First they came for the smokers and I did not speak out because I was not a smoker. Then they came for the motorcycle riders and I did not speak out because I was not a motorcycle rider. Then they came for the fast food eaters and I did not speak out because I was not a fast food eater. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.
Good post, SheLion.
I wish they would stop trotting out this tired old bogus line of horse dung.
Maybe we need to get our workplaces out of the insurance coverage business.
Really, if we knew how much our insurance coverage cost, we'd be much more inclined to keep pressure on companies for their outrageous premiums.
I'm really getting tired of this. Time for some civil disobedience.
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.
The key here is that people are told in advance that this is a condition of employment. As long as they are, I don't see a problem with it.
I have to agree with John Stossel: People have a right to smoke, companies can hire and fire whom they please, and employees can accept or refuse the terms of employment.
Nurse Bloomberg, our wonderful mayor, was way out of line in telling companies they may not allow smoking on their premises. But the other side of that token is the company's right to make personnel decisions, even if they're made on the basis of something completely inane, such as smoking, tanning, or wearing red on Sundays. Must there be a law for everything?
And then declare bankruptcy like United Airlines to get out of their pension obligations after everyone starts living 40 years into retirement.
Well, they might as well fire homosexuals because they participate in unprotected anal sex. IIRC the average life expectancy is 49 yrs. Oh, let's ad people that dring adult beverages to that list.
The real issue is companies are paying more for health insurance because our government insists on paying for illegal aliens as well as care-by-demand by any person not able to pay at hospital emergency rooms. States add to the increased cost by insisting that all medical insurance policies be gold-plated - you know, with "massage therapy" and hypnosis. No basic care policies are allowed. (As in WA state for example.)
This raises costs on insurance companies which they pass on to consumer companies - who now seem to be responsible for ALL our health care. In response, private companies are trying to lower some of the expense by picking on the latest fad Bad Guys... smoking, obesity, fast food.
Don't get caught up in this. Companies have no right to dictate our personal lives. Next would be genetic testing to see who "will" get "sick." It is a dangerous precendent. But most of all, we need to stop our "helpful" governent from actively pushing up health care costs by funding illegal aliens, setting mandatory insurance benefits, and insisting hospitals treat patients for free. We don't want to get side-traked, then divided on this one folks...
I was standing outside smoking, she saw me and said "You really shouldn't do that"
"Why? I like it."
"It's bad for you and rude to others"
"Do you drive to work?"
"What's that got to do with it?"
"Well, I walk to and from work. You people who commute do more damage than me smoking."
"No we don't"
"Sure you do. Tell you what, let's go to your car and run a hose from the tailpipe into the interior. You get in it and I'll stand outside. When you start the car, I'll light a cigarette. When I'm done smoking the cigarette, I'll go back into work but you won't because you'll be dead."
She hasn't talked to me since then.
As far as I'm concerned, if you own a car you have removed yourself from the "smoking argument".
I thought I heard that junkies and alcoholics can't be fired because they are "Americans with Disabilities". I think it's time for the ACLU to get cigarette smokers categorized the same way.
Ok now what's next? People that eat fast foods or how about people that don't wear seatbelts or folks that don't get an annual physical and prostate/colonoscopy or breast exams or maybe it'll be folks that believe in the 2nd amendment and own guns. This company needs to get a life of its own and stay out of their employee's lives.
Remember when the cigarette shills would stand outside the college dorms and on street corners handing out ciggies? We need more of that with emphasis on middle schools and high schools! (Sarcasm Alert)
While these statistics may be true - let us think about who would be suffering if smokers did not create these medical costs: The Doctors, Drug Companies and Health Insurance Companies. This is conspiracy at it's best.
Does anybody REALLY think these above mentioned groups WANT people to get well? Where would the premiums come from, the paychecks, and the payments to stockholders? Think about it.
First, Tobacco is a legal substance, and is still grown in America by hard working Farmers. Yes - it does cause alot of health problems, which, until a few years ago, were dismissed by the producers of the products, and even argued about among physicians. Now, we know the truth.
But how will the doctors, drug companies and Health Insurance companies be paid if everyone stops smoking?
Want to think about what is REALLY making AMERICANS SICK? Lets look at the Food industry. It is an available fact to discover (just read the labels, get on-line and do your homework) how many chemicals which cause cancer are pumped into the food in this country. It starts with the growing and raising process, and continues through the packaging and canning by the adding of yet more chemiclas to increase shelf life.
If companies are going to test their new hires for Tobacco - they had better start testing them for chemical content as well. The average American Diet of Fast Food, additives, preservitives, chemicals, anit-biotics, and growth Hormones does AS MUCH HARM, if not MORE THAN the Tobacco. And, statistically speaking - the smokers are few nowadays - but DOESN'T EVERYBODY STILL EAT?
I cannot believe I am about to say this - but this is one of the causes the ACLU should probably get involved with, as what a person does in his or her home, property, on his or her own time - IS NO BODY ELSES BUSINESS. If they are comitting a crime - that is one thing - but until they make Tobacco illegal, seems to me this falls under our Freedoms as Americans. Are they going to begin telling us what food to eat? What chemicals to stay away from? Doubt it.
Using the stats given above is nothing more than attempting schock value - when more people die from cancer and heart attacks, lose more time at work, are more stressed, and have sicker children and personal illness DUE MORESO BY THE CHEMICAL CONTENT OF THEIR BODIES AND LACK OF NUTRITION THAN FROM SMOKING CIGARETTES.
Perhaps these companies should do some studies on those facts, and see where their policies fall.
Time to Educate the powers that be, and then let them make decisions once they have ALL the facts - not just bits and pieces. JK
No.
The main goal is exercizing power over others, with the sanction of law. And it is all based on fraud. Any elevation of "health" is purely coincidental. As for mental health, it simply validates the insane and the neurotic.
Since the imposition of the huge tax increases on smokers under the name of "Punish Big Tobacco", the honey pot of money is both huge and irresistible.
Equal protection? What's that?
The claim of 400,000 was found, by a federal appelate court, to be fraudulent, arbitrary and invalid.
But, like every other big lie, once it is disseminated, the morons can continue claiming it as fact.