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Show 8 - The Daily Utah Chronicle Tuesday January 3, 1995 Viewpoint Smoking ban takes away freewill of citizens Chronicle Editorial 1995 out by taking away your Let's startSmoking is no longer allowed in public places in Utah. Happy New Year! Feeling the effects of State Representative Jordan Tanner's precious antismoking law three days into 1995, smokers in Utah are no longer able to enjoy a cigarette while out on the town, unless in a pri- vate club. No more smoking in restaurants or other places of public territory. Smokers in the workplace now must go several feet away from the building in which they work to smoke cigarettes during their breaks. Unfortunately, the antismoking law diminishes freedom and fixes public policy that was never broken in the first place. Smokers are at a loss while are not necessarily in danger. no longer have to endure Now, smoke wafting across their tables at restaurants due no longer have to to poor ventilation. worry about exposing their innocent lungs to secondhand smoke and possible lung cancer. Ever non-smoker- s, non-smoke- rs Non-smoke- rs of social pleasure should not be unbearable, for since the reports of thousands of people dying every year from secondhand smoke, the mood has been to eradicate tobacco altogether. Gone are the days of freedom for smokers in the United States. This antismoking fervor is not only rampant in Utah, but many other states have passed similar laws and even the U.S. Congress has considered reform. This leaves only greedy tobacco industry executives to lobby the government, which rarely bodes well with voters or law- smokers or An appropriate balance between the freewill of non-smoker- s. smokers and the health safety of needs to be reached. Surprisingly, the old system had the perfect compromise which seemed to satisfy everyone. For years, smoking sections in restaurants and bars allowed smokers to enjoy themselves and the law required proper ventilation in secmakers. tions to prevent any danger or nuisance from d-hand billiard once smoke. This was a good policy that halls, Many public synonymous with smoking, will also be smoke-fre- e with the should not have been abandoned. enforcement of the new bill. This could mean a have taken control of all Now, the loss of business for the owners and man- the public places in Utah, and unfortunately smokpotential these of ers have lost their rights to smoke in public places. places of business. agers This is an abominable intrusion upon the privaSmoking may not be a healthy choice, but it is a cy of smokers and now smokers are being subjected choice. Condemning smokers by taking away their to ridiculous laws that do not give them any choice rights should not be allowed anywhere in a country where smoking in public places is concerned. where liberty is fundamental to the people. In general, people who decide to go out to restauThe Chronicle is an independent student rants or bars like to relax and enjoy themselves. newspaper. Unsigned editorials reflect the Going out after work or just going out for the sake view of the Editorial Board non-smokin- g secon- non-smoke- rs majority ChronicleLetters "TheTweta Proposition 187 scary n TWELVE I Pagsof TENRCH fl eleven Homeless B freeing rr PB0-UFE- R5 DRUtAMW$M. WHITE MALES T7 A."LtAPlN(j Ctaistnas Editor: AS SUMS BY THE MEtOS CHOIR Nov. 8, 1994 will be a difficult day to forget. In California, Prop. 187 demonstrated the alarming trend of the "American Victim." This trend in American society is to blame other people for our own problems. I couldn't help but feel distress by what I regard as an unconstitutional and heardessly racist proposition. We sent a clear message to the world that they are not good enough to belong in our "ethnically pure Fatherland." Mr. Sanderson, in his letter to the editor Nov. 16 seems to believe that the immigration issue is not a racial issue, but that it is an economic one. I would argue that not only is it a racist issue, but that economics is merely a justification of our current OOP NINE WELFARE EIGHT SEXUALLY Q r HARKSSED i racist stance. The main economic justifications for this f proposition are that illegal immigrants, a.k.a. Latinos, steal jobs and are a social drain on society. These are merely translucent arguments, overused and overstated, that attempt to justify the current social stratification of American society. Most middle class American citizens fail to realize what would happen if we did not have all these illegal immigrants. In fact, the cheap labor provided by these people has improved not only the California economy, but the U.S. economy as a whole. Also, the perceived "depressed wages" issue is untrue since the overwhelming majority of these immigrants see "Bennion" on page 10 well-to-d- non-smoke- rs fWE CApm, crs MAIDS-- 4 I WRQfc M i Jl FOUR SEVEN IMrtlQftANT- S- THREE NUTSh. SIX ORPHANS i2l lUlifc l ..AND A NEWT Q(NRlCU &1 ft OCAD WERS... Sure o uA. 