Global Ridicule Extinguishes Montgomery's Anti-Smoking Bill

Washington Post ^ | November 28, 2001 | Jo Becker

[grimalkin]

Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D) yesterday vetoed legislation that would have regulated smoking in the privacy of people's homes, reversing course after a rash of worldwide attention and a public opinion backlash.

Duncan took the action after a key County Council member who voted for the legislation took a public stand against it yesterday, a defection that means supporters no longer have the votes to override the veto.

Council President Blair G. Ewing (D-At Large) acknowledged that political reality, expressing disappointment but saying the erosion of political support had effectively killed the legislation.

[grimalkin]

The rest of the article can be viewed here.

[vikingchick]

ping

[mxbluto]

Now isn't that something. Many here said that they agree with this law. My how things change.

[TopQuark]

Council President Blair G. Ewing (D-At Large) acknowledged that political reality, expressing disappointment but saying the erosion of political support had effectively killed the legislation.

Council member Michael L. Subin (D-At Large), an opponent, said, "We've become the laughingstock of the world."

Observe: it is not that they reflected on the issue and changed their minds --- it just became politically costly. They'll try again at the first opportunity.

[Drew68]

puff

[poet]

With apologies to prostitutes, all politicians are whores!!

[Smokin' Joe]

Take 5, smoke 'em if ya got 'em!

[blondee123]

"We've become the laughingstock of the world."

He's got that right! LOL LOL LOL LOL

[WaterDragon]

Unlike Hitler, these council members have no brownshirts to enforce their petty totalitarianism. The council reversed its stand once it realized it could simply disappear into oblivion by the next election.

[fella]

"Observe: it is not that they reflected on the issue and changed their minds --- it just became politically costly. They'll try again at the first opportunity."

In reality the Political Correctness shifted and the Demos had to shift with it. Not to worry though, when they think that no-one is watching they'll slip this little bit of official oppression into law.

[brat]

Maybe a victory today, but the Smoking Nazis are relentless. They fail to recognize that smokers have rights too!

[cartoonistx]

It is true that the nation that loves liberty is that which includes the right to be wrong.

[Flyer]

I would like to think that the attention we brought to this issue here at FR was influential in this decision.

"Win one for the Puffer!"

[Max McGarrity]

I'd like to think so as well. One thing for sure, there's plenty in the anti-smoker world to ridicule if we can bring it to the public's attention. For instance, one of the major talking anti heads constantly being quoted is James Repace. He calls himself a "health physicist" although as far as anyone can tell he has no such degree. He's also a legend in his own mind as the "number one secondhand smoke expert in the country," not because he has "studied" shs more than anyone else, but because he's written more papers about it. He has stated unequivocally that it would take "300 mph gale-force winds to clear smoke from a room," once even saying "700 mph tornado-force winds." He also believes it's a life-threatening danger to even be around someone who smokes because of the "tobacco smoke particulates" that cling to their clothes and skin. This idiot once worked for the EPA and wore a gas mask to work, even though they hadn't allowed smoking for years, finally suing them because the air in the EPA building was not "pure." He's a real piece of work. Next time you see an anti-smoker story, see if Repace is quoted.

[Boomer]

Max, thanks for illustrating that the ‘anti-smoker’ is nothing more than an anally fixated hypochondriac with mental issues. If their words were a 10 mile stretch of beach the truth in their statements would be a single granule of sand.

[Max McGarrity]

Boomer, one of the best descriptions of the anti mindset can be found in R. Emmett Tyrrell's Townhall piece today: "Students of the Third World's fanatics have noted that one of their chief characteristics is neurosis. Neurosis for our purposes may be termed the overreaction to stimuli. Backward people throughout the world display it when conditions do not meet their dull expectations. They suffer anxiety, insecurity, depression and irrational fears when, say in Kabul, a young boy flies a kite or in Montgomery County, Md., the fellow next door lights up a Marlboro. The neurotic in Kabul sees a dagger stabbing the heavens. The neurotic in Maryland sees dangerous gases heading toward his unprotected nostrils and into his very soul."

The more light we can shine on the anti neurosis, the better off we'll be.