A Pint, A Pipe and Politics Explained

For those who know of G.K. Chesterton, you may have figured out where I came up with the title for my blog, "A Pint, A Pipe and Politics". Chesterton was a convert to Catholicism and is attributed to saying that he became catholic because Catholics did not see a contradiction between a pipe, a pint and prayer - meaning that there was nothing sinful about enjoying liquor and tobacco - in moderation of course. :) This went against a good many other faiths that pushed an extreme form of abstinence from liquor and tobacco.

When it comes to liquor and tobacco, there is a very long history of politics and in turn political freedom attached to it. When a government would tax to excess and restrict the use of tobacco and liquor it was a safe bet that other political freedoms were being infringed upon.

If only the busybodies of the world would just relax and allow a more "live and let live" attitude, maybe they would be a wee bit happier in life. Yes, I am making the assumption that the anti-tobacco crowd tends to be a bit of a no-joy bunch. To actively seek to deny a man (or woman) the freedom to walk into a cigar bar and enjoy a good cigar or pipe for no other reason than to be doing it 'for the good of the community' invites the caricature of a dour disposition.

The argument used to enact a ban against a cigar bar for instance has no logical support. If they are doing it for the employees it begs the question of why someone would seek employment in a cigar bar in the first place if they were concerned about their health. I can hear the rebuttal now of something to the effect of not being able to secure employment elsewhere and thus 'trapped' working in a smoke infested bar. If you take away the purpose of a cigar bar how can you expect the bar to stay in business...you can't. Just ask all the non Indian Reservation cigar bar owners in Washington State. Oh, wait - you can't! THEY NO LONGER EXIST! When your goal is the total prohibition of tobacco, none of this matters, so spare us the BS of doing it for 'the workers'.

The Heartland Institute...Free Market Solutions

Research & Commentary: Top Ten Reasons Not to Raise Tobacco Taxes - by John Nothdurft

PACT Act Threatens Internet Anonymity, Online Commerce - by Thomas Cheplick

High Taxes, Public Employee Unions Crushing Michigan’s Economy - by Thomas Cheplick

Governor’s Proposal to Tax Candy and Soda - by John Nothdurft

"The Heartland Institute's mission is to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems. Such solutions include parental choice in education, choice and personal responsibility in health care, market-based approaches to environmental protection, privatization of public services, and deregulation in areas where property rights and markets do a better job than government bureaucracies."

I love these guys (Heartland).  They do a great job explaining who, what, where, why and how of freemarket solutions.  They look to free market solutions, not Nazi inspired bans, taxation and fear-mongering.

Michigan the 38th state to ban workplace smoking

Belmont, MI (WZZM) - Smokers are running out of states where they can light up in public. When Michigan goes smoke free next spring only 12 states will permit smoking in public places.

"It's nice they are making the change," says non-smoker Kerry Batdorff.
This week the state legislature passed a ban on smoking in all Michigan workplaces, including bars and restaurants. Governor Granholm says she will sign the bill into law.
"It's a gift for the people of Michigan," she says.
But at Westwood Crossings in Belmont, many of the dart players aren't too happy about the smoking ban.


Comments: I can't let this one go. In an earlier post I went off on the bar ban and those that felt it didn't go far enough. Governor Granholm and every Democrat and Republican busybody that live in a government echo chamber have no clue that they are continuing to enact laws that take away the freedom of business owners to run their business as they see fit. There are thousands of bars and restaurants that are currently smoke free in Michigan. The ones that are left are for those that cater to smokers. All this will result in is business owners losing their business with their employees out on the street looking for work. Gee Governor, do you think they'll find work in your business friendly state? This sort of interference will only continue until there is no room left for private business to function.

It's a gift for the people of Michigan? Please, spare us! The gift that the people of Michigan demand is to get out of their way with regulation and taxation and be able to own and operate a business freely.

The irony is that this law doesn't affect me personally. I don't frequent bars or smoke cigarettes. The point is that this is continued government overreach. It won't stop here. Wait until government at both the state and federal levels control your health care. Own a donut shop? Food too fatty on the menu at your restaurant? You will be considered a fat pusher and thus a public menace. Not a business owner. Wait until you are called into your boss' office and counseled that you are too fat and must lose weight or lose your health insurance.

You can't contain this sort of overreach to just tobacco. It will spread. So for all the non-smokers that think this is a good thing, just wait - soon they will come for something you enjoy. If they do, please do the rest of us a favor and suffer in silence. I am only trying to spare you the pain of being a hypocrite.

Please Don't Poop in My Salad

From the Heartland Institute. Great information.

Don't Poop In My Salad

Michigan Smoking Ban Coming Soon...

New Michigan smoking ban in workplaces, restaurants and bars gets mixed reaction from business owners

Quotes from an enlightened reader's comments of this article:
"The majority of people in the state and in our country do NOT smoke, and we do not want to go ANYWHERE where people do smoke."

"The law is not perfect, I agree there should have been no exceptions. But its a big step in the right direction."


My response to this individual:
Right! So as a non-smoker, do you frequent cigar bars? If the ban included cigar bars it would be no better than telling the cigar bar owner to close up his bar and hand the keys over to the state government. It is this type of mob thinking that resulted in a regime like the Nazis - also anti-tobacco by the way. We were founded as a republic on purpose due to the totalitarian mob rule that a true democracy leads to. Too strong to call people that support taking someone’s property a Nazi? I think I am being too kind, especially considering you had 6000 other bars to pick from that were non-smoking.

Don’t Leave Home Without It…

Don’t Leave Home Without It … Your Pipe

She Likes the Smell of a Pipe

Two great articles from pipesmagazine.com. 
Who are we to deny the world the smell of real tobacco.

Anti-Tobacco Science: Science or Junk?

I am not a conspiracy theory watcher. Not enough time in the day. I do believe people become compromised or corrupt by following their visions or ambitions to the point where they are willing to misrepresent information if it means more grant money or it may be a case of believing the ends justify the means. Whatever the reason, it has become clear to any reasonable person that certain scientific institutions and individuals have become untrustworthy, especially when funded by groups that want a certain outcome.

I always felt that global warming was junk science, especially given the political nature of the movement. With the hacking of e-mailings revealing how there may have been some 'creative' measures taken to continue to show that global warming was taking place - I became more willing to give other skeptics the benefit of the doubt - in this case in the area of tobacco.

In full disclosure I have not read the books I list here in their entirety. I have read some of the material published online and it grabbed my interest, especially the health hazard claims attached to tobacco. I am not here to debate one way or another. What I would like to point out is, just like in the global warming movement, the anti-tobacco groups have the same group of liberty robbing busybodies associated with it. The irony is that I was only an occasional cigar smoker and now I am enjoying the pipe - primarily because it is very enjoyable and relaxing - but also as a form of rebellion (Put That in Your Pipe) against those that would like nothing better than to control our lives from cradle to grave. There are risks associate with every aspect of living your life, to include heavy tobacco use. You can not rob someone of their property and in turn their liberty because you claim to be doing it for the ‘public good’. The Nazis did that and countless other totalitarian regimes.

Smoke Screens Velvet Glove, Iron Fist For Your Own Good In Defense of Smokers

The War on Smokers and the Rise of the Nanny State

While we are on the subject of totalitarian regimes, here is another excellent book which I have read, highlighted, and am going to re-read shortly:

The Road To Serfdom