Statewide Smoking Ban Fails to Clear N.C. House

WRAL.com ^ | May 2, 2007 | MARGARET LILLARD

[SheLion]

RALEIGH, N.C. — An attempt to ban smoking in many public areas across North Carolina narrowly failed in the House on Wednesday, as tobacco territory Democrats sided with Republicans who called the measure an infringement on the rights of business owners.

[SheLion]

Rep Hugh "the jerk" Holliman, D-Davidson said it's not about personal freedoms, or property rights.  It's about protecting the health of the people.  Well, Hugh "the jerk" Holliman, how about letting adults take responsibility for running their own businesses and let the people take responsibility for their own health!

How about it Mr. DemocRAT Control Freak? 

[SheLion]

[RandallFlagg]

WOO-HOO!
How ya been, lady?

[SheLion]

WOO-HOO!
How ya been, lady?

Hey You! How have YOU been???

[RandallFlagg]

Not too bad. Did you bump me off of your ping list?

[Budge]

Amen SheLion, amen!

[SheLion]

Not too bad. Did you bump me off of your ping list?

Guilty as charged and I am SO sorry!  I haven't heard from you in awhile.  But you are back on right now as we speak.  Forgive me?

[SheLion]

Amen SheLion, amen!

At least SOME states have the cajones to stick up for the rights of business owners!  I applaud them!!!

[mc6809e]

A little town in alabama had a good idea: they forced every businesses to declare itself smoking or non smoking. There are no smoking and nonsmoking sections.
This makes a lot of sense to me since there really is no way to prevent the smoke from one section from getting into the other.

The results have been good. People keep their freedom to choose. There’s a good mix of smoking and non smoking establishments.

[RandallFlagg]

Of course. My situation keeps me from getting online as often as I wished, but I’m still here.

[Budge]

Those states that don't stick up for business owners and ban smoking, then stick up the rest of the people (including smokers) by raising taxes/fees to make up for "lost revenue."

Gawd, how I detest the "nanny state" mentality of these law-makers!

[Madame Dufarge]

Good for North Carolina.

The anti-freedom nuts are apparently going into meltdown over this, as witnessed by this subtle, articulate post by a typical one in the "Comments" section after the article:

KEEP ON SMOKING YOU TARDS!!!! BLACK LUNG!!! LET THE GOVERNMENT HELP YOU DIE!!!!NO JOBS HERE ANYMORE FROM TOBACCO!!!! WHY ARE THEY STILL PROTECTING THE CANCER STICK MAKERS?!?!?!??! ENJOY THAT RIGHT TO DIE IN MISERY YOU SMOKERS RIGHTS ADVOCATES!!!

What quality people. Who wouldn't want them running things?

[jmyrlefuller]

It’s about time something like this happened. It looks like this particular bill’s failure was the result of some significant self-interest, but maybe some people are finally starting to see the anti-tobacco lobby as the deceptive, totalitarian, nanny-state zealots they truly are.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Black lung? That’s a coal miner’s affliction.

[SheLion]

The results have been good. People keep their freedom to choose. There’s a good mix of smoking and non smoking establishments.

This is how it should be!  Smoking in a private establishment should be left up to the owner and his patrons.  NOT the nanny government.  Dictatorship and Taliban rule is not cutting it in this Country!

     

[SheLion]

Of course. My situation keeps me from getting online as often as I wished, but I’m still here.

I'm glad you are still here Randall.  I've missed your posts!!!! :)

[SheLion]

What quality people. Who wouldn't want them running things?

They are a bunch of insidious pigs!

[SheLion]

Black lung? That’s a coal miner’s affliction.

Exactly.  Black lung comes from working in the coal mines!

[TheBattman]

Wow - makes so much sense. One of the leading tobacco producing states looking at banning smoking in public places... hmmm. What are they putting in the water over there?

[Erasmus]

This legislation was doubtless conceived in the proverbial smoke-filled room.