Comments on: Pawlenty To Sign Smoking Ban http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/ A Stream of Consciousness by Andy Aplikowski on His Life, His Politics, His Dogs, His Truck, and Whatever Pleases His Fancy Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:23:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: dan http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37806 dan Thu, 17 May 2007 04:38:39 +0000 http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37806 "like it or not, sometimes the majority rules… if this was voted upon, you can bet it would pass in a flash." Erm. SOMETIMES the majority does rule. This isn't one of those times. If it was put to a referendum, it would almost certainly fail. The MN House of Representatives did a survey on this issue. The majority wanted state-preemption, and no ban for bars or private clubs. If the will of the majority were observed in that case, the state law would have weakened existing local smoking bans, and only banned smoking in restaurants. It was a razor-thin majority that wanted to go even that far. http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/survey/hf305.asp KSTP commissioned a poll by Survey USA that showed a solid 58% opposed banning smoking in bars. http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReportEmail.aspx?g=67d97b88-f10f-48e7-a8b7-d99b2cbad8a7 In an Olmstead County poll, 81% of respondents agreed with this statement:“The choice of whether or not to patronize a business that allows smoking indoors belongs with the individual person, not government.” A poll conducted by the Rochester Post-Bulletin asked, "Should Gov. Pawlenty sign the Freedom to Breathe Act into law, banning smoking in all bars and restaurants?" 51.6% said NO. http://poll.postbulletin.com/xlaapmview.asp?p=953&view=1 The Republican Party (you know, the folks that elected Governor Pawlenty) voted on the issue too. Here's what the party decided: Minnesota Republican Party Platform Section 7, Article N: “Support for the right of all commercial property owners to govern the legal consumption of tobacco within their properties.” Banning tobacco outright can't happen, because smokers currently contribute 1/15th of the state's annual budget. That's right. $1 billion a year in tobacco taxes and "fees" go to the state coffers, with a bi-annual budget of $30 billion. Ban it, and almost 5% of the budget is suddenly unfunded. “like it or not, sometimes the majority rules… if this was voted upon, you can bet it would pass in a flash.”

Erm. SOMETIMES the majority does rule. This isn’t one of those times. If it was put to a referendum, it would almost certainly fail.

The MN House of Representatives did a survey on this issue. The majority wanted state-preemption, and no ban for bars or private clubs. If the will of the majority were observed in that case, the state law would have weakened existing local smoking bans, and only banned smoking in restaurants. It was a razor-thin majority that wanted to go even that far.
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/survey/hf305.asp

KSTP commissioned a poll by Survey USA that showed a solid 58% opposed banning smoking in bars.
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReportEmail.aspx?g=67d97b88-f10f-48e7-a8b7-d99b2cbad8a7

In an Olmstead County poll, 81% of respondents agreed with this statement:“The choice of whether or not to patronize a business that allows smoking indoors belongs with the individual person, not government.”

A poll conducted by the Rochester Post-Bulletin asked, “Should Gov. Pawlenty sign the Freedom to Breathe Act into law, banning smoking in all bars and restaurants?”
51.6% said NO.
http://poll.postbulletin.com/xlaapmview.asp?p=953&view=1

The Republican Party (you know, the folks that elected Governor Pawlenty) voted on the issue too. Here’s what the party decided:

Minnesota Republican Party Platform Section 7, Article N:
“Support for the right of all commercial property owners to govern the legal consumption of tobacco within their properties.”

Banning tobacco outright can’t happen, because smokers currently contribute 1/15th of the state’s annual budget. That’s right. $1 billion a year in tobacco taxes and “fees” go to the state coffers, with a bi-annual budget of $30 billion. Ban it, and almost 5% of the budget is suddenly unfunded.

]]> By: montanaliberal http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37799 montanaliberal Wed, 16 May 2007 18:50:42 +0000 http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37799 Lady, banning tobacco would be fine by me! Lady, banning tobacco would be fine by me!

]]> By: the Lady Logician http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37795 the Lady Logician Wed, 16 May 2007 12:12:36 +0000 http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37795 Then let's just ban tobacco and be done with it ML. Make the sale and possession ILLEGAL! Then when you get done putting all the tobacco addicts in jail, you can put the politicians who are addicted to tobacco revenue in jail with them! Seriously - we don't put drug users in jail because they "have an illness" why punish smokers? BTW - I don't smoke. LL Then let’s just ban tobacco and be done with it ML. Make the sale and possession ILLEGAL! Then when you get done putting all the tobacco addicts in jail, you can put the politicians who are addicted to tobacco revenue in jail with them!

Seriously - we don’t put drug users in jail because they “have an illness” why punish smokers?

BTW - I don’t smoke.

LL

]]> By: Residual Forces » Blog Archive » Can’t Get No Satisfaction http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37791 Residual Forces » Blog Archive » Can’t Get No Satisfaction Wed, 16 May 2007 02:52:26 +0000 http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37791 [...] Pawlenty To Sign Smoking Ban [...] [...] Pawlenty To Sign Smoking Ban [...]

]]> By: montanaliberal http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37790 montanaliberal Wed, 16 May 2007 02:44:35 +0000 http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37790 and if something i did endangered the life, health, and wellbeing of another person directly, yes, i would deal with it... and if something i did endangered the life, health, and wellbeing of another person directly, yes, i would deal with it…

]]> By: montanaliberal http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37789 montanaliberal Wed, 16 May 2007 02:43:56 +0000 http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37789 LL, like it or not, sometimes the majority rules... if this was voted upon, you can bet it would pass in a flash. LL, like it or not, sometimes the majority rules…

if this was voted upon, you can bet it would pass in a flash.

]]> By: the Lady Logician http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37787 the Lady Logician Wed, 16 May 2007 02:25:35 +0000 http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37787 I don't have to "deal" Montana.....it's called personal responsibility and property rights. Are you gonna "deal" when they come after something that YOU DO????? LL (who is 15 years smoke free) I don’t have to “deal” Montana…..it’s called personal responsibility and property rights. Are you gonna “deal” when they come after something that YOU DO?????

LL (who is 15 years smoke free)

]]> By: montanaliberal http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37783 montanaliberal Wed, 16 May 2007 01:43:25 +0000 http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37783 good luck finding a place to live in the US that isn't smoke free in about 10-15 years times change, deal good luck finding a place to live in the US that isn’t smoke free in about 10-15 years

times change, deal

]]> By: stevensnell http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37779 stevensnell Wed, 16 May 2007 00:42:04 +0000 http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37779 So you are calling the Governor a Nazi? Just wanted to get that straight. So you are calling the Governor a Nazi? Just wanted to get that straight.

]]> By: the Lady Logician http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37772 the Lady Logician Tue, 15 May 2007 21:18:19 +0000 http://www.residualforces.com/2007/05/15/pawlenty-to-sign-smoking-ban/#comment-37772 Sigh......just when he was starting to put aside the ghosts of last session..... LL Sigh……just when he was starting to put aside the ghosts of last session…..

LL

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