If anyone is eager for their town or city to emulate Toledo's noble experiment in the banishment of public smoking, I urge you to think twice before you try. For one simple reason: public smoking advocates are the biggest bunch of whiny-ass losers you will ever encounter (though they will likely be surpassed by Republican whiny-ass losers come Nov. 3). They are annoying, and you will find that they are none too bright.

One bar owner has now been found guilty of 11 misdemeanors for allowing smoking in his bar.

"It's terrible," Mr. Delaney said of the ordinance. "It's going to ruin everyone in this town."

That's democracy. Sometimes you lose. But the bar owners just can't understand that. In that case, the system worked just the way it's supposed to. City Council passed the ban unanimously. The bar owners challenged the law in court, and lost. They appealed. They lost. They attempted to put the issue on the ballot, but failed to collect enough signatures. Then they supported a slate of council candidates in the election who promised to revisit the issue. Every one of those candidates lost, by embarrassingly large margins. Then they challenged the law again on different grounds. Lost again. Now, the first bar owner caught violating the ban made his case before a judge, was found guilty, and still he whines.

That's how democracy works: you lose, you challenge, lose again, run for office. After that you just have suck in your gut and accept that you lost. Unfortunately, the bar owners still take every opportunity to cast themselves as the wronged men, humble citizens steamrollered by an uncaring bureaucracy, and their histrionics show up in the paper regularly.

Do you know how the inspectors caught this guy? He left ash trays out on all the tables in the bar. I told you they weren't too bright.
6:08:00 PM  #