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by Darkseid
on Wed May 28, 2008 4:51 pm |
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From a Michigan Blog:
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Michigan Dems seeing the (neon) light on smoking ban?
By RightMichigan.com Posted in *cough* *cough* | Breaking News | Democrats | job-killers | Michigan | smoking ban | www.RightMichigan.com — Comments (0) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Cross-posted on Right Michigan at www.RightMichigan.com.
Talk about a role-reversal. Not too long ago the Michigan Senate approved a statewide ban on smoking in bars, restaurants, bingo parlors... pretty much anywhere you might find a stranger. Second hand smoke is a killer, they reminded us, and just because smoking is legal and a gorgeous cash cow for the state treasury doesn't mean you should actually be allowed to smoke.
That was the Senate. The Republican controlled Senate. That said, all but one of the votes against the ban came from the GOP delegation so not everyone lost their minds on the issue, but it only takes two or three. All but one Democrat voted in the affirmative.
Enter the House of Representatives. You know, bicameral legislature, that whole deal. After a pretty good sized delay the bill finally made it's way across the hall at the Capitol where... drum roll please... absolutely nothing has happened yet. The hold up? Some House Democrats are worried that banning smoking in bingo parlors and the Detroit casinos will KILL JOBS! (All caps is still the text equivalent of screaming, right?) The Detroit News reports:
Rep. Bert Johnson, D-Detroit, is among those who oppose the harsher Senate version. He said he fears it would hurt business and cause layoffs at the Detroit casinos...
"It's about jobs," Johnson said. "I have people at home who get hurt when (Detroit's) casinos are threatened."
Brenda Clack, who heads up the Black Caucus all the way from Flint echoes the same concerns on behalf of her members, most from Detroit.
Consistency is increasingly difficult these days, especially in Lansing but I can't help but wonder how the good Representatives from Detroit justify banning smoking in any private business establishment if they understand, as evident from Representative Johnson's statements, that doing so would kill jobs. It's not like Casinos exist in some magical fairy land and cigarette ashes are pixie dust. There's nothing special or unique about them in the context of customer nicotine habits.
Then again, I could be over thinking things. I suppose it's possible that there are entire House districts in Detroit entirely devoid of restaurants, clubs and bowling alleys. It's possible I've been wrong all along and Johnson is 100% consistent in his position. Maybe he doesn't have any constituents who employ people but has plenty whose employment depends on Casino gaming. And if that's the case I sincerely apologize.
More likely, this is your basic lefty double-speak... saying one thing but doing another. Looking out for big business but ignoring the little guys. Wait, isn't that the GOP stereotype? See? Role reversal.
So, novel concept, how about we all get on the same page and stop doing things that kill jobs. Heaven knows the State could use a dollop of common sense. Especially with our unemployment rate dropping two tenths of a point to a new, lower, 6.9%.
Yeah, you read that right. Especially with it dropping. Because as the Ivory Tower reports:
...The underlying news isn't good.
The rate dropped mainly because Michigan's civilian labor force is shrinking and included about 15,000 fewer people overall last month than in March. About 2,000 fewer people were employed last month...
The total number of seasonally adjusted payroll jobs in Michigan fell by about 19,000, to just less than 4.2 million.
Michigan reported job gains in government and professional and business services. Each of those segments picked up 3,000 jobs in April.
Phwew! At least government's growing again. Other than that, yikes. You know you had a rough month when 15,000 people just plain gave up. 19,000 fewer jobs, 15,000 fewer job seekers but government on the rise. Only in Michigan. Literally.
But the papers aren't completely devoid of good news for workers in-State. The Lansing State Journal reports that the Capitol City's own four-week-long automotive labor strike might be over soon.
The tentative deal came a day after GM canceled company health insurance and other benefits for the 2,300 workers represented by UAW Local 602. The workers walked off their jobs in a dispute over local contract issues.
The Detroit automaker canceled the benefits for the duration of the strike, which began April 17.
However, UAW officials said the strikers still will receive health benefits through a union-funded plan. While it will cover most medical needs, the UAW plan doesn't have vision or dental coverage.
Well done, negotiating team. Good job, union guys. Tonight you should go celebrate. Grab a brew and spark one up. While you still can. Guarantee your favorite pub isn't on Bert Johnson's safe list.
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Darkseid
Smoking Lobby Sponsor
Joined: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 1389
Location: Peoples Republik of oHEILo
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by ladyteal
on Wed May 28, 2008 8:07 pm |
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Here's a Poll to vote against the Michigan Ban:
http://tinyurl.com/6byqsg
Results so far
Would you like to see a workplace smoking ban in Michigan?
• Yes, but with some exemptions
0%
• Yes, but with no exemptions
9%
• I don't know
9%
• No, leave it up to business owners
81%
Total Votes: 11 |
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ladyteal
Newbie
Joined: Apr 23, 2007
Posts: 32
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by smallbird
on Wed May 28, 2008 8:36 pm |
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Yes, but with some exemptions
0%
Yes, but with no exemptions
11%
I don't know
5%
No, leave it up to business owners
83%
Created on May 28, 2008 Total Votes: 18 |
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smallbird
Enthusiastic Smoker
Joined: Jan 03, 2007
Posts: 250
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by ladyteal
on Thu May 29, 2008 5:26 pm |
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The antis must have discovered the poll:
Yes, but with some exemptions
11%
Yes, but with no exemptions
41%
I don't know
0%
No, leave it up to business owners
46%
Created on May 28, 2008
Total Votes: 290 |
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ladyteal
Newbie
Joined: Apr 23, 2007
Posts: 32
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by smallbird
on Thu May 29, 2008 9:22 pm |
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Looks like the poll is closed. Final results:
Yes, but with some exemptions
10%
Yes, but with no exemptions
41%
I don't know
0%
No, leave it up to business owners
47%
Created on May 28, 2008 Total Votes: 352 |
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smallbird
Enthusiastic Smoker
Joined: Jan 03, 2007
Posts: 250
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by Darkseid
on Fri May 30, 2008 5:18 am |
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| Michigan is one of those states where the Nazis have conducted polls and know full well there isn't a majority that would vote for this if it went on the ballot , therefore their only hope is to shove it through with the politicians. OheilO was the other way around-they knew there was no way in hell the legislature here would pass it, so yhey got it on the ballot-in an 'off' year with minimum turnout. They go about it differently in each state, but the more liberals that get elected or move into the state, the greater their chances. |
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Darkseid
Smoking Lobby Sponsor
Joined: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 1389
Location: Peoples Republik of oHEILo
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by dumpstermcnuggets
on Fri Jul 04, 2008 9:57 am |
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The actual final results(which I'll gladly smoke to, lol!), and more recent than what someone posted about a month back:
Would you like to see a workplace smoking ban in Michigan?
Yes, but with some exemptions
8%
Yes, but with no exemptions
35%
I don't know
0%
No, leave it up to business owners
55% (yay!)
Closed
Total Votes: 538 |
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dumpstermcnuggets
Enthusiastic Smoker
Joined: Nov 06, 2006
Posts: 249
Location: Health Fascism Capital of the Midwest, Illinois
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