Texas Legislators looking at Statewide Smoking Ban: KETK Viewers Respond
KTBB's Question of the Day for Wednesday, May 13th
May 13, 2009 - 6:33am
Tyler—
KETK Viewers and KTBB Listeners talk back to Garth Maier about The Legislature's attempt at a state-wide smoking ban.
People in this state overwhelmingly claim to reject big government and embrace free market capitalism.
So why is this big government, anti-free market capitalism measure apparently going to pass?
Business owners should have the right to decide what otherwise legal activity they permit in their establishments based on their own assessment of their economic self interest.
Potential patrons will react in what they see as their interest and the businessman will benefit or suffer accordingly.
For those of you who can't seem to grasp the notion, this is what is called the free market.
Non-smokers should refuse to patronize a business that permits smoking. Its as simple as that.
Supporting government interference in the Free Market just because you have the votes to get your own petty preferences enshrined in law is one reason this country is in the mess it is in.
Eric Rathbone
Smith County Chair
Libertarian Party of Texas
Eric Rathbone
7 months agoIt is just crazy to allow people sucking on burning poisonous leaves poison other people.
The woman on the video was whining about sodium etc also being harmful, but that is a silly argument. First sodium is not comparable to sodium--maybe she could argue that heroin is fine because sodium is "bad-- but more importantly if someone is eating a salty meal they are not forcing other people to consume the sodium. There is no "secondhand" sodium. One would think a journalist could figure it out for herself, but I guess some are hired for their looks rather than their brains.
Kenneth Sandale
6 months agoHi Kenneth:
I must agree that if we were referring to "poison" it would be crazy to give this to one who contaminated hundreds or millions with that poision. Thing is, unless your paralyzed you have the freedom in this country to get-up and not sit directly next to one smoking.
Actually, one could say that "you yourself" or your family poison our earth simply by breathing/exhaling. After all, when you exhale you are placing deadly toxins in the air. What do you suggest we do about you? What gives you the right to feel you have more freedoms or moral worth than someone else..say "the smoker"...think about it.
Would it not be better for all at some point to say, we are all Americans, we all have freedoms, Some have habit others dislike but in order to not lose ALL our freedoms, We MUST learn to be reasonable with eachother?
M. Santos
Michelle Santos
4 months agoPost new comment