Category: Politics

A bill to expand the smoking ban in the state of Colorado has advanced through the state house and now moves on to the state senate. House Bill 1269 would ban smoking in casinos in Colorado.
When the smoking ban was passed last year, casinos were one of the few exemptions where smokers could still smoke and it has created controversy ever since. It cleared the state house with relative ease with a vote of 36-29.

Last year when the bill was passed, I was amazed that this exemption was in there but you have to remember the strong lobby that the casinos have. The smoking ban has been good for employees in the state and for all of those non-smokers who visit those establishments. Casino ownes are trying to scare the legislators saying that the tax revenue will go down 20% – 35% if this ban goes into effect. But I doubt that this will happen.

Contrary to what those business owners and casino owners are saying the smoking ban will reduce business, more people are going out and revenues are up. The city of Boulder has seen an increase in revenues since the smoking ban went into effect. Revenues were up 3.14% from January 1997 to October 1997. You can read more about the economic impacts of smoking bans at BREATH, the California Smoke-free Bars, Workplaces and Communities Program. With this and the other improvements in other states, the reveunes will not go down.

The non-smoking workers in casinos have taken health tests and most of them test like they smoke two packs a day. That is crazy. The state must do more to protect them and the patrons who are non-smokers.

I hope the Senate comes through and passes this to.  If not, I expect to see a petition on our next state election to enact this ban.  If the legislators can’t do it, then the people will.

You can read more in the Rocky Mountain News.  Link… 

Hilary Clinton has posted on her website that she is in for a 2008 Presidential run.
Read CNN’s story.

Read the Washington Post‘s coverage.

The field gets more crowded and the major contenders are coming in.

Gerald Ford has always been for equal rights for all. It does not matter if they were gay, straight, or black. He worked to ensure that everyone was treated equally. They were commenting on a story originally published today in the Wall Street Journal.
Wonkette, you went a little too far this time. President Ford was someone who appreciated and respected everyone and this was a couple who did something to save a former President’s home when no one else cared or would do anything.

Ford’s Childhood Home Taken Over by Gays (Wonkette)
In Grand Rapids, Fixer-Upper Leads To Unusual Bond (Wall Street Journal)

According to a AP Story, the North Carolina Bar has filed ethic charges against Mike Nifong, the prosecutor in the Duke Lacrosse case.
The North Carolina Bar has charged Nifong with “violating the prohibition against making comments that have a substantial likelihood of heightening public condemnation of the accused.” He was also charged with “breaking forbids dishonesty, fraud, deceit, and misrepresentation.” In the story, this was added because Nifong told a reporter that the players probably used a condom after the DNA results came back negative when he knew that wasn’t true.

When I first heard of this case, I was saddened that this had happened. But as more of the evidence has been made public I have become angry that the charges have not been dropped. But upon learning that Nifong was up for re-election, I feel that this case was brought forward for purely political reasons.

Paul’s World also has this same opinion, “It seems fairly clear this guy used this case for political purposes, pursued charges he could not sustain, withheld evidence and pretty much abused his office.”

Rape and kidnapping are serious charges. And when they are brought forward falsely, it only hurts the current and future cases that are being tried or will be tried in the future.

Nifong could be admonished or disbarred for these charges. I think Nifong should drop the rest of the charges and step down as county prosecutor and then be disbarred by the North Carolina Bar.

I am hearing some breaking news.  Former First Lady Betty Ford has told the Associated Press that her husband and former President Gerald Ford has died, he was 93.
He took over this country in a troubled time and did a pretty good job only to get caught up in the anti-Republican and anti-Nixon election to lose the election to Jimmy Carter.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family in this sad time.