Happy Memorial Day To My FReeper Friends !
Posted on 05/30/2005 5:28:43 AM PDT by SheLion
If you're steamed up about Mayor Bloomberg's smoking ban in bars and restaurants, mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner wants you to light up with him at the voting booth.
"The smoking ban was insensitive to the needs of small outer-borough pubs, like the ones in my district for whom accommodating smokers is part of the rationale for their business," said Rep. Weiner (D-Brooklyn, Queens).
Weiner, who doesn't smoke, said family-owned bars and small establishments "should have the right to have smoking" - a surprising move for a Democrat to take in the primary.
If elected, Weiner said, he would advocate changes to thelaw, but he conceded it would be a tough haul, given that Albany lawmakers enacted a statewide smoking ban in restaurants and bars after the City Council passed Bloomberg's ban in thecity.
"It is not going to be a holy jihad of mine to have the law overturned," Weiner conceded. "I'm not sure this is where I'm going to exhaust a lot of my time and energy."
Weiner joins Tom Ognibene, aRepublican and former city councilman from Queens, as the only mayoral hopefuls advocating major changes to the smoking ban. Ognibene called for repealing the ban last week.
City Council Speaker Gifford Miller (D-Manhattan), another mayoral hopeful, said the ban should stay in place.
"This is an important public health matter and as mayor I will keep the smoking ban in place because it is the right thing to do," Miller said.
Happy Memorial Day To My FReeper Friends !
Smoking is being banned in a lot of places because they say it is injurious to health, and you know big brother is worried about your health. Hmmmm Wonder why they dont ban homosexual relationships , more die from AIDS than smoking.
Oh they say smoking is a killer, but to this day I have never seen a death certificate that listed the cause of death as SMOKING.
"The role of government is not to create wealth.
The role of government is to create an environment
in which the entrepreneur or small business or
dreamer can flourish. And that starts with rule of law,
respect of private property, less regulatory burdens on the
entrepreneur, open banking laws so that all people
have access to capital, and good tax policy."
President George W. Bush
St. Petersburg University,
St. Petersburg, Russia
May 25, 2002
Even our President recognizes the rights of the business owner and how important it is not to stunt the business and to let it grow and flourish!
Yet the RINO'S continually chip away at rights "for our own good." What about the good of the business that is forced to closing because of lost revenue? The smoking bans are choking our economy.
Perfect positioning for a politician of any stripe. He picks up the smokers vote without having to really do anything. Another victory for "outside forces" or his accomplice "unforeseen events".
"It is not going to be a holy jihad of mine to have the law overturned," Weiner conceded. "I'm not sure this is where I'm going to exhaust a lot of my time and energy."
It's lip service to get elected.
He can't overturn it because of the state law and he knows it.
The average life of an AIDS victim is 42. Smokers can live into their 60's and beyond, as we all know.
Oh they say smoking is a killer, but to this day I have never seen a death certificate that listed the cause of death as SMOKING.
I have never seen the cause of death as smoking or second hand smoke on any death certificate ever. The best they can do is : he was a heavy smoker.
Well, life is terminal whether a person ever smokes or not.
Well, it's a damn shame that we have to look to the DEMS to get rights back. This is ridiculous to say the least.
Our own kind stuck it to us. What a mixed up mess.
Didn't Bloomberg switch parties shortly before running for Mayor of NYC?
Dem in Rep clothing?
I'm just pointing out that it's a sad day when the other side recognizes the plight of the bans. Even if they are playing a "lip service," at least the lawmakers do know that the smoking bans are choking our economy.
I'm just sad that the Conservatives aren't standing up and admitting same.
You are correct. he knew he couldn't win the Dem primary and there wasn't any viable Rep - so he switched tags and then basically bought the position.
Yes, he did. I think he was a Libertarian. Correct me if I am wrong.
But he did switch parties at the request of Rudy, so he could run on the Republican ticket. Big mistake.
Did Audrey Silk withdraw from the mayoral race? If not, this statement is incorrect.
I had exactly the same thought when I read that line.
She sure didn't withdraw and you are correct. That statement is incorrect.
Audrey is going to appear on Bill O'Reilly's show tonight at 8. Bill might not be there because of the holiday, but watch the show and you will see Audrey!!
Thanks for that heads up - I haven't turned on the television since I turned it off Friday afternoon - but I will put it on to watch Audrey tonight.
You're right.
Whether you're a Dem or a Rep, it all goes back to 'follow the money'.
As much as people dislike Dems, you have to give them credit for sticking to their goal.
Too bad their goal is SOCIALISM!
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