... I disagree with your *actual* logic.
#1 - Your use of the term "thinks". We *know* smoking is bad for you. It's been proven time and time again. We *know* second hand smoke is bad for you, the question is "how bad?" Is it enough to cause cancer if you experience light doses outside a doorway? Who knows - we've not proven that. However, we *do* know it IS bad for you. Any harm to me, no matter how miniscule, that I did not want done - infringes on my "right to life". This is a violation of my constitutional freedoms. You have no "right to smoke" - your freedoms are not being violated. The very thing you argue against (smoking ban) because you feel it is a loss of your freedom - isn't a loss of a freedom, it's my regaining a constitutional right granted to me. Now, that said, I'm sure you don't like the idea. :p
#2 - Something needs to be done about trans fats. Obviously corporations are not doing anything on their own, and the people are (in general) apparently incapable of doing anything themselves, so they have lobbied for it. I'm all for a ban on them, right now it is IMPOSSIBLE to go out and find a place to eat in a short amount of time that has healthy food. People like myself have voted with our money by not eating out unless we absolutely HAVE to, but lots of people don't have this choice. The "market" isn't correcting the situation due to the lack of ability to make a choice. This is exactly the point in time when some organization needs to step in and correct the problem. If nobody was complaining about trans fats, nobody would be attempting a ban. It's less expensive to use trans fats, so the market (as it has shown) will be condusive to places of eating using trans fats. Right now, the people want change, not all of us want to be 500 lb blimps, even if it's ok with you.
#3 - Politicans get power through money. Control is via money. They don't get "power", as you suggest, from a ban on trans fats or smoking. They piss off a bunch of people and make a bunch of people happy, it goes both ways.
The power politicians have is through money, often made in dubious ways. If you want to stop political strife, find ways to stop illegal/questionable money inflow to the corrupt politicians. Good luck doing that, but it's certainly a better campaign to join than the "smoke everywhere and tons of trans fat in everything, I want to die" campaign. |
