NAZI MAINE: House gives final OK to smoking ban in bars PUKES ONE AND ALL!

boston.com ^ | 6/3/2003 | Glenn Adams

[SheLion]

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) Public health interests prevailed over warnings that personal freedoms are being eroded as the Maine House gave its final approval to a bill to ban smoking in bars and taverns.

Representatives' 95-47 enactment vote sent the measure to the Senate and put Maine a step closer to joining California and Delaware in imposing statewide bans on smoking in bars. New York's ban starts in July, and Connecticut's newly enacted ban on smoking in bars takes effect next April.

[honeygrl]

There ya go :)

[Just another Joe]

Ask Glenn for evidence of HIS claim! Or is there a double standard here?

Double standard? No. You can ask Glenn for evidence of his claim.
I'm asking you for evidence of yours.

[Becki]

Now I know that you are here with an agenda.

Yea. Right. And you're not here with an agenda??

And since when did facts and data become an agenda? Shelion backs up her argument with sources posted for all to see.

Much more than I can say for some.

Becki

[Protagoras]

it would be kind of nice to be able to go to an indoor bar every now and then. It has always looked like fun :-)

Ah, that well known right to "have fun".

Find a no smoking bar. Til then, it's none of your business what people do on their on property so stay out of their bars.

[FrankR]

"''We're tired of working in an environment that is not safe or healthy,'' said Rep. Leila Percy, a Phippsburg Democrat who works as a singer and bandleader in the haze of clubs that serve alcohol. "

In the first place, what is a government official doing playing in a bar band? At her age, she should have known long ago when she first considered being a bar-singer, that clubs were smokey.

I played in clubs for years, and even some clubs in Maine, and the smokey atmosphere is just part of it. If it is that dangerous, or unpleasant, then find another gig.

Take another dangerous profession, say "skydiving". This bitch would probably say, "I'm tired of working so high above the ground where it's not safe or healthy...".

She bangs her toe with a hammer, and then bitches about it. Well she also has freedoms...the freedom to quit singing in bars. There are other places to sing...like CHURCH, for instance. Certainly she is making enough money with her gov't job that she doesn't need that pittance from smokey clubs.

If her throat is so "golden", why hasn't she made a record? Why is it that the smoking issue is the only issue where she can get some publicity? That's what this is about, mostly, EGO.

Why do the masses all have to bend over for the occasional, individual, cry-baby?

But, you know what...we CAN put a stop to it. The money trumps whacko liberals everytime. Just don't go to any clubs in Maine (or anywhere else) that don't allow smoking.

Imagine, just 10 years ago if someone said, "Oh, you can't smoke in bars". You would have said, "Whaaaaaaaaaat!

I hate to say it, MAINE, but you ain't no California. People aren't exactly clammering to live up there where there is winter 11 months out of the year. Now, it's a liberal stronghold, certainly no one wants to live in one of the Nazi states.

I smoked for over 20 years, it cost me some health issues, but IT WAS MY CHOICE. I no longer smoke, but I will defend to my death the right of a person to smoke if they want to. It's no different than any other risky behavior.

Why is it that no one is attacking drinking? Well, for one thing, look at the political contributions and you'll see that the beer, liquor and wine companies give a LOT of money to the Demoncraps.

Tobacco took it's original hit - not because of health issues (we've known about that since the 1930's), and it wasn't about the insurance companies...but it was about big tobacco supporting the Republicans. They donated some to the demoncRATS, but not much. So, during the term of the clintons, every big company who did not contribute to the left (i.e. tobacco, MicroSoft, etc) got drug through the mill.

The demoncRATS couldn't honestly solicit the funds from bit tobacco, so they EXTORTED it from them through the courts. The insurance companies merely saw a chance to hike some rates and get rid of high risks, so they chimed in too.

So, before the craziness of California, New York, and Maine filters (no pun intended) out to the rest of us, it's time to re-schedule your vacations and business dealings to states which still support the Constitution and personal freedoms.

