Post-Smoking ban, what can we expect for encore?
Kevin Leininger had a great article in the News-Sentinel with the above title. It is on the front page of the local section or you can read it here:
<http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/fortwayne/news/local/16543151.htm>
Be warned, it does have a picture of both myself and Councilman Smith (and of course Kevin Leininger).
The piece does have one small error. I am no longer the Chair of the Allen County Party! I stepped down a couple of weeks ago and our new Chair is Jennifer Griggs!
Kevin Leninger sent me an email yesterday asking me for my take on the Smoking Ban. I was working on a tax return; however, during lunch I spent a few minutes and sent him a reply. I thought you might be interested in reading my entire reply. I sent him a few of the ideas that "The People's Republic of Fort Wayne" might consider with their big-government mentality.
My reply is below in italics.
Some tongue-in-cheek thoughts about our new smoking ban:
Per the actual wording of the ordinance enclosed areas AND City vehicles are affected by the smoking ordinance. All affected areas are required to have “No Smoking” signs posted at EACH entrance and posted throughout the area affected. Does this mean that each four-door vehicle the City owns will have FIVE “NO Smoking” signs on each vehicle? One for each door and then another in the interior of the vehicle should comply with the ordinance! Who ever said City Council was against small business owners? They certainly have passed a law that will greatly benefit EVERY sign company in Fort Wayne. Maybe this is Economic Development Fort Wayne style? Maybe Fort Wayne should put a new tax on all sign companies and then use this revenue to educate the public about the “evils” of smoking.
Maybe City Council should outlaw the sale of all tobacco products in Fort Wayne?
Since we have banned smoking maybe City Council will target obesity next? Should City Council:
Initiate daily morning exercise. I can just see our City Councilmen and our Mayor going to various Fort Wayne businesses and leading the employees in morning calisthenics… If this was done for our workers I would think it would also need to be done with those collecting unemployment and welfare as well. Maybe all City employees should be required to exercise for 30 minutes each day with their supervisors!
City Council may want to ensure that we eat healthy as well. Maybe they can tax all “Fast Food” restaurants and those foods our City “fathers” deem unhealthy?
City Council should set a good example for our citizens! I suggest they do calisthenics before each and every City Council meeting.
All-you-can-eat buffets may help cause Fort Wayne residents to eat too much food. Maybe City Council should outlaw all-you-can-eat buffets?
I have heard that “fried” foods are unhealthy. Maybe we should outlaw them in Fort Wayne?
Maybe our City Council should start each City Council meeting with a “health tip” for our citizens?
I have heard that it is unhealthy to eat in restaurants too often. Maybe City Council should issue “passes” to each citizen allowing each citizen to eat out 24 times per year? Better yet, City Council could tax these passes and then use that tax revenue to “inform” citizens about how to lead healthy lives.
Since public health is a concern of our elected officials maybe they should consider REQUIRING every citizen of Fort Wayne to get the
following each year to promote the “public health.”
2 visits to the dentist.
An annual checkup from the doctor. City Council could require more for children and elderly citizens or those with health problems.
If the citizen wears eye glasses maybe they should be required to see an “eye doctor” once a year.
Too many citizens are murdered each and every year in Fort Wayne. The majority are killed with firearms. Maybe Fort Wayne would be safer
If all firearms were outlawed in Fort Wayne?
Too many citizens are killed each year in car accidents. Maybe Fort Wayne should build a “mass transit” system for its citizens to protect them
from vehicular accidents?
We MUST protect our children. Maybe our City Council could force every school in Fort Wayne to measure the “body fat” of EVERY child enrolled in each Fort Wayne school (Wait, Indiana ALREADY requires this). If the child is deemed overweight the school could force each child to exercise each and every day. If this does not get the child to the “target weight” set by City Council they could fine the parents for putting their children at risk. If the fines are insufficient we could put the parents in the Allen County Lockup!
While we are protecting children maybe City Council should make it illegal to smoke in both automobiles AND private residences that contain Children. We must protect the children.
Vehicles are dangerous! Maybe Fort Wayne should require all citizens to have an actual driving test each and every year to keep their driver’s license!
It is unhealthy to sit on your couch and watch the television. We must stop people from this unhealthy behavior! Maybe Fort Wayne can force each citizen to install a device on their television set that will allow each television to operate no more then two hours each day.
I could go on with more stupid ideas all night...
