www.lp.org/lpnews/0312/co...ngban.html
Smoking ban is work of 'government nannies'
The decision by the city of Fort Collins, Colorado to ban smoking in bars and restaurants shows that the government nannies are at it again, say Colorado Libertarians.
"The Libertarian Party supports the rights of business owners to make choices for their businesses, as they see fit, without government intrusion," said Colorado LP State Chair Norm Olsen. "The Libertarian Party strongly supports the rights of individuals to make their own choices, including the right to choose whether or not to patronize private businesses that allow smoking in their establishments."
The Fort Collins city council passed the smoking ban on October 1. Individuals caught smoking in prohibited areas can be fined $1,000 a day or sentenced to 60 days in jail.
Besides unnecessarily expanding the power of government, the new ordinance also violates the right of business owners, said Olsen.
"It is the business owner who decides when to open, when to close, what's on the menu, how it will be presented, and accepts the financial risk of operating the business," he said. "It is this same business owner who should also decide if the legal activity of smoking is to be allowed in her/his business."
At the same time, customers should have the right to decide whether they wish to patronize businesses that allow smoking, said Olsen.
"Those who do not like to eat in a smoke-filled atmosphere will patronize a non-smoking restaurant," he said. "Those who like to smoke while enjoying a drink or after a meal will patronize an establishment which allows smoking.
"The Libertarian Party believes that the citizens of Colorado are perfectly capable of making that choice without the help of the nannies down at City Hall."
Smoking ban is work of 'government nannies'
The decision by the city of Fort Collins, Colorado to ban smoking in bars and restaurants shows that the government nannies are at it again, say Colorado Libertarians.
"The Libertarian Party supports the rights of business owners to make choices for their businesses, as they see fit, without government intrusion," said Colorado LP State Chair Norm Olsen. "The Libertarian Party strongly supports the rights of individuals to make their own choices, including the right to choose whether or not to patronize private businesses that allow smoking in their establishments."
The Fort Collins city council passed the smoking ban on October 1. Individuals caught smoking in prohibited areas can be fined $1,000 a day or sentenced to 60 days in jail.
Besides unnecessarily expanding the power of government, the new ordinance also violates the right of business owners, said Olsen.
"It is the business owner who decides when to open, when to close, what's on the menu, how it will be presented, and accepts the financial risk of operating the business," he said. "It is this same business owner who should also decide if the legal activity of smoking is to be allowed in her/his business."
At the same time, customers should have the right to decide whether they wish to patronize businesses that allow smoking, said Olsen.
"Those who do not like to eat in a smoke-filled atmosphere will patronize a non-smoking restaurant," he said. "Those who like to smoke while enjoying a drink or after a meal will patronize an establishment which allows smoking.
"The Libertarian Party believes that the citizens of Colorado are perfectly capable of making that choice without the help of the nannies down at City Hall."
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"America's abundance was created not by public sacrifices to "the common good," but by the productive genius of free men who pursued their own personal interests and the making of their own private fortunes. They did not starve the people to pay for America's industrialization. They gave the people better jobs, higher wages adn cheaper goods with every new machine they invented, with every scientific discovery or technological advance -- and thus the whole country was moving forward and profiting, not suffering, every step of the way." (Ayn Rand)

"America's abundance was created not by public sacrifices to "the common good," but by the productive genius of free men who pursued their own personal interests and the making of their own private fortunes. They did not starve the people to pay for America's industrialization. They gave the people better jobs, higher wages adn cheaper goods with every new machine they invented, with every scientific discovery or technological advance -- and thus the whole country was moving forward and profiting, not suffering, every step of the way." (Ayn Rand)