'ft Clinton must develop solid, effective strategy in 1996 Brat Angell Today, the Democratic party lay in shambles. Popular, strong leaders like Mario Cuomo, Ann Richards, and Tom Foley have been booted out the Chronicle Editorial Editor Now that ' the holidays are over, Clinton faces a bitter political hangover. It's no longer safe to be a liberal or a progressive thinker or even a Democrat anymore. Fifteen years ago, Ronald Reagan convinced America that we could have social programs plus outrageous defense spending without paying for it all. Slowly but surely, unaccountable loudmouths like Gordon Liddy and Rush Limbaugh have effectively turned "liberal" into a dirty word. And simultaneously, Newt Gingrich orchestrated an ingenious takeover of Congress over the course of twenty years. First of all, Clinton must define the issues and the agenda. Because he wasn't running a campaign this year, the president didn't have die luxury to The campaign arguments became, "How do we rectify the mess Bill Clinton has made?" and not "Is door by an insatiable electorate in respond to every GOP favor of unheard-o- f nobodies who candidate that smeared his reputation know nothing about running powerful and blurred the facts concerning and his perfor- positions in government. (Oh well, it America's itt could be worse-MRomney, Oliver North, andjeb Bush Last year, Clinton let the could be in office!) With so litde experience, so Limbaughsites and the increasingly little substance, and so much hot conservative media define what he loose-lippe- d well-bein- g air coming from the nation's new GOP leaders, as well as so many voters believing them, one can stands for. only ask: is there any hope that at least President Clinton can survive the next election? Is there any way to "Stop the Insanity!?" The answer is an unequivocal yes, if Clinton plays his cards right Perhaps there are factors affecting public opin- ion that he cannot control, but he should do everything to maximize his bid. mance. It was the Republican Bill Clinton messing up?" All that needs to change. Clinton not only has to respond to unfounded charges, he has to state what the problems are first He cannot let voters forget that crime is down, unem ployment is at a record low, and the economy is recovering. To define the agenda, Clinton has to stand for something again. In 1992, it was his "New (Covenant" and a simple, "It's the "economy, stupid!" naysay-er- s and Democratic incumbents focused on themselves that allowed the "Clinton is bad" perception to take hold; Indeed, Gingrich, Limbaugh Falwcll and friends convinced some that he was nothing but a "Counterculture McGovernik" whose purpose in office was to destroy the very fiber of American families and economics. Last year, Clinton let the and the Limbaughsites increasingly conservative media define what he stands for. The Republican Party blew the opposition out of the water with the Contract with America. It was a reform packconcise, age neatly wrapped and available to anyone with a TV Guide. Clinton must not stoop to the dishonest low of the Republicans by proposing hollow reforms that aren't payed for, but he should have an accessible platform with appeal. He has taken a first step by proposing a realistic middle class tax cut in accordance with his '92 campaign promise. His plan actually helps reduce the national deficit. Clinton has to keep this up, and create a positive vision of the future. With this in mind, Clinton should continue to hold true to his moderate Democrat stance of '92. He now has the opportunity to pass bills possessing veto Republican goals like a and welfare reform. He just has to beware of those who won't pass his bills because they "don't far go enough," i.e. they don't leave line-ite- m GOP-friendl- y credit with partisan Republicans. Most importandy, Clinton has to work on political follow through. Bush said Clinton would waffle, and his eagerness to compromise too often has left him looking weak. |