Let the whacko's in Maine hear from you and ask them why Americans should have to give up their freedom just because some ego-driven person in their ranks wants to be a bar-fly finger.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I don't believe in the mix either. I seldom eat out because most retaurants ban smoking. Go to a bar in the average city and ask people, Do you smoke? Does smoke bother you? You'd be surprised how many people either smoke or it doesn't bother them. My fiancee doesn't smoke and she loves to go out for a drink or two now and then. It should be the owners decision and not the gummit. The cigarettes would replace the diagonal cross (St. Andrew's Cross?). By your thinking maybe we should put a skull and cross bones on vehicle tags. BAN DRIVING!! I don't believe it is a smokers rights issue it is a private property issue. Demonizing smokers is something all smokers are used to.

[Mears]

I arrived home a short time ago and passed a restaurant that I usually pop into for lunch but didn't today since Boston went non-smoking a month ago.

Are they going to go out of business? I doubt it,but the owner has spent a fortune in his three pubs about five years ago to separate the smoking and non-smoking sections. He is not a happy man.

The pendulum will swing backwards eventually,it always does,but I'm afraid it will be too late for me.

[capecodder]

Any federal dollars behind this?

For example, fed transportation $$$ threatened to be withheld from MA unless DUI alcohol level lowered to 0.08

Central Control (fedgov) has de facto control over all schools in US via fed funds. Unless state legislatures agree to pass legislation and regulate to conform with fed laws (School to Work, GOALS 2000, Safe Schools, etc.), fed ed funds are withheld.

Why not control more the same way????

[ThinkDifferent]

Mixing smoking & non smoking sections like they have tried to do, doesn't work. Not for the non smoker it doesn't.

Why not? I'm rather sensitive to cigarette smoke, and have never experienced any discomfort in the non-smoking section of a restaurant.

It's sad how many allegedly conservative people are willing to sacrifice the property rights of others when it suits their personal preferences.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I love you. Now I have to put this on a white background and have a tag and a flag made. Could you flip the burning ends to the top?

[Protagoras]

going to be interesting to me to see when the smokers will look in the mirror and take responsibility for these bans due to their selfish behaviors.

They don't need to look in a mirror. They can look at cowardly slobs who exhibit the ultimate selfish behavior and know that they are responsible for the loss of freedom.

It will be interesting to see what happens to those people in the coming conflict.

[honeygrl]

"Actually, there is much evidence that it DOES. Your statement is false. "

Then show us this evidence. Did outlawing pot stop pot smoking? not from what I've seen.

[honeygrl]

You've got a YES from me.

[SheLion]

Perhaps the government can outlaw offensive omissions from self-absorbed contentious people

How do you propose to do THAT? When even most of our LAWMAKERS are offensive and self-absorbed contentious people.............

[SheLion]

Not long before it becomes illegal outside there too. Does the state have the authority to make it illegal to smoke at all anywhere? If so, I don't see that too far away for NY or CA.

Can you say "Civil War?"

[SheLion]

I can see Maine will be on 'HIGH' forest fire alert this season! ;)

Or from all the HOT AIR coming out of AUGUSTA! pompous asses...........

[SheLion]

What's that buzzing noise? Is there a gnat in here?

It's a PISS ANT!

[honeygrl]

Did you skip the sentence "In a bar it's different."? If you don't like the smoke there, start your own smoke free bar or drink at a smoke free restaruant. With an attitude like yours what fun would you have in a bar anyway? I can't imagine you relaxing your anal retentive behavior enough to have any fun.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Do they buzz too! I will never never directly address minion again. I think Mini Yon is a recording.

[honeygrl]

"If her throat is so "golden", why hasn't she made a record? Why is it that the smoking issue is the only issue where she can get some publicity? "

Well, you know her voice isn't good enough because of all that smoke! /sarcasm