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Democrats Snuff Out Smoking Ban

If anti-smoking advocates were hoping to reduce the number of smoking establishments in Indianapolis before the Super Bowl,  they will have to wait until the next one comes to Indianapolis, whenever that is.

A proposal that would have banned smoking in most businesses with a few exceptions failed to garner support tonight in the Democrats’ caucus.  Prior to tonight’s City-County Council meeting Democrats took an informal poll to see if members would support the current compromise that would expand the current smoking ban to all bars and taverns in the city, with the exception of cigar and hookah bars as well as private clubs and tobacco shops.

The compromise had been reached by outgoing City-Council President Ryan Vaughn and smoking ban proponents Democrat Angela Mansfield and Republican Ben Hunter.  According to my sources,  Democrats were non-committal to the proposal and the consensus was to try again next year and go for a complete ban with no exceptions.

Mayor Greg Ballard reiterated his position to me earlier at a Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce event that his position was clear and that the only ban he would sign was the proposal offered up by Vaughn with its exemptions.

Democrats will take control of the Council next year with a 16-vote majority, however 20 votes are needed to override any Mayoral veto.  Vaughn’s proposal had about 10 votes at best, evenly split between Republicans and Democrats.

Vaughn’s proposal is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday in the Rules committee.  Some Republicans say they could back a smoking ban if it grandfathered in existing bars or exempted bars outside the mile-square of downtown.  However proponents say they want to try and shoot for a total ban next year.

Posted: 12|5|11 at 9:27 pm by Abdul Hakim-Shabazz
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  • M Theory

    Darn!  I was going to turn the former dungeon into a speakeasy!

  • M Theory

    ….I should say a smoking speakeasy!  LOL!

  • Patriot Paul

    Very risky for the smoking ban proponents. The all or nothing approach next year is what typically has been hard to pass.  I suspect they will spin this as a weak ban is worse than no ban at all. 

  • Think Again

    Well, Paul, did you ever think they might want to hold onto their principles?

    I’d probably have voted for a compromise.  But this means a lot to some of them. 

    It’s going to happen.  It’s just a matter of when.  

    And if the new Council passes a complete ban in Jan., it will be fun to resurrect Ballard’s 2007 promise to support such a ban.

  • Ban This!

    Principles?  Surely TA, you jest.  These “non-smoking” fednecks are little more than paid in the shade scam artists; h-bent on taking by g-force that which they can’t gain by reason…   

  • Think Again 2

    What happen to compromise? TA do you say these things to hear yourself say these things. Its politics not principles. sometime a rock is a rock….

  • Think Again

    Make no mistake namesake: I’d have voted for the compromise.  But perhaps the proponents are sticking to their guns for a reason.  I don’t know what it is.  Luckily for both of us, I’m not in those strategy meetings.

  • Think Again

    Hardly.

    This will ultimately pass sometime.  And it’ll ultimately be a full ban.  That’s just where the momentum is going.  And the pro-smoking folks just don’t have many facts going fork them.

  • Think Again 2

    To be or not to be honest, it’s too much real work to be done to play these games, look at congress. The people will nolonger tolerate this. TA speak truth to this, and not your normal response to not be honest with the facts. I am TA 2.
      

  • pascal

    Haiti will appreciate having two revenue streams instead of just the one major source.

  • M Theory

    Driving the activity underground will mean smaller revenues for the coffers. 

  • Think Again 2

    Lets not forget this is America, land of the free and home of the Brave. TA must not believe in freedom… or he does not want us to have the freedom to choose. I am TA 2.

  • Abdul

    There are “smoke-easies” all over Chicago and NYC.

  • Think Again

    Nnot sure exactly what you mean relative to this issue….not saying I disagree, just don’t completely understand.  Sorry.

  • Think Again

    I completely believe in freedom.  Anyone who operates an establishment that depends on government permits to open, must abide by those rules govt. establishes.  It’s really pretty simple.  Zoning, health, access, etc.  If you want to smoke, you can choose to stay completely within a space you alone control.

  • Think Again

    Really?  I had no idea.  

  • Wurstnitemare

    Principles? These are single issue minded simpletons that  have never owned their own business. Having lived on the public dole like the smoke free indy folks have been doing its hard for them to understand having to make payroll.

