Where do our freedoms begin and end?

Michigan's ban on smoking in most public places takes effect on Saturday.  While the non smoking segment of the population (which is now the majority) will welcome the change, a number of smokers object to the new law on philosophical grounds--they see it as part of a continuing erosion of their individual rights.

A bar owner in Hamtramck is hosting a party dubbed the "Last Great American Smokedown" on the eve of the change "as a memorial to Americans' rapidly declining freedom to choose how to live their lives."

But does this move really represent yet another increment in the ever growing power of Big Government?
Let's look at this same principle when applied to a different subject.

Just this week the Legislature passed, and Gov.Granholm has pledged to sign, a ban on sending text messages while driving.  While some might argue it does not go far enough ( it does not forbid use of hand held cell phones), I'm yet to hear anyone object to the new law as an infringement on their freedoms.  Why?  Because a multitude of studies, not to mention most people's casual observation, offer proof positive of the profound dangers of distracted driving--both to driver, her or his passengers AND other nearby motorists.  Clearly, safety for all is the overriding factor. 

Why should smoking be looked any differently?  The only reason I can think of is cultural.  Smoking, while engaged in by fewer people today, still represents a tradition that to some suggest a level of maturity and sophistication--concepts that far predate the first Surgeon General's report in 1964.

But we know far better now. Continued deference to the smoker puts the non smoker involuntarily in harm's way.  As a lifelong nonsmoker, when I'm asked just where I think smokers' rights should end, my answer is "where my lungs begin."

Just Where Did the Tea Party Come From?

Something disturbing happened very shortly after Barack Obama took office.  Almost as if on cue, the movement we now refer to as the Tea Party suddenly appeared.  I say suddenly because most if not all of their positions address issues that have been simmering long before January 20, 2009:  deficit spending along with the ballooning national debt, plus the perception (real or imagined) that the federal government is overly intrusive; for example, the exaggerated opposition to health care reform, replete with false stories about death panels and rationing of care.

Is all of this just good old fashioned American political debate or is there something else at work--an undercurrent of bigotry perhaps?  Can this be linked to the election of our first African American President?


In a recent piece, syndicated columnist Leonard Pitts cites a very telling study from the University of Washington's Institute for the Study of Ethnicity, Race & Sexuality.  The results are most noteworthy.

As Pitts reports, "Respondents were read loaded statements such as this: 'It's really a matter of some people not trying hard enough; if blacks would only try harder, they could be just as well off as whites.' Among those skeptical of the tea party, only 33 percent agreed with that statement. Among whites in general, 56 percent did. But among the tea party's most rabid followers, the number spikes to 73 percent."

Is this reflective of the type of nation we're becoming?  I certinly hope not.

Democrats Mobilize for Fall Midterms

Today I spoke with Alec Gerlach, Regional Press Secretary for the Democratic National Committee and for Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic party. Ignoring widely held expectations expectations of Democratic losses this fall, Gerlach was very upbeat.

"Job creation nationwide totaled 162,000 in March. In addition, the passage of health care reform represents a major policy victory for President Obama's agenda. Building on these accomplishments, goals for the coming year include Wall Street reform and completing work on the fiscal 2011 budget."

Gerlach explained that as voters see this solid record of achievement, the Republican alternative of obstructionism will prove far less attractive.

"Achieving a high level of voter turnout this fall will be more critical than ever. For a variety of reasons, high voter turnout tend to favor Democrats."

This is no less true in Michigan, where benefits of the economic stimulus bill are begining to be felt. Despite still having the nation's highest unemployment rate, job growth in the state totaled 11,000 from December to January.

Introduction

Welcome to my blog. My plan for this blog is to update readers on developments on South Oakland political scene and to interpret national political developments to determine their local impact.

I plan also to offer my personal insights, to which I ask for your repectful responses.

Stay tuned!

Paul