I realize this is probably nit-picky, well, wait a minute, this is my blog, I can do that!

I went to a medical conference not long ago. The topic of the clean indoor air act came up. The speaker said that periodically there are attempts to repeal the clean indoor air act. He then asked the audience if anyone wanted to see that happen. 299 heads and some voices dutifully shouted “NO”. One little head didn’t bobble, mine.

The speaker then went on to say that some casinos were still able to allow smoking because they had lobbyists so they hadn’t been able to outlaw smoking in all casinos.

So let’s just think about this for a minute. Someone, or someones invest their time and money into building a business, say a restaurant or bar. They pay the insurance, they buy the dishes, they pay the rent and the utilities and the staff if there is any. They hope there will be money leftover so they can recover some of what they’ve invested. So far I’ve only mentioned money. I haven’t mentioned the hard work getting the building ready or the stress of such a gamble. But all of that goes along with being the owner.

Now you have a mob of people who don’t want to allow smoking in a building because they don’t like it. So they get their governmental thugs, bullies, elected officials to make the owner conform to their will. Now, this may go to a vote of the people. YEAH! The people’s will ruled and triumphed. Peachy, just peachy. All those people that voted to make these businesses conform to their will, how much money did they put into that business? How many walls did they paint? How many nights did they stay up worrying? How many things did they do without to make sure the bills got paid? Oh none? And you are celebrating the win, eh?

Do you not think the business owner has the right to determine how best to run THEIR business? The one they built despite what the left says about “you didn’t build that”. They aren’t allowed to put into practice the rules they think will make their business the most successful?

I was talking this over with a friend and she pointed out that there are rules for safe food storage and handling. I countered with yes, there are guidelines. Things have to be kept at such a such a temperature or only for so many days, but HOW the business meets that guideline is up to them. Icebox or refrigerator, what brand and size is determined by the owner.

She came back and said she felt sorry for the poor employees that had to work there. Jobs are not that easy to find these days. I opined that the scarcity of jobs was also a result of government over-regulation. But apart from that, while I might feel sorry for the employee, how much of their money did they invest? How much did they do without to keep the business going? It is still the owner who took the risk.

Then if you go back to what the speaker said about casinos pay lobbyists so people can still smoke there. Hmm, well, why would a casino do that? They are run by stupid people? No, because they know that they might/will lose business if they have to go down that road. And, casinos can afford the lobbyists. The little Mom and Pop diner or bar that you are so happily controlling by mob rule, can not. So this celebration of mob rule has hurt the small business, the little Mom and Pop.

Why not let the owner determine how best to help his business succeed? If they feel they will have more profit by allowing smoking, ok, let them. If they saw they were losing customers because they allowed smoking, they would change it to no smoking. But either way, the people who invested the money and are responsible for he debts are the ones who get to choose the course.

But 299 people sat their smugly happy in that they had imposed what they wanted on other individuals. Oh happy day.

It was only the beginning. After all, it’s for your own good, right?