    I get that they are holier than thou with their rhetoric,but what they don’t understand is that they will be putting a lot of people out of business. But I guess with their socialist dogma they can deal with that.

    Smoke free, stay out of my life,go get a real one

  • Wurstnitemare

    So when they come into your home and start telling you what to eat and what to wear your not going to have a problem with that? 

  • Ban This!

    Your “logic” suggests we regulate music & other media deemed “offensive.”

  • Rico

    Business owners be damned!  One day…….one day… (this is when we envision TA rubbing his hands together and and laughing in a menacing, maniacal way)

  • http://www.thePoliPit.com JednaVira

    If smoking is such a horrible thing that a “ban” needs to be in place, then why isn’t it completely illegal!?  The answer:  Because money drives legislation more than any other factor.  Press the politicians to put their money where their mouth is and legislate smoking as an evil addiction that must be completely banned; and you will quickly find where their allegiance lies :  MONEY.  The logic used in “smoking bans” is nonsensical.  Either let it be legal and leave it alone, or ban it all together…At least the logic would be consistent.

  • Rico

    Nine of the states who received billions in the class action suit against the tobacoo industry invested in Philip Morris.

  • pascal

    Wasn’t the lead lawyer Trent Lott’s brother in law? It is all about shakedowns, in my view. The old adage was that Republicans wouldn’t steal anything less than a whole railroad company.  Tobbacco was much larger.

  • Scooter

    This whole thing is a load of crap.  Tobacco IS a legal product.  Bunch of ninnies & nanny’s.

    Compair some numbers… How many people die in car accidents each year vs. how many die of smoking related illnesses?  And don’t give me that bovine excrement about children.  How many kids died last year, because their parents put them in that car?

     

  • Think Again 2

    It’s all about the issue, compromise, they have no reason not to support this, too much politics, not enough wisdom. change with no change, is not change. is this what we voted for?

  • Think Again 2

    where does it stop, TA did you serve in the military? just a question..

  • Abdul Makes Stuff Up

    no there aren’t. moron.

  • Abdul

    I’ll be happy to take you to some.

  • Ramon

    What happened to boy wonder Ryan Vaughn’s leadership ability?  He has the council majority.

  • http://twitter.com/IndyStudent Matthew Stone

    Don’t know about Chicago, but NYC’s smoking ban is practically unenforced so the smokeeasies are pretty blatant.

  • Ramon

    What about the rights of veterans who wish to visit the Legion or the VFW without harming their health and going home smelling like an old ashtray?

  • Anonymous

    I posted a message on Ajabu Speaks, this is the message I posted:
    Ajabu,
    you did not address any of the political points I brought up in my last
    post. You want to debate the issues, then debate them. Tell us why you
    contradict yourself constantly. Tell us why Christianity is what’s wrong
    with the world. Why do you use shocking pictures with no context on
    your website?.Did you or did you not say white people are evil? Did you
    burn the American flag? Did you or did you not say Obama has lost his
    way. Did you or did you not say Osama Bin Laden, the author of the 911
    terrorist attacks against Americans was murdered? Answer the questions
    Ajabu. If you can’t explain away these statements and actions , then you
    will never make it in politics.
    Also, explain why you were purged
    from LWCC if it was not for the reason I stated? You stated I was a
    whiner, well, as least I am not an old ostrich who hides his head in the
    sand and refuses to debate the issues.
    The only wine I am familiar
    with would be the wine list you find in a 5 star restaurant. My wine is
    Fleur De Rothschild. Your wine is mad dog 20/20. I was not born wealthy.
    I became wealthy by educating myself and doing R & D in medical
    reagents and discovering break thru, life saving technology. Everyone
    has the opportunity to excel and achieve greatness. Stop making excuses
    for yourselves and start using resources available to you. Believe and
    you will achieve!!
    Mmoja Ajabu took my post and edited it to say this:

