the letter p)

Bar owner and local crank, Mike Costello, wrote his councilmember David Thune after the Republican National Convention: "after what i saw in st paul tonight, with your non violent protestors, you need to resign, you are a disgrace to the city of st paul."

Thune responded in an email: "Fuck you you little p." (I don't know what the p is for.)

And why not? Afterall, the Democratic Farmer Labor (DFL) party has held power here in the Twin Cities and Minnesota for decades………members know or think they are beyond reproach.

DFL politicians like Thune knows he can tell local citizens to get fu**ed with impunity, in fact Thune also said of former candidate for governor, Sue Jeffers, and I paraphrase “she’s a nutjob…probably from inhaling too much french fry grease”

DFL, power drunk, facist lawmakers also know or think they can enact economy damaging smoking ban laws which closed 260+ hospitality establishments and eliminated 10,000 jobs and the local people will continue to vote them into power because Minnesotans have traditionally voted DFL. Grandparents, parents, farmers, union members all voted that way in the past, why would they vote any differently now.

But the thing Minnesota voters need to realize is that the DFL party is different now. Their modern day policies and priorities are not the policies of your grandparents, parents, or unions today. DFL politicians take for granted that they will get the endorsement of local unions. How ironic though that modern day DFL policies like the smoking ban eliminated 10,000 jobs, not something you would think labor unions would continue to support.

This November 4th send a strong message to DFL lawmakers in the Twin Cities……..vote them out. This is the party which voted overwhelmingly to enacted policies, even though warned, would close businesses. Sounds like anti-labor to us.

So this election day, do the right thing, just say no to DFL candidates at the polls. Their arrogance and economic policies exemplifies just how out of touch they are with Minnesotans everywhere.

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Let's clear the air about which political party was really in power during our economic downturn

Here in Minnesota our Senate and House defeated smoking ban legislation for 3 consecutive years while Republicans dominated the St. Paul capitol. In fact in 2004 the Republican Party platform even included a plank which "opposed smoking bans in bars and restaurants". However, once Democrats were elected majority in 2006 the anti-business, economy damaging smoking bans became legislative agenda number one. The downturn in our local Minnesota economy quickly followed, it is little wonder though; since the bans closed 260+ hospitality establishments shedding approximately 10,000 local jobs.

Similarly, as of 2006 the U.S. House and Senate, like Minnesota, has been in the control of the Democratic party; perhaps you've become acquainted with the names Pelosi and Reid? This dudley duo are the Democratic majority leaders of the House and Senate which has the dubious distinction of having the lowest approval ratings in U. S. history. They have also intentionally roadblocked efforts to reduce fuel prices by not allowing oil producers the ability to drill for oil reserves right here in our country. Therefore, in reality the Democrats have been the party in power leading up to our national economic downturn.

So, if Americans truly are clamoring for change; it isn't the Democratic party that we would be voting to empower. And raising taxes on the American people is not the way to stimulate the economy, as exemplified by the fact that Republican and Democratic legislators voted to give Americans stimulus checks, not additional tax bills.

On a similar note, this article from Bloomberg details where the responsibilty for our downward spiral in the mortgage industry lies. Excerpts:

in 2005 Alan Greenspan told Congress how urgent it was for it to act in the clearest possible terms: If Fannie and Freddie ``continue to grow, continue to have the low capital that they have, continue to engage in the dynamic hedging of their portfolios, which they need to do for interest rate risk aversion, they potentially create ever-growing potential systemic risk down the road,'' he said. ``We are placing the total financial system of the future at a substantial risk.''

For the first time in history, a serious Fannie and Freddie reform bill was passed by the Senate Banking Committee. The bill gave a regulator power to crack down, and would have required the companies to eliminate their investments in risky assets.

But the bill didn't become law, for a simple reason: Democrats opposed it on a party-line vote in the committee, signaling that this would be a partisan issue. Republicans, tied in knots by the tight Democratic opposition, couldn't even get the Senate to vote on the matter.
That such a reckless political stand could have been taken by the Democrats was obscene even then. Wallison wrote at the time: ``It is a classic case of socializing the risk while privatizing the profit.

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Pharmaceutical manufacturers and public health institutions put profits and financial grants ahead of the public's well being

A film narrated by Dame Judi Dench

(Click to watch full screen)

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Boycott these special interests (J & J) who destroyed the hospitality industry & jobs

Why does UCSF researcher Stanton Glantz support smoking bans?

The beginning of a revolution

"Though we may not be able to protect your business property rights, we certainly support your Second Amendment Rights"