Another Battle Lost

Seems public opinion means less and less these days. By 52% to 46%, more Americans disapprove of the new law expanding the federal government's power to regulate the manufacturing and marketing of tobacco products.

All the numbers I'm about to give out are from a Gallup Poll, conducted June 14-17.

The question was asked - Do you approve or disapprove of the new law that gives the federal government power to regulate the manufacturing and marketing of cigarettes and other tobacco products? When it came down to smokers, only 28% approved where 69% disapproved. (not too surprizing) Of nonsmokers it was much closer. 50% approved of the new law and 48% disapproved.

As a nonsmoker for over 2 years now, I'm in that 48% that disapprove. In this day and age, if you don't know smoking is bad for you, you are just too stupid. Jobs and livelihoods have been lost far too often. The nanny laws in place will never be reversed at this point, but they could be changed. Why not allow 'bars only' allow smoking? If they don't want to be around it, an adult should be able to make the decision to not go in a building where people might be smoking.

How many people working in a bar, that use that job to support their family and can't be or don't want to be around smoking, couldn't find a comperable job elsewhere? Take that number of people versus the family business' that have been lost, the jobs lost in those bars and the smoke shops closed down along with those employees.

Look at the small towns across the country, or just here in Minnesota, where the bar is the only business in town. Look at the small neighborhood bars that have been there for 40, 50 years or maybe a century. Sometimes those are the only gathering places for people that otherwise wouldn't socialize.

Another number coming out of this poll is 17% want it to be illegal to smoke anywhere in the United States. Anywhere! Unfreakin believable! Some one resting in a leather chair in Washington D. C., doesn't want some one on a small Pacific island (US territory), sitting on a large rock, overlooking a wide open ocean to lean back and relax with a fine cigar.

Part of America's culture is being taken away and in most cases, it's not what we people want. This isn't going to cause the downfall of America, but it hurts, and no one in D.C. or St Paul is listening. All because people in places of power need to justify the existence of their position or their existence in a political party.

Just as I started writing this, President Obama is on the news signing this new law. We've lost another battle.