Tuesday, June 06, 2006
The Nanny State: One county at a time
The Nanny State continues its encroachment here in Maryland: Howard Bans Restaurant and Bar Smoking. At least one Howard County politician gets it, though:
"We promised people that if they put in the extra ventilation equipment, they would be okay. Now we're just cutting them off and telling them we know better than them about their business," Feaga said. "I just think that government is being too much of a Big Brother."
Smoking was apparently a HUGE problem in Howard County as the last paragraph in the article makes clear:
“Opponents of the smoking ban, which also prohibits smoking within 15 feet of the restaurant and bar entrances, said the measure was unnecessary because 83 percent of the county's eating and drinking establishments already prohibit smoking.”
An unidentified quote from years ago: “Liberals don’t care what you do as long as it's compulsory.”
Finally, we get to read this bit of self-serving puffery:
"I think we're all very pleased that once again Howard County will be a leader in public health," said council member Ken Ulman (D-West Columbia), who voted with Ball and Guy Guzzone (D-Southeast County) to support the measure. "We'll be able to move forward and protect our citizens and our employees from an unhealthy workplace environment."
As Thomas Sowell might put it; this is self congratulations as a basis for social policy. (From his eminently readable The Vision of the Anointed: Self-Congratulation As a Basis for Social Policy)
"We promised people that if they put in the extra ventilation equipment, they would be okay. Now we're just cutting them off and telling them we know better than them about their business," Feaga said. "I just think that government is being too much of a Big Brother."
Smoking was apparently a HUGE problem in Howard County as the last paragraph in the article makes clear:
“Opponents of the smoking ban, which also prohibits smoking within 15 feet of the restaurant and bar entrances, said the measure was unnecessary because 83 percent of the county's eating and drinking establishments already prohibit smoking.”
An unidentified quote from years ago: “Liberals don’t care what you do as long as it's compulsory.”
Finally, we get to read this bit of self-serving puffery:
"I think we're all very pleased that once again Howard County will be a leader in public health," said council member Ken Ulman (D-West Columbia), who voted with Ball and Guy Guzzone (D-Southeast County) to support the measure. "We'll be able to move forward and protect our citizens and our employees from an unhealthy workplace environment."
As Thomas Sowell might put it; this is self congratulations as a basis for social policy. (From his eminently readable The Vision of the Anointed: Self-Congratulation As a Basis for Social Policy)
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Apparently they think businesses are too stupid to regulate themselves. I mean the whole thing is stupid. When Montgomery County banned smoking you could see the 100 less people a night at Clyde's in Bethesda--and they were 2 blocks away in DC. If people don't like smoking, don't go to places that allow it. Vice versa if they do like it.
Next thing you know it'll be illegal to smoke in your car because the second hand smoke may get out the cracked window and into another car (as if the smog from the exhaust doesn't count).
Then again, this comes from the people who tell us guns are the problem.
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Next thing you know it'll be illegal to smoke in your car because the second hand smoke may get out the cracked window and into another car (as if the smog from the exhaust doesn't count).
Then again, this comes from the people who tell us guns are the problem.
# posted by 
: Friday, June 09, 2006 9:49:00 AM
: Friday, June 09, 2006 9:49:00 AM << Home
