The Statewide Smoking Ban....

..........And other silly demands.

Been a few days again since I have updated my little screed, but rest assured that that I was eagerly awaiting anything remotely interesting to talk about.

Lo and behold, I came across this excellent break-down of what is so absolutely WRONG about the Statewide Smoking Ban that the "wussy" class has been trying to stuff down our throats lately. Give it a read, this guy breaks it down better than I ever could.

On that subject though, I think that as long as we are talking about the dangerous and stupid behavior of our fellow citizens and just how we can protect ourselves from them, I decided to point out a few of the things that I would like to push for if we decided to go in this direction.

For the sake of this argument, I am going to assume that the "dangers of second-hand smoke" are the reasons that we are having this argument. The fact that science has proven this argument to be bogus over and over again is not going to to enter into this conversation.

I am going to GRANT that second-hand smoke is dangerous for the sake of this argument. It ISN'T, but that is a discussion for another time.

(btw, those of you who just send me e-mails instead of posting: Screw You! You are dead to me).

Let us examine, shall we, OTHER ways in which my fellow citizens put our lives in danger every day. REAL ways, not just fictional ones that have been floated by do-gooders and politicians hoping to grab their votes.

1. Speeders

This one puts us all in danger in verifiable ways. It is pretty easy to count dead people on the highway and you don't have to fudge the stats at all like Smoke Free Wisconsin loves to do.

The speed limits are there for a reason, and it is a safety issue. I would really love to ( and may someday soon) take a look at the traffic records of the SFW folks and see just how many of them show a callous disregard for their fellow human beings while they are behind the wheel.

I propose the following :

You get one free pass. Anyone getting a speeding ticket gets a significant fine. 500-1000 dollars should do it.

Anyone getting 2 speeding tickets loses their license for a significant amount of time. 5-7 years seems reasonable.

3 tickets?

You are out of the game for good. You have proven yourself an unrepentant danger to the rest of us, therefore you have surrendered your right to drive with the rest of us.

2.Cell Phones While Driving

Does any serious person believe this should not be banned? I am not talking about the everything but the "hands free" option either. It is the conversation that is a distraction, not holding the phone. Considering the fact that the people who are always yapping on the cell phone happen to be younger, less experienced drivers this seems like a no-brainer.

I propose the following:

An out and out ban on cell phones and/or cell conversations while driving and severe penalties and long term loss of driving rights if this ban is violated.

3. Drunk Drivers

If the standard is to be whether or not a person's behavior is a danger to the rest of us, then this one is REALLY a no-brainer.

I propose the following:

ONE and your DONE. No driving EVER, and prison time if you are caught driving after.

You have shown the same reckless disregard for others as a person who kills an innocent in a drive-by. You may not MEAN to do it, but it is your actions that cause it.

We just cannot take a chance on you.

Now, if the standard truly is SAFETY and the well being of others in public spaces, how could anyone who is in FAVOR of the smoking ban argue with the above?

Remember, I am just using the standard of measure that folks like Smoke Free Wisconsin use. Public Safety, Public Health.

The fact of the matter is though, that people like SFW are not interested in public safety or health. They are interested in their own comfort, therefore they have invented a non-existent "right" to go where they want and have everyone in the room kow-tow down to their preferences.

I can think of all sorts of things that I would like to see banned for my own comfort:

Democrats, Green Day, People who watch American Idol, Close Talkers, Katie Couric.......