Perhaps you'd like to tell us how citizens could patronize every complaining bar and restaurant in order to sustain the same rate of alcohol sales they enjoyed when smokers consumed the stuff at twice the rate. What do we do? Start a weekly caravan to cover all the whining bar owners who make their living off the interdependent addictions of drinkers and smokers?
It's impossible to support every business suffering from the drop in sales of alcohol (not food) simply to justify retaining the smoking ban. Let them start serving more food and marketing themselves as smokefree vintage watering holes. But don't expect that simply more patronage of small, local alcohol vendors could possibly satisfy them. The one thing I've noticed is that the major complainers are the bar-owners who themselves smoke and want to be able to continue to do so during working hours. It is not the government's business to protect every small business when balanced against the larger public health issues. Gail Dorfman has it right: it's the Hennepin County Board's job to protect the public health, not the economic wherewithal of every small business operating in the county. Peter McLaughlin best remember that, and not pander to labor-inspired lobbying against the ban. Andy Driscoll Saint Paul -- The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men: Plato > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2005 10:25:53 -0400 > To: <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Mpls] How quickly we get used to a smoke-free environment > > I would suggest that since all the non-smokers are SO enthralled with > this ban then they should support these businesses that are > suffering... You should go out more and drink more and eat more. Then > they'd have nothing to complain about, but if you're not willing to > spend your money then you should be prepared for the ban to be > repealed, at least partially... I have a feeling though that those that > REALLY support this ban probably aren't really the ones that go out > that much anyway. > > Personally, I have no issue with not smoking at a restaurant. However, > when I'm at a bar I'd rather be able to light up at will. I think it > definitely was a bad idea for the county or city to do patch work ban > with some cities with the ban and others without it. I've been to St > Paul several times more than before and I even ventured out to Anoka > County a couple of times. Really, if you want the ban then you should > convince the legislature to pass the ban. It won't be effective and it > will just hurt businesses until it's a statewide thing. > > Oh, right after the ban I also saw small children and babies in bars > that I'd never seen them at before... That was annoying. > > I'm undecided in the Mayoral race, but if McLaughlin does the smart > thing here he actually would win a few points in my book. > > Speaking of McLaughlin, I tried to send him an email recently at the > email on his campaign website. I got bounced back saying his mail box > was full... Anyone else have trouble contacting him? > > Matthew Philip > The Wedge REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
