Posted on 02/13/2004 12:46:00 PM PST by qam1
The Associated Press - ATLANTA
Democrats had sharp words Tuesday for Republicans who want to ban smoking in all public places including restaurants.
Theyre looking to snuff out the plan.
Its an overreach, said House Rules Chairman Calvin Smyre, a Columbus Democrat. People are always talking about intrusion by government, and this is another one. Its another way of denying local rule.
The smoking ban, introduced by Republican Sen. Don Thomas on Tuesday, could set up another battle between the Democrat-controlled House and GOP-controlled Senate.
Twenty-five of the states 56 senators signed on to the bill, but House leaders hinted the measure would have no chance in their chamber. Even Republicans in the House said they had wanted to tread slowly on a measure to ban smoking even in bars and restaurants.
I support public smoke-free places as a general rule, but I want to look at the details before putting my support behind it, House Republican Whip Jerry Keen said.
Thomas, a doctor who is leading the anti-smoking charge in the Senate, concedes it will be a challenge to persuade House members to accept a statewide ban.
We have already talked to a lot of people in the House, Thomas said. I am finding good support over there, but it will be a tough battle.
The Republican rift has surfaced before. Last year, GOP members in the two chambers publicly clashed over a hike in the tobacco tax. Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue and his Senate colleagues endorsed the idea, but House Republicans fought it. The tax eventually passed, largely because House Democrats signed on.
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, former House Republican leader, said he feared his colleagues in the Senate again strayed from their conservative roots.
Im a free-enterprise kind of guy, Westmoreland said. If I want to open a restaurant for cigar smokers or whatever, I ought to be able to do that.
Thomas agrees his ban is broad, covering bars, restaurants, bingo halls, stadiums, convention centers and common areas in apartment buildings.
Private homes would be exempt _ unless they are used as a day care or nursing center _ and hotels and motels would be allowed to keep up 20 percent of their rooms as smoking rooms.
This bill starts out as broad as possible, Thomas said. The model was really to be as aggressive as possible.
The ban would carry a $100 fine for someone smoking in a building where it is prohibited. The second offense would carry a $200 fine and a $500 fine would be assessed on the third offense.
The bill also would ban smoking within 25 feet of a building where it is not allowed.
Not all Democrats oppose the smoking ban. Rep. Kasim Reed, D-Atlanta, is a co-sponsor for the bill and is trying to change the minds of his colleagues.
Its going to be a challenge, Reed said. Were optimistic, but we dont expect it to be easy.
One lawmaker whose home district is in the process of enforcing a smoking ban said it is a good idea, but best done locally. Rep. Ron Borders, D-Valdosta, said he would likely oppose the statewide ban.
Local folks ought to be able to determine what theyre doing in their communities, he said Borders.
PING
Jeez, I can't keep up with politics anymore.
When did the Republicans become the Big Brother, Nanny State Party?
So9
I think that the next line in this report is supposed to be:
Stop Acting Like Democrats!
It's positively pathetic that Democrats, DEMOCRATS of all people have become more conservative than Republicans.
Pubbies, clean up your act. You're becoming a joke with a bad punchline.
Owl_Eagle
”Guns Before Butter.”
That's a trick question right?
The thing is, they just don't care if everyone knows it now.
Anti-tobacco is a left wing movement. You know, Rob Ryner? If a Republican listens to their propaganda, and obeys, why would they hang him for doing what they say?
Damned if you do, and damned if you don't!? Is up now down, and down now up???
Clinton the draft dodger is good, but Kerry the vet hero is good , too? HUH????
DO AS WE SAY, NOT AS WE DO!!!!
Well, when I had cats & dogs at the same time, they were buddies, and slept in a pile...
Seriously, the old-time Southern Democrats were usually small-government conservatives in my neck of the woods ( southern coast ) but they are mostly gone now.
I have never much cared for most Georgia Republicans- they tend to be "moderate," thus not standing for much of anything.
This smoking ban nonsense tells me that we have finally gotten too many non-native Georgians in the state, and the balance of common sense is tipping towards nonsense.
Unfortunately what's happening in Georgia isn't unique
*Mike Bloomberg Republican pushed a city ban before the state and is the ultimate anti-smoking Nazi
*NYC Councilman Odo (Staten Island) a Republican who introduced the city ban .
*All 38 Republican NYS Senators voted for the ban (It should be noted that the GOP has a big 38-24 majority in that chamber)
*George Pataki Republican governor signed it.
*John Rowland Republican Governor Connecticut also signed a total ban in his state.
* The chief sponsors of the Delaware smoking ban were Republicans Reps. Deborah Hudson (Fairthorne) and Robert J. Valihura Jr.(Edenridge)
*It was a Republican Senator Karl Turner (Cumberland) that originally sponsored the ban in Maine
* Republican Beulah Coughenour City Councilman of Indianapolis attempted (but failed) to bring a smoking ban to that city
*Republican Governors Guinn, Kempthorne, Pataki, Perry, Rowland, Taft and Probably a few others I can't think of right now all have recently raised taxes on cigarettes
*Republican Senators Judd and Hatch right now are working on stopping people from buying cigarettes over the internet and getting congress to regulate (i.e. Ban) tobacco.
*John Ashcroft a Republican appointee via the justice system is continuing where Janet Reno left off and suing the tobacco companies.
The only Republican that is remotely standing up for smokers is Arnold Swarzenegger
OH, BTW there were smoking bans killed in NJ, MD, RI and VT, All by Democrat controlled legislators
It's the same on all levels. See why I have called it the "Two-Party Cartel" for some years. Bubbas mentor, Carol Quigley, had it correct. Just allow the elites to project the issues that they want & since these pols are bought & paid for by elites, they perform quit equally. Then when elections come there is not much transition from one stupid party to one totally corrupt party & the elites are still in control. And YOUR issues are never addressed - and you never break from voting in this cartel.
Yes.....and in my own state, no less!
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