[SheLion]

"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

[SheLion]

More erosion of rights! Even our President does not want to "hurt the small business person." So why is Bloomberg going against our President?

[Pistolshot]

Does anyone else see the parallel between anti-smoking laws, gun control and SUV's????? It's not about smoking, it's not about guns, it's not about SUV's.......it's about CONTROL.

Smokers have been demonized, same as gun-owners, that if you light up you are posing a risk to others, in the 'privacy' of your own home and possibly (oh my God) the cause of cancer in your cat. If you are a smoker, you are a killer of babies, a contributor to the hole in the ozone, and just a bad person.

Sound familiar?

SUV's, guns, smoking are all being given the .....'bad for your health' moniker by those who want to control what you do, what you drive, and what to own. Soon they will try to control what you see (they do much of that now), what you hear, and who you hear it from.

The next 'revolution' will be one of the mind.

[sidegunner]

The tobacco-nazi's tried this in Mesa,Az. Restaurants and bars started to tank at amazing rate ,to the point of taxes declining....guess what happened?...they started making exemptions,this was in '98. I haven't been back and I don't know what has happened since.

[iconoclast]

Under RINO Bloomberg cigarettes will be gone ... and graffiti is coming back. Results typical of lefty, PC politicians' priorities.

[ZULU]

Blomberg is just another Democrat who called himself a Republican in order to run for higher office. Sean Hannity exposed this phoney during the campaign.

Creatures like this are endemic to northeastern Republican politics, e.g. Chrissie Whitman, Tom Kean, Nelson Rockefeller, Jacob Javits, Tom Ridge, "Donny" DiFrancesco, etc.

[lavaroise]

Time for NYer bars to exerce their second amendment rights.

[Enterprise]

What I wonder about is why they must have an all or nothing policy. Why can't 10 percent of all restaurants and bars have a special license to allow smoking? Each place could be clearly posted and if someone doesn't like to be in a place where smoking is allowed they have a whole lot MORE to chose from.

[VRWC_minion]

although the New York State Restaurant Association recently reversed its longstanding opposition to the proposed state law after a survey showed that 76 percent of its 7,000 members favored the law.

I thought so. I bet most restaurants want to ban smoking because of cost considerations in providing staffing etc for separate sections. A ban lowers costs while not affecting revenues.

[FourtySeven]

Even cigar bars, if they serve alcohol, are likely to be included in the legislation.

No they wouldn't, because cigar bars are "cool" with the liberal elete.

[zoyd]

Sadly, NY will succumb.

Perfect example: Hannity's radio show today, Aug. 9, 2002. A caller called and said:

"Sean, I'm a conservative here in CA, and the smoking ban is the best thing to come out of California since Ronald Reagan!"

With a completely 180 degree view of 'personal freedom', this 'conservative' was bashing business-owner rights without end.

When you get self-styled 'conservatives' lauding huge nanny-state laws, where else are we to go but down?

[I'm_With_Orwell]

"employees within them should have the same option of a smoke-free environment

Option? What blooming option? THey have an option now. There will be no option under the new law!

[Clemenza]

"I don't believe a New Yorker would choose a steakhouse in Weehawken over Ruth's Chris in New York City because of a smoking regulation," Mr. Oddo said yesterday.

Oddo proves to be quite the Staten Islander by naming Ruth's Cris instead of S&W, Sparks or the Homestead. Much like many on SI, he proves he is just as much a Dem in Pubbie clothing as Bloomburg.

I HATE BLOOMBURG! I HATE HIS BOSTON ACCENT AND HIS PINKO POLITICS! LET'S TAR AND FEATHER HIM!