Hey Austin, butt-out of smoker's business!

Today the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, located in New Orleans, announced it upheld Austin’s smoking ban, reversing a lower court’s decision. A district court had overturned parts of the ban, which was approved by Austin voters more than two years ago. The law was challenged by several bars, which claim the ban harmed their business. The district court decided the law was unconstitutionally vague, and the City of Austin appealed the ruling. The ruling also stopped an injunction that kept the city from enforcing the law.

So basically we are back to where we started in Austin, no smoking inside. I find this whole law ridiculous. I feel that if an establishment wants to allow smoking indoors, it is a free country and they should be allowed to. I find it very frightening that a certain type of people is being singled out and having their freedom attacked. The freedom I am talking about is the freedom of choice. Last time I checked smoking isn’t illegal, therefore, it should not be illegal to smoke in designated establishments.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying you can smoke anywhere you want. But you should have a choice to at least go to an establishment that allows smoking indoors. Establishments with children or the elderly should have an area blocked off for smokers, if they want. We had the smoking section in restaurants for decades, and it seemed to work just fine. The government has no right to tell a business how to run itself. This is a free market and if an establishment want to cater to a smoker, then more power to them. Last time I checked this isn’t China or some communist regime who decides how everyone lives. If the ban on smoking indoors continues, who will be next? Banning people’s choices is a slippery slope; once you start it just keeps snowballing and it very difficult to stop.

Real Change

In the article, Real Change the author is proud of the recent record turnout of voters for this election. The author issues a challenge to the voters to "keep voting in every one of them [elections]: If you really mean it, keep voting. Don't stop now." The author also challenges voters to vote in their local city council and school board elections. I agree with the author and think that you should go out in vote as many elections as possible.

The author shows some statistics that prove their point about people only voting in big elections. "4.2 million people cast ballots in the Republican and Democratic primaries -- a turnout of 33.2 percent of the state's registered voters. In contrast, city council and school board candidates drew less than 7 percent of eligible voters; the hottest race on the council ballot drew less than 11 percent. “I agree with the author that most people could care less about their "local meaningless" elections. People only go out in vote when they believe they are part of something bigger. With the countless ads to vote in the primaries this year, it has finally become "uncool" not to vote. The author is trying to point out that if you are going to turn out in record numbers to vote in the primary, the local elections should at least get some kind of boost. I know most elections don't have the money or appeal of the primary or presidential elections, but voting in your local elections is just as important.