Want to Lose More Jobs? Ban Cigars
Seriously, it’s that simple. If your economy is getting a little overheated (and who’s isn’t?) and you need to apply the brakes a little to prevent a bubble from occurring then all you have to do is ban cigars. Just like the brilliant mayor of Orange County, Florida, the honorable Richard Crotty.
Apparently without any public hearings or prior publicity, Orange County Mayor Richard T. Crotty secretly signed an executive order late last year that has kept tens of millions of dollars from pouring into the local economy. At the same time, the jobs of thousands of county workers are being threatened, according to the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association.
Crotty signed an executive order that prohibits tobacco use by anyone in any workplace or public area on or in county property. The order was effective January 1, 2010. In addition, county employees are required to sign a ‘Tobacco Usage’ affidavit that swears they don’t smoke or be subject to a $25 fee per pay period – up to $650 per year. The alternative is for the employees who choose to smoke more than four cigars per year to quit their jobs.
From: PR Web
If you are a cigar smoker in this little slice of fascist heaven you risk losing your job because you partake in a legal activity.
According to Tom Ufer from the Tampa Cigar Examiner, this ban, which includes a ban on smoking cigars in many outdoor locations, comes on the heels of an indoor ban.
Several major cities, including Orlando, reside in Orange County and the local economy heavily relies on tourism.
The ordinance now outlaws the use of any tobacco product in areas such as outdoors at the Orange County Convention Center, County parks, fishing docks, boat ramps, outdoor trails, county owned parking lots, streets and sidewalks.
From: Tampa Cigar Examiner
Let’s recap the carnage: Orange County, Florida is fine with losing workers who smoke cigars and don’t want to pay the fine. They are also OK with losing cigar smoking tourists, which will lead to some more job losses. Also, according to Tom Ufer’s article, Orange County is using $6.6 million from stimulus funding to pay for this draconian anti-smoking law. If you keep track, that stimulus money was meant to spur job growth, not fund anti-smoking, Nazi block watchers.
And this from a county that is suffering some pretty bad unemployment numbers too! Yup, it’s over 12% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But smell that clean Florida air!
Unless you like losing jobs and tax revenue then it would probably be a good idea to oppose bans like this one. Just to get you on the right track you can oppose this ban by going on over to Tom’s article where he has so thoughtfully put up a list of the people who have a say over this ban: Orange County, FL politicians.
Orange County, Florida: Mayor Crotty bans use of tobacco products
Cigar Smokers Fighting Back?
In Florida, cigar smokers are beginning to see the point in fighting back against an all-out assault by our government on cigars. It’s a start but I think they are going at it the wrong way. Here’s a couple of cigar smokers’ arguments:
Argue for your freedom to partake in a pastime that is (still) legal!
“It’s not going to affect my average smoker as much. It’s going to hurt the little guy.”
“If you read [S-CHIP], there’s so much pork in it.”
“Why pick on the cigar industry? Why don’t they tax McDonald’s or Wendy’s or Burger King? These are the industries affecting the health of the children. Not us.”
“[If we got out of Afghanistan instead of taxing cigars] we could have health insurance for all Americans, not just children.”
Look, I feel for these people. They are getting attacked and they’re trying to protect themselves however possible. But trying to divert the attack to another group or arguing for a better way to socialize our country is not the way to go!
The nanny-staters will gladly go and attack Burger King and McDonald’s but they are still going to continue taxing cigars. I firmly believe that the only way to defend against this type of drastic, revolutionary encroachment by our government is to oppose it every chance we get.
Trying to divert the attack to another group or arguing for a better way to socialize our country is not the way to go!
Because, like I have said before, S-CHIP and other entitlement programs our government creates for the “benefit” of those who “can’t” fend for themselves is just a way for that government to increase its power and influence over every aspect of our lives.
Right now they are just talking about taxing “sinful” products like cigars and trans-fats but tomorrow they will be talking about outlawing these products as a way to prevent future health care costs. Then what will your argument be? “Make fries illegal but keep robustos legal”? That won’t work.
Cigar smokers, I plead of you, don’t try and divert the government’s taxes to another segment of Americans as a means to argue against cigar taxes. Don’t try to figure out a better way for the government to take control of yet another aspect of our lives. Don’t accept their premise that we need the government to provide health care for Americans.
Instead, argue for your freedom to partake in a pastime that is (still) legal! Do it before it is too late.
Tobacco Free Florida Week
In my backyard LA is having a no-swear week so I guess Florida decided to up the anti by having a ridiculous PR stunt of their own; Tobacco Free Florida Week. Now, lets not get into the minutia of all of this and how its ridiculous. Because, after all, it is completely ridiculous. But what’s even more disheartening is how some smokers are responding to it.
Some smokers said Tobacco Free week is a good idea.
“I think I will stop in the next couple of weeks,” said Bob Zuckerman, 66, of Hollywood, who has been smoking for 40 years — and was recently diagnosed with emphysema.
Marybeth Burdekin, 48, a bartender at Toucans, said she might stop because she spends about $40 a week on cigarettes. “I think it’s worth a try,” she said. “It’s like a New Year’s resolution.”
WOOPIIIIII YAHOO! Look, cigarette smokers, just because you don’t want to deal with the nasty side affects of your pastime you shouldn’t give the government cover. My God, people. Are you so dumb as to need a kick in the ass by the government to do what you think is right?
Take a clue from your cigar smoking brethren:
“I don’t know how much time I have left, so I’m going to enjoy it while I can,” said Arthur David, 74, of Lauderhill, who was smoking a Cuban cigar.
“I’m going to continue smoking cigars because they’re good for your constitution,” said Sid Acker, 56, a part-time resident of Hollywood, as he puffed on a cigar at Havaco Cigars and Wine Shop. “And they’re very good with Cuban coffee.”
There, you have it. Cigar smokers have it right. But that’s beside the point. We have the Florida government trying to discourage people from taken part in a legal activity. And, yes, they are probably right in their assertion that smoking is bad for your health but that’s not the point.
The point is this: Do you want the government telling you how to live every aspect of your life? It seems like many cigarette smokers are willing to go along on that ride.
