<p>What’s the worst policy idea that would cause the most damage to society?</p>
<p>I’m tempted to say the <a href="http://danieljmitchell.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/a-vat-would-finance-the-road-to-serfdom/">value-added tax</a> since our hopes of restraining the federal government will be greatly undermined if we give the buffoons in Washington a new source of revenue.<br />
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This is one giant bag of worms that we should all be watching very carefully.</p>
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard won’t take action on smoking ban this week. Ballard has said he likely will veto the proposed ordinance. His quibble is with a provision that would force exempted private clubs and veterans’ halls to choose between retaining smoking or allowing children anywhere on the premises.<br />
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He should not be signing this bill period!
<p>Opponents of the expanded smoking ban that took effect in June say they’ve gathered more than enough signatures to put a repeal of the ordinance before Springfield voters.<br />
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The group Live Free Springfield, which campaigned against the smoking ban before it was passed in April, has been circulating petitions seeking a repeal since November.</p>
<p>“As of right now we have over 4,000 signatures,” said spokesman Dave Myers. “That shows a lot of support from a lot of people that are really seeing the effects of this ban.”</p>
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Proposed bylaw amendments would see smoking prohibited on city properties such as parks, beaches, sports fields and areas outside municipal facilities, as well as bar and restaurant patios.<br />
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The issue is to go before the city’s board of health on Monday. Following consideration by the board, the proposed bylaw amendments are to go to council’s community and protective services committee on Feb. 15, and council on Feb. 22.
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If you smoke in Ottowa you better start emailing/calling the City Council<br />
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The French are largely ignoring their smoking ban which is five years old. People have begun to smoke in their offices and at restaurants. Viva the French!
<p class="first">Sugar is so toxic that it should be taxed and slapped with regulations like alcohol, some U.S. researchers argue.</p>
<p>In a <b>commentary</b> published in Wednesday’s issue of the journal Nature, doctors from the University of California, San Francisco, say that rising global rates of major killers such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes aren’t caused by obesity as commonly thought.<br />
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Note: there is no study or documentation to support this new claim. The heath nannies are so heady with thier successful campaign against smokers, they have no boundries now. These people must be dethrowned and put back in thier place.</p>
<p>In the Netherlands, politicians are being accused of allowing the powerful tobacco lobby to exercise undue influence over smoking policy.</p>
<p>In recent years while most countries have been tightening anti-smoking legislation, the Netherlands has partially reversed some of its laws – allowing people to smoke in some bars again and cutting funding for anti-smoking organisations.<br />
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Big Tobacco didn’t change the law, the people did. Small bars and cafe’s united against the smoking ban, if the people don’t want a ban, there isn’t a ban. Many politicians believe that people should be free to choose if they want to smoke or not (what a novel idea – freedom). This indeed is an enlightened country.</p>