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The Spectacle Blog
Gov. Tim Kaine, the DNC chairman and celebrated "moderate" governor of Virginia, is mad because the legislature won't ban cigarette smoking in most bars and restaurants. It seems this will be his signature issue. After all, nothing else important is going on in the world!
Reports the Washington Examiner:
Gov. Tim Kaine signaled his displeasure Tuesday with the weakened ban on smoking in restaurants and bars that emerged from the House a day before, urging lawmakers to restore the original bill while stopping short of a veto threat.
The House's final passage of the smoking ban leaves the Democrat-controlled Senate to contemplate a watered-down version of the measure, which may represent the only chance of passing such a ban this year.
The original bill, a carefully constructed compromise between Kaine and House Speaker William Howell, R-Stafford, created exceptions to allow smoking in private clubs and in separately ventilated, closed-off areas.
The House bill passed Tuesday - nine miles from tobacco giant Philip Morris' U.S. headquarters - would allow patrons to light up when an establishment has been reserved for a private function or when minors are excluded. It also would delay the ban's implementation until January and require that a restaurant's smoking area be closed off or separately ventilated, not both.
"We made a deal," Kaine told reporters at a new conference in Richmond. "Folks said we're going to stand up and support a bill that has very defined provisions in it. We need to get back to the deal."
A statewide bar and restaurant smoking ban likely would be considered Kaine's paramount policy achievement during a term that - despite its broad political successes - has seen scant legislative victories. The governor remained optimistic, lauding the ban's unprecedented advancement in the House, albeit with amendments "not to my liking."
More "bipartisanship" from Democratic "moderates"!
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More Blog Posts by Doug Bandow
http://spectator.org/blog/2009/02/11/dnc-chairman-tim-kaines-bigges
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Pingback| 2.12.09 @ 1:14AM
DNC Chairman Tim Kaine’s Biggest Achievement - Spectator.org-Restaurant Locator links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pkane| 2.12.09 @ 3:41AM
Before we get around to Gov. Kaine, conservatives should be made aware of the absolutely disgraceful behavior of governors Barbour and Sanford - two men whom I used to think of as models of conservative governance.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122834915410777451.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
In the face of budget deficits, it looks like these two will take the cowards way out by taxing a small group who don't have the numbers to fight back. And, to make matters worse, Barbour is even using the leftist talking points:
"This governor sees tobacco taxes as more of a health-care-policy issue than a budget-policy issue," said Buddy Bynum, Gov. Barbour's spokesman.
No, the governor wants to take the easy way out by placing the burden on a politically vulnerable group, as opposed to leveling with the people of his state. He should be ashamed.
While Governor Kaine may