Business Owner Opposes Smoking Ban

This is from Bill Savage, a business owner and legislative aide to Representative Pridemore. 

Now that we spent an entire weekend at the Republican Convention or shall I say the Conservative Convention, listening to speaker after speaker talk about freedom, smaller government and liberty, we have come home to reality.

That reality is this; The republican party will never recapture the spirit of smaller government, personal freedom and private enterprise as long as there are republicans in office who are willing to trade those principals for a little face time in the newspaper or compromise their principals to do what is politically convenient at the time.

The fact that there are “republicans” who would actually vote to infringe upon the rights of private individuals and business owners is quite telling of the state of the Republican Party today. 

The smoking ban supporters are simply a bunch of do-gooders who think it is their job to make sure we don’t hurt ourselves.  This is as true for this issue as any other government intrusion, such as primary enforcement of seat belts.  Obliviously, if you think that the government should be requiring adults to wear their seatbelts, then you also would support the government making sure we don’t smoke at the bar. 

The question is not whether people should smoke or not.  People should not smoke.  They shouldn’t drink either.  People should exercise 3 or 4 times a week and they should not eat fish fries on, even on Fridays.  They should give up the cakes and candies and cut down on red meat. Many people believe that pre-martial sex is a terrible practice. Perhaps these things I‘ve mentioned can be next on the do-gooder’s list of things to ban.

Taken from a free-market stand point, the private sector moves fairly quickly to provide choices for the consumer.  In Hartford, there is only one restaurant that allows smoking, the rest do not.  Also, there is a bar that does not allow smoking.  It seems everyone has a choice here.  Non-smokers who are bothered by smoke have choices and those who are not also have choices.  Fair enough? 

Taken from a philosophical standpoint we could argue until the cows come home.  Anyone who considers themselves an advocate for freedom cannot possibly support a smoking ban in taverns.  Perhaps one could support a smoking ban in a grocery store, Dr’s office or a public building, but a tavern?

Why do you think tavern owners are the only one’s making a fuss?  Try supporting a ban on sweating in a health club, or selling sugar in a candy store.  It’s a door closer.

As a tavern owner, I will be fighting back.  I will be looking to recall anyone I can who votes for a smoking ban in taverns.  What else can I do?  With 4 kids coming close to the age where my wife and I are talking about financing college, I cannot afford to have some do-gooder render our family business worthless. 

After spending the weekend listening to all these “conservatives” talk the talk, we will also have the opportunity real soon to see who will walk the walk.