IS IT TRUE? February 7, 2011
IS IT TRUE that Tuesday night is the night for the Vanderburgh County Commissioners to begin the process to institute a comprehensive smokefree workplace ordinance?…that this will only apply to the county and not to the City of Evansville?…that Commissioner Winnecke is exactly correct that leadership is required at the local level to make good decisions regarding public health and economic development?…that Commissioners Winnecke and Abell are to be commended for their stands, that Commissioner Melcher is to be commended for raising debate points and that the Vanderburgh County Council’s courage to tackle this hot issue will reverse an imbecilic and regressive action lead in 2008 by then Commissioner Troy Tornatta
IS IT TRUE that old dogs really can learn new tricks?…that seniors all over America are adapting to the computer revolution to use social media like Facebook and blogging to express opinions and to communicate with their grandchildren?…that just because Commissioner Melcher went along with then Commissioner Tornatta in 2008 that he has a golden opportunity to show that he has carefully considered all of the new data and now supports a comprehensive smokefree workplace ordinance?…that unanimous support for this ordinance will send a strong message to the City Council to adopt a similar resolution and even provide cover for some of the NO votes from last year to reverse their positions?…that for many reasons this is the right thing to do?…that we hope that the Evansville City Council will see the error of their ways and pass a comprehensive smokefree workplace ordinance to follow the Commissioner’s leadership?
IS IT TRUE that Evansville is in competition with other urban areas for economic development opportunities, tourism, and jobs?…that the competitiveness of an urban area is quite different than the competitiveness of a rural area?…that Evansville has to compete for jobs with Louisville, Lexington, Raleigh, and other mid-sized urban areas?…that having Neanderthal smoking rules stifles Evansville’s ability to compete for jobs with cities (all of the above) that have comprehensive smokefree workplace ordinances?…that lifestyle matters when a business is considering where to locate?…that the young educated professionals that everyone want to attract are for the most part repulsed by public smoking?…that many refuse to live where smoking is allowed in public?…that jobs follow talent and talent follows lifestyle and economic opportunity?…that the smoking laws of Evansville are one big artifact of living in the past and not understanding the future?
IS IT TRUE that the Green Bay Packers from Green Bay, Wisconsin just won their 4th Super Bowl?…that Green Bay, Wisconsin is slightly smaller than Evansville with a population of just over 100,000?…that in 1960 Evansville was more than double the size of Green Bay?…that Evansville had an NFL franchise called the Evansville Crimson Giants in the early 1920’s?…that the Evansville Crimson Giants travelled to Green Bay to play the Packers in the fall of 1921 and were defeated?…that the Evansville franchise was closed after the 1922 season?…that you trivia lovers may read about the Evansville Crimson Giants who played at historic Bosse Field at the following link?
“that the young educated professionals that everyone want to attract are for the most part repulsed by public smoking?…that many refuse to live where smoking is allowed in public?…”
Is it true that saying its so doesn’t make it so? Is it true that every proposed change that comes down the pike is sold as the beginning of a new panacea that will cure all ails, typically without verifiable proof?
Is it true that most places that still allow smoking are neighborhood taverns, not yuppie hangouts? Is it true that with few exceptions, every place that allows smoking has several competitors of equal or greater caliber that do not, thus allowing choice for everyone? Is it true that 24% is NOT an insignificant minority that should just be brushed aside? Is it true that 24% of Indiana’s population is over 1.5 MILLION people?
Is it true that if you don’t like smoking at Turoni’s or The Hornet’s Nest, that there is always take out or a dozen other similar places to go? Is it true that once you give zealots an inch, they will most certainly take a mile? Is it true that once they’ve taken “the last mile” of that subject, emoldened by their “win”, they then quickly find another subject to take issue with to expand their control of the ignorant and unsophisticated masses (for their own good, of course)? Is it true that “the ignorant masses” do not need nor do they appreciate
this unwelcomed oversight by those “in the know”?
Is it true that the County Commissioners are proving that they have no spine by restricting their “domain” to outside the city limits? Is it true that this position on regulating smoking only OUTSIDE the city limits is in direct contradiction with their position on consolidation since they disallowed threshold rejection?
Commissioner Melcher also raises valid points in why we should not “choose” to create selective bans, of legal products, in the name of good health.
I don’t know why you all are so fooled by your own good intentions… But there will be absolutely nothing stopping these “unhealthy” people from smoking like a chimney to and from work, in their cars!
You might also be tempting more people to cook up some meth to get by the day?
I don’t smoke, but the idea that a workplace ban of smoking will inherently create “healthy” people, is imbecilic on it’s face.
If “healthy” people is what you want, create a ban to limit evening sofa time, too!
Any honest evaluation of this, I think, would show everything that is wrong with the “Republican” party.
Whirlpool left here, and built in Tennessee/Mexico, right? Mexico may be smoke free – but I doubt it? Last I looked, Tennessee was a right to work state, but maybe they are smoke free?
Give me an example. Who will start jobs in this city once our government cracks the whip here?
To be clear, I am repulsed by smoking…
What do you think “young people” think when they look at their Social Security Statements and read, “Without changes, by 2037 the social security trust fund will be exhausted”?
And they watch their “leaders” pledge local income taxes for a massive new, smaller stadium?
And they see how little they get to keep, net, already.
“Repulsed” doesn’t adequately describe it… Keep up this charade and eventually they might be throwing rocks in the streets.
I wonder if they’ll allow an exemption for smoking at the exotic bars after a good, hot lap dance?
Looks like if you run a ad on this site, you get good press. If not, look out.
Actually we advocate for good public policy. If someone places an ad then goes out and does something that is damaging to the interests of the people of Evansville it is just as much “look out” as it is for someone who chooses not to place an ad with us. We consider it our job to expose as much bad public policy as we can possibly expose in hopes that it gets changed. We have turned down ads from people who expected to be treated differently simply because they bought the ad. The truth is not for sale.
“imbecilic and regressive”?
Do you have any exit polling from the last election to support that?
Who did you turn down?
I’m thinking a media outlet that sells space to candidates can’t “turn down” a legit political ad. Isn’t there an applicable federal law?
It was not a political candidate.
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