    Ajabu, you did not address any of the political points I
    brought up in my last post. You want to debate the issues, then debate
    them. Tell us why you contradict yourself constantly. Also, explain why
    you were purged from LWCC if it was not for the reason I stated? You
    stated I was a whiner, well, as least I am not an old ostrich who hides
    his head in the sand and refuses to debate the issues. The only
    wine I am familiar with would be the wine list you find in a 5 star
    restaurant. My wine is mad dog 20/20. I was born wealthy. I became
    wealthy by educating myself and doing R & D in medical reagents and
    discovering break thru, life saving technology and because of my white
    skin I as able to get the opportunity to do so. Everyone white should
    have the opportunity to excel and achieve greatness. Stop making excuses
    for yourselves and start using resources available to you. Believe and
    you
    will achieve!!The Voice of Truth? You are a piece of crap Ajabu. This
    act right here shows everyone the kind of person you are. You are a
    racist lying piece of crap. You manipulate everything to your advantage.
    Well, you don’t have the access to change and add to the statements of
    honest people on Abdul’s blog. The truth cannot be silenced. It is now
    my full time job to make sure everyone see’s you for the Evil, lying,
    loser that you are. And Ajabu, Kofi is getting what he deserves in
    Prison. He murdered three young people and was not sent to club med. He
    is reaping what you have sewn by raising him in an environment of hate.
    You seem to never learn your lesson. You could have taken what he did
    and used it to transform your life and be a shining example of
    redemption to others, yet you choose to continue to play the victim card
    and the poor me card. Untwist your panties and man up you sleazy
    liar.Not as much fun when you can’t delete messages that point out what
    you are or edit them to  say what you want the less intelligent readers
    to believe.

  • Anonymous

    This is the latest censored/edited repost by MMoja Ajabu. He would have
    you believe that the following are my words, It further proves what a
    psycho he is and that he lacks integrity. Your Congressional campaign
    has been thwarted by you, yourself Ajabu and your inability to
    acknowledge truth in any form.
    These are Ajabu’s words about himself that he is attributing to me.
    Ajabu, you are a good man.
    Ajabu,
    you did not address any of my supposdly political points I brought up
    in my last post. You want to debate the issues, but you won’t let me
    determine what the issues are. Tell us why you are so consistent. I see
    why you use shocking pictures with context on your website. TLhese
    useless wars must stop.I appreciate you observing that some white people
    are evil? You did say Obama has lost his way. The facts are clear.
    Unfortunately Osama Bin Laden, the supposed author of the 911 terrorist
    attacks against Americans was murdered. You have answered the questions
    Ajabu. you will make it in politics.

    You stated I was a whiner,
    well, as least you are not an old ostrich who hides his head in the sand
    and refuses to debate the issues. I do have a problem with wanting to
    talk about what I want to talk about instead of talking about the
    issues. I will work on that.

    The only wine I am familiar with
    would be the wine list you find in a 5 star restaurant. My wine is mad
    dog 20/20. I was born wealthy. I became wealthy by educating myself and
    doing R & D in medical reagents and discovering break thru, life
    saving technology. Everyone white has the opportunity to excel and
    achieve greatness. Stop making excuses for yourselves and start using
    resources available to you. Believe and you will achieve!! Let everyone
    see what a truth teller you are!!! You are appreciated!!

    Bunneh/Dawn:

    I
    am trying to help you get on track. If someone else is discussing the
    issues you want to discuss then feel free to go there and post your
    comments. Your personal attacks are not welcome hear. Is not that
    message coming through clearly. If you keep posting then I will keep
    sending the message until you understand. Discuss the issues!! Your
    opinion on me or anyone else is not welcome. It is he issues, not the
    person. DISCUSS THE ISSUES or go elsewhere.
    December 7, 2011 | Registered CommenterRev. Ajabu

    This
    is his lastest repost after editing of my comments along with the
    veiled promises that he will continue to edit/ censor all of my posts
    that show him to be the racist, liar that he is.

  • Ban This!

    You’re dummer ‘n owl shit!

  • Scooter

    What about us? If the person next to me is partaking of a legal item & it offends me, I’ll move my seat or not even be there. If they are a nanny-ninny about it, I can always put it out in their eye.

    Let vets take care of themselves… they took care of your candy-ass.

  • Think Again 2

    It’s a legal activity, are you a veteran? and do you cant speak for others, you have to speak for yourself. 

  • Indyernie

    Ramon, Vets can take care of themselves, we don’t need you lobbing for us.

  • Ajabu

    Ajabu is a good man, he speaks for the people that dosnt have a voice.

  • Think Again 2

    just kidding

  • Anonymous

    LOL. Good one “Ajabu”.

  • Scooter

    Yes, I am.  Two decades worth.