[Calif.] Walnut Creek councilman works to repeal smoking rules, prevent plastic bag ban

Contra Costa Times | mercurynews.com ^ | 10/31/2013 | Elisabeth Nardi

[Lonely Bull]

WALNUT CREEK -- Citing his oath to uphold the Constitution, Councilman Justin Wedel says Walnut Creek voters, not elected leaders, should decide where people can smoke and whether shoppers can choose paper or plastic.

Wedel aims to get two initiatives on the June ballot -- one that would repeal a portion of the city's recently adopted secondhand-smoke ordinance and another to prevent a ban on plastic shopping bags in Walnut Creek.

"This is not a smoking or plastic bag issue; this is a government-intrusion-into-our-daily-lives issue," said Wedel, elected to his first term in 2012. "I swore an oath to protect the Constitution of the U.S. and the constitution of this state. I would not be upholding my oath if I didn't take every action necessary to make sure people's private property rights are protected."

This move is a clear rebuke of his council colleagues over a secondhand-smoke ordinance that passed 4-1 in October. It also is an attempt to pre-empt any ordinance banning plastic grocery bags; work on such an ordinance is already underway and supported by a council majority.

[rktman]

Stunned. This guy will probably be run out of town.

[ifinnegan]

This being Halloween, remember the haunted house where Nordstrom’s is now?

Or the one where the old Safeway was, where Chase bank is now, next to Capwell’s — I mean Macy’s.

[Drango]

An activist court found an imaginary right to privacy in the Constitution. There is no such right. Now you’re finding an imaginary right to smoking by asserting an imaginary “every day” right. Goofy.

I’m telling you there is no such right to smoke. And free people, freely voting via their representatives or by an initiative have the right to regulate smoking.

[Political Junkie Too]

Yeah, this area hasn't been the same since an Ellen Tauscher heckler at a Representative Bill Baker speech in Danville gave the MSM the fodder to run him out of Congress back in 1996.

-PJ

[DJ MacWoW]

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for
the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.
It would be better to live under robber barons than under
omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty
may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be
satiated; but those who torment us for our own good
will torment us without end for they do so with the
approval of their own conscience.

C S Lewis

[editor-surveyor]

Face it, you’re a far left wacko!

[editor-surveyor]

There are things about bill Baker that would turn your stomach!

[Drango]

It sucks living in the 11th congressional district. George Miller is a donkey’s rear end. ~Shudder Tausher in the 10th was bad but have Ron Dullums as your congress critter was painful.

[editor-surveyor]

Or the fountain that was at the corner of Walker and Main that those unscrupulous jerks used to put bubble bath into on friday nights? (none of those present of course)

[Drango]

And you support imaginary rights.

[topspinr]

How much marine life do you suppose there is in Walnut Creek?

Have you walked around the lake at Heather Farms Park. /s

[Hugin]

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

Sound familiar? I hate the nanny state mentality, but the Constitution is pretty clear that the States have broad powers over public policy, unless specifically restricted in the constitution.

[Drango]

Big man attacking Bill Baker when he’s not here to defend himself. He’s done more for the GOP and conservatives in a day than you’ve done in a lifetime. I’ve been on many a prescient walk organized by Bill, door-belling for conservatives. Bill is a tireless evangelist for conservatives; non-withstanding your cowardly and anonymous snark.

[editor-surveyor]

>> “George Miller is a donkey’s rear end” <<

.
Oh, is he improving?

Back when Costco was still in Martinez, it was a thursday before Labor Day weekend, and I was in the check-out line behind Wendy, and George came walking up with a big grin and held out his hand for a shake, and I just kept my hands on the shopping cart and said hello George without any smile at all. He stood there giving me the most disdainful look I’ve ever seen for about ten seconds, and then turned and stood by Wendy but said nothing more as they checked out.

It was an enjoyable moment that made up for all the times I had to act kissy-face to him due to work issues.

[editor-surveyor]

You really do not know Bill Baker!

[editor-surveyor]

I walked around it a few times when I staked it out, but there was very little water then :o)

Lakewood might be a better argument though.

[editor-surveyor]

The states have no power over the rights to do ordinary things; they are God given rights.

Powers to governments are limited by the rights of the people.

[crazycatlady]

I’m not very knowledgable about CA geography. I thought it was near LA. I have no idea if the claims about danger to marine life(remember it doesn’t have to be saltwater marine life ) are valid. I’m just saying. As far as I’m concerned, other objections to plastic bags have been shot down. For one thing, many are recycled, that is used for garbage, pet waste, etc. Somebody would probably be buying plastic dog poop bags otherwise, and I think they’ve started doing that a lot more in Seattle.
As far as smoking goes, the anti-smoking fascists are just too crazy. In Seattle you have naked bicyclists on summer solstice, all kinds of excesses during Gay Pride(some years more than others, I admit) and of course now legal marijuana. But you can’t legally light up an ordinary cigarette in a bar.

[boop]

Actually not far from where I live in Seattle is a hookah bar, which is a "private club" where you can smoke flavored tobacco in a hookah pipe.

All you have to do is pay $5 for a "membership". This is of course "OK", but a private club that "allowed" cigars and cigarettes is NOT OK.

Anyone care to take a guess as to why there's a double standard?

[crazycatlady]

Oh, yes, the hookah lounges did manage to get an exemption, though I’m sure a lot of anti-smoking Nazis are unhappy about it. I probably have been by the place you are talking about.
It didnt work out so well in Everett. The one hookah lounge downtown was driven out of business by the Snohomish co. Health dept. They also used an excuse that the church sharing the building complained about the smell. But there’s so dang much vacant commercial real estate available in downtown Everett, it seems the church could find another place. One look at downtown Everett and you know that it’s wrong for the government to take aim at legal businesses.

The most annoying smoking-in-King Co.-parks ads featured this little girl named Mia. I don’t know what the status of this is now, but Mia is not one of the people I miss since moving to Everett.