Good grief...
Mike Sylvester
<http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/fortwayne/news/local/16543151.htm>
Be warned, it does have a picture of both myself and Councilman Smith (and of course Kevin Leininger).
The piece does have one small error. I am no longer the Chair of the Allen County Party! I stepped down a couple of weeks ago and our new Chair is Jennifer Griggs!
Kevin Leninger sent me an email yesterday asking me for my take on the Smoking Ban. I was working on a tax return; however, during lunch I spent a few minutes and sent him a reply. I thought you might be interested in reading my entire reply. I sent him a few of the ideas that "The People's Republic of Fort Wayne" might consider with their big-government mentality.
My reply is below in italics.
Some tongue-in-cheek thoughts about our new smoking ban:
Per the actual wording of the ordinance enclosed areas AND City vehicles are affected by the smoking ordinance. All affected areas are required to have “No Smoking” signs posted at EACH entrance and posted throughout the area affected. Does this mean that each four-door vehicle the City owns will have FIVE “NO Smoking” signs on each vehicle? One for each door and then another in the interior of the vehicle should comply with the ordinance! Who ever said City Council was against small business owners? They certainly have passed a law that will greatly benefit EVERY sign company in Fort Wayne. Maybe this is Economic Development Fort Wayne style? Maybe Fort Wayne should put a new tax on all sign companies and then use this revenue to educate the public about the “evils” of smoking.
Maybe City Council should outlaw the sale of all tobacco products in Fort Wayne?
Since we have banned smoking maybe City Council will target obesity next? Should City Council:
Initiate daily morning exercise. I can just see our City Councilmen and our Mayor going to various Fort Wayne businesses and leading the employees in morning calisthenics… If this was done for our workers I would think it would also need to be done with those collecting unemployment and welfare as well. Maybe all City employees should be required to exercise for 30 minutes each day with their supervisors!
City Council may want to ensure that we eat healthy as well. Maybe they can tax all “Fast Food” restaurants and those foods our City “fathers” deem unhealthy?
City Council should set a good example for our citizens! I suggest they do calisthenics before each and every City Council meeting.
All-you-can-eat buffets may help cause Fort Wayne residents to eat too much food. Maybe City Council should outlaw all-you-can-eat buffets?
I have heard that “fried” foods are unhealthy. Maybe we should outlaw them in Fort Wayne?
Maybe our City Council should start each City Council meeting with a “health tip” for our citizens?
I have heard that it is unhealthy to eat in restaurants too often. Maybe City Council should issue “passes” to each citizen allowing each citizen to eat out 24 times per year? Better yet, City Council could tax these passes and then use that tax revenue to “inform” citizens about how to lead healthy lives.
Since public health is a concern of our elected officials maybe they should consider REQUIRING every citizen of Fort Wayne to get the
following each year to promote the “public health.”
2 visits to the dentist.
An annual checkup from the doctor. City Council could require more for children and elderly citizens or those with health problems.
If the citizen wears eye glasses maybe they should be required to see an “eye doctor” once a year.
Too many citizens are murdered each and every year in Fort Wayne. The majority are killed with firearms. Maybe Fort Wayne would be safer
If all firearms were outlawed in Fort Wayne?
Too many citizens are killed each year in car accidents. Maybe Fort Wayne should build a “mass transit” system for its citizens to protect them
from vehicular accidents?
We MUST protect our children. Maybe our City Council could force every school in Fort Wayne to measure the “body fat” of EVERY child enrolled in each Fort Wayne school (Wait, Indiana ALREADY requires this). If the child is deemed overweight the school could force each child to exercise each and every day. If this does not get the child to the “target weight” set by City Council they could fine the parents for putting their children at risk. If the fines are insufficient we could put the parents in the Allen County Lockup!
While we are protecting children maybe City Council should make it illegal to smoke in both automobiles AND private residences that contain Children. We must protect the children.
Vehicles are dangerous! Maybe Fort Wayne should require all citizens to have an actual driving test each and every year to keep their driver’s license!
It is unhealthy to sit on your couch and watch the television. We must stop people from this unhealthy behavior! Maybe Fort Wayne can force each citizen to install a device on their television set that will allow each television to operate no more then two hours each day.
I could go on with more stupid ideas all night...
Good grief...
Mike Sylvester
posted by LP Mike Sylvester at 7:20 PM
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