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Where There's Smoke, There's Government Intrusion
Fox News ^ | Monday, August 04, 2008 | John R. Lott, Jr.

Posted on 08/04/2008 6:19:51 PM PDT by richardb72

This is still a free country, right? Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to more closely regulate the wages that firms pay workers and to more strictly regulate tobacco products by putting them under FDA supervision.

The Los Angeles City Council also approved a one-year moratorium on new fast-food restaurants in a 32-square-mile low-income area in the city; the poor, after all, have “above-average rates of obesity” and must be protected from themselves.

Perhaps the government may just want to ask people if they are poor before we let them enter certain restaurants.

Barack Obama promises a national ban on smoking in public places. Such micro-managing of people's behavior will likely only get worse, as anyone who has been to countries such as Sweden can attest.

When I visited Sweden in back in 1979, Swedes were worried that binge drinkers were damaging their health. But shouldn’t how much people drink in the privacy of their own home be their own business? Not to other Swedes, who worried that the government health care system meant they would have to pick up others’ medical costs.

I watched the television news in horror as police broke into homes and took people to detox centers after neighbors alerted the government to people who they felt were drinking too much. But they were equally outraged that people would do things to their bodies that would make others pay for their health care.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: govwatch; johnlott; lp; regulation; smoking; tobacco
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1 posted on 08/04/2008 6:19:52 PM PDT by richardb72
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To: richardb72
This is still a free country, right?

I think that, by the time you get around to seriously asking this question, it's long past time to toss the tea into the bay.

2 posted on 08/04/2008 6:22:16 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (when did the circus freak show escape and take over the entire world?)
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To: richardb72; Just another Joe; CSM; lockjaw02; Publius6961; elkfersupper; nopardons; metesky; ...

NANNY STATE PING!!!!!!!!!!


3 posted on 08/04/2008 6:30:31 PM PDT by Gabz (You said WHAT?????????)
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To: Gabz
Here's a perfect example of FRs who support the NYC calorie law. Why am I not surprised that people want the government to do the work that they're supposed to do, even it it's minuscule? It's called “passing the buck.” I wonder what Ronald Reagan would think of the nanny state that we are becoming. God bless that great man's soul.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2055748/posts

4 posted on 08/04/2008 6:43:11 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
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To: Gabz
Great article. Thanks so much, dear Gabz! :-)
5 posted on 08/04/2008 6:43:40 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
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To: richardb72

Oh, but don’t regulate or checkout those supplements or diet products. Yeah, right.


6 posted on 08/04/2008 6:44:25 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
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To: richardb72

From Fox News. Thanks so much for posting.


7 posted on 08/04/2008 6:47:43 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
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To: bamahead
America loving, freedom loving, defeat the nanny-state libertarian Ping!
8 posted on 08/04/2008 6:49:49 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
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To: GOP_Lady; All

It is not just the left who are nanny staters..


9 posted on 08/04/2008 6:58:31 PM PDT by KevinDavis (Hey Barak... I'm a citizen of the US not the WORLD!!!!!)
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To: richardb72
If you’ve ever seen Cool Hand Luke and remember the song “Plastic Jesus”. My rewrite will eventually add smoking eating and breathing

Obama

I’m ain’t scared of no Osama,
Long as I’ve got my own Obama,
Riding on the dashboard of my car.

He says he will save this nation,
All through proper tire inflation.
Add tune ups and I know he’ll take us far.

You sure need your own Obama,
Listen to his commie drama,
As he taxes all you make or save.

We don’t need domestic drilling,
All you need is to be willing,
Give up liberty and be his slave.

Go and get your own Obama,
He’s wiser than the Dalai Lama,
Leading us, to new hope and change.

If you don’t see his Marxist leaning,
Then your diaper must need cleaning.
As for me I’ll vote for John McCain.

10 posted on 08/04/2008 6:59:24 PM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (I voted Republican because no Conservatives were running.)
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To: KevinDavis

You’ve got that right. I wish President Reagan were around to politely show those people (yes, even ours) the proper way to get things done.


11 posted on 08/04/2008 7:00:25 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
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To: Conspiracy Guy

Way too cool. Thanks! :-)


12 posted on 08/04/2008 7:01:24 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
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To: GOP_Lady

Thanks for the heads up on that thread -— I just pinged the list to it.


13 posted on 08/04/2008 7:01:35 PM PDT by Gabz (You said WHAT?????????)
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To: Conspiracy Guy

SUPER!!!!!!!!!


14 posted on 08/04/2008 7:04:00 PM PDT by Gabz (You said WHAT?????????)
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To: Gabz
Cool. You'll be shocked how many FRs support this type of stuff when businesses have been doing it for years and have had it online for years as well. Shocking, just shocking, I tell you.
15 posted on 08/04/2008 7:04:09 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
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To: GOP_Lady

I am over posting my happy little song! thanks : )


16 posted on 08/04/2008 7:04:56 PM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (I voted Republican because no Conservatives were running.)
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To: GOP_Lady; All

Yet they are the same people who complain that Government is “too” big.. Go figure..


17 posted on 08/04/2008 7:05:26 PM PDT by KevinDavis (Hey Barak... I'm a citizen of the US not the WORLD!!!!!)
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To: Conspiracy Guy

LOL...John Prine would be proud.


18 posted on 08/04/2008 7:06:46 PM PDT by coolbreeze (giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teen-age boys.)
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To: richardb72
I watched the television news in horror as police broke into homes and took people to detox centers after neighbors alerted the government to people who they felt were drinking too much.

Dang! Gotta be real careful, next time I put $teak$ on the barbie...

19 posted on 08/04/2008 7:07:28 PM PDT by sionnsar (Impeach Obama |Iran Azadi| 5yst3m 0wn3d - it's N0t Y0ur5 (SONY) | UN: Useless Nations)
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To: KevinDavis

I don’t think they know what they want.


20 posted on 08/04/2008 7:08:49 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
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