A Win For Big Government... er the Voting Public

Last night voters in Springfield continued their reign of tyranny, trampling the rights of small business owners and smokers by reaffirming the smoking ban on workplaces and public spaces they had enacted just a year ago. These voters proved once again that, just like big government, they care not a bit for the will of the people. The small band of freedom fighters that had managed to get the issue back on the ballot only a year after the public had overwhelmingly supported it the first time around were disappointed but pointed out that sinister special interests were not going to let the ban be lifted.

“They were funded by special interest groups,” she said, referring to large donations One Air Alliance received from the American Cancer Society and American Heart Association.

Truly an example of special interest looking out only for their own selfish desires.

In all seriousness, however, there are several things about this whole affair that are worth noting:

1. The repeal effort was led by a doctor. Actually, it was led by my favorite doctor/school board member. How this impacted his adherence to the hippocratic oath is probably up for debate.

2. I'm not sure whether to celebrate the people of Springfield not changing their minds based on a silly argument that the ban limits freedom, or to be concerned that quite a few of the votes to uphold the ban must have come from people who really would consider this to be a rights issue but are willing to take away rights to do things they don't like.

3. I followed a few Facebook debates on this subject, and as BSD pointed out to me, many of the people arguing about "freedom" are really just people who want to make money off of smokers. Ah well, same as it ever was.