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Termyn8or -> Just the place for this - smoking & Ohio (1/7/2010 6:50:34 PM)
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Now come the fruits of democracy in it's true form. I think in the end we will see more laws shifting, bending and morphing before people get the idea through their thick skulls why this country is not supposed to be a democracy. I think the following situation illustrates the fact no matter what your stance on smoking.
The people have now voted to allow casinos in Ohio
The people in Ohio have voted for tough anti-smoking laws
In my estimation, well over half of the people I know smoke cigaretttes. Of them most avoid going to establishments such as restaurants, I know I do. There are a few who violate this "law" and their businesses seem to be doing quite well, for example at my Father's funeral most smoked. Not at the funeral but the thing after, like the party. Well I paid for that and selected a decent bar with a party room for this event. Of course smoking was allowed. Law schmaw. Other places charge a buck to use an ashtray, and that money goes to pay the fine in case they get busted. For a commercial establishment that can be up to $1,500 I think.
So the point is we have plenty of restaurants in Ohio, and a friend of mine just got back from Chicago. I think it was in Indiana it took him a minute to realize that he could enjoy his after dinner smoke at a reastaurant. My Mother goes to casinos, get this, WITH NON-SMOKERS ! They and her will still be leaving the state to gamble elsewhere, even if there is a casino down the street. That means even friends of smokers will leave their dollars elsewhere.
I have read some of the words of the founding Fathers of this nation, and I have gleaned that their considered opinon was that democracy always seems to shoot itself in the foot. If the government can usurp your rights now, a democracy allows your neighbors to do the same. Kapeesh ?
One more thing, I have not verified this but I don't doubt it - in Ohio it is now illegal to smoke in any commercially licensed vehicle. And beware smoking travellers, like truck drivers, many others, that this applies to you when you are in Ohio. I can check, but I know this state government well enough to not really doubt it very much. Even if not true, it is possible in a "democracy", in which rights are set aside at will, it just happens to be the will of the masses. Weren't witch burnings a public event ?
So in the end we have the current situation, millions are going to be invested in an industry that will be crippled before it even starts. There are plenty of smoke filled basements in this state with high stakes poker games, craps, all that. Illegal of course, so there is no revenue for Ohio. Some will go out of state because of the non-smoking, not only no revenue for Ohio, but revenue for another state. The whole ad campaign was based on the flow of money out of Ohio. The opponents' ads were based on how much in breaks and stealing that was going to happen that the revenue wouldn't amount to shit.
The anti-smoking people would not budge an inch, their word became law, and that is the problem. More accomodating laws were proposed, and there was always the option to govern by taxation, something "they" do more than infrequently. But now the lack of accomodation for others is going to bite them right in the wallet, because that's what many people use instead of the ballot box. So consider those newly created jobs should be considered temporary. Any supportive services will enjoy a temporary expansion and then collapse under their own weight without the support of customers. I think they are cutting about one third of their market with this.
Ironically it seems, maybe the government had better judgement than the People. They have enacted laws against smoking in certain places, but never anything as draconian as this. This is going to hurt this state.
T
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