Steve Rodich – 9/11/08

This page was last updated on September 14, 2008.

Smoking ban has too many loopholes; Steve Rodich; Beaver County Times; September 11, 2008.

To begin, I need to disclose I’ve always been a non-smoker, find tobacco smoke objectionable, and don’t permit smoking in either my home or car.

This is at least the sixth letter – and the fourth since late June 2007 – from Mr. Rodich supporting a smoking ban on private property. Mr. Rodich’s previous letters are here, here, here (I didn’t critique this letter.), here, and here.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“The state’s Clean Indoor Air Act goes into effect today.

“I have always been of the opinion that bad legislation is worse than no legislation. In my opinion, this law, in its present form, is bad legislation.”

[RWC] I doubt Mr. Rodich’s claim that he believes “bad legislation is worse than no legislation.” You see, Mr. Rodich is a leftist (active in local Democrat politics), and leftists believe any law is better than no law (liberty).

“Legislation that fails to protect all of the citizens of Pennsylvania from the hazards of second-hand smoke, allows Philadelphia to adopt stricter prohibitions regarding indoor smoking but prohibits Pittsburgh from adopting the same prohibitions, protects workers and patrons in casinos in the eastern part of the state but excludes the same protection for the workers and patrons in casinos in western Pennsylvania is bad legislation.

“Legislation that does not give workers and patrons who enter the doors of clubs and non-profit organizations the right to breathe clean air, fails to protect small children from exposure to second-hand smoke while they are fastened by a seat belt in a car with adults, unfairly targets private businesses like bars and restaurants and excludes competitive businesses like clubs is bad legislation.”

[RWC] Mr. Rodich gets it wrong. “Bad legislation” is prohibiting private property owners from determining if they’ll allow smoking. You’ll note Mr. Rodich is concerned about the mythical “rights” of everyone except the property owner. That’s another trait of leftism.

“Unfairly targets?” This law has nothing to do with fairness. It’s all about imposing personal preferences on others using the force of government.

“State Rep. Robert Belfanti, said that ‘if non-smokers don’t want to be exposed to second-hand smoke, they don’t have to enter those clubs.’

“How archaic and callous is he? I’m sure there are many lawmakers who agree with him. That is why this legislation is replete with exemptions. That is why it is bad legislation.”

[RWC] “Archaic and callous?” It sounds like commonsense to me. If “workers and patrons” don’t like my restaurant serving Chinese food, should I be forced to take it off my menu? I think we need to ban golf clubs and balls from golf courses because someone may get hurt.

“Hopefully, lawmakers will see the errors of their ways and amend this law and delete all the exemptions. Then, and only then, will they join most of the nation and provide clean air to all citizens of Pennsylvania.”

[RWC] One by one we’re seeing our natural rights transformed into privileges doled out at government discretion. This is the goal of leftist ideology.