What? Are you suggesting that restaurant owners should have the ability to decide whether to allow smoking in their own establishments? What gives them that right, other than the fact that it is the restaurant owners whose investment is on the line, and who, given that risk, must make choices as to the atmosphere they wish their restaurants to present. Your suggestion would mean that there would be some who allow smoking and some who don't, resulting in diners actually having the choice of whether to frequent a smoking or a non-smoking restaurant.
No No No! This will not do, because some restaurant owners and diners will undoubtedly choose contrary to the wishes of the great governmental nanny. We must not displease those among us who wish to run our lives for our own good.
Amen. In Northampton, MA, they passed one of those comprehensive bans. The places that defied the ban and just paid the fines made more than enough money to cover their expenses, whereas the bars that complied with the ban went out of business...
Looks like my fiancee moved out of NYC just in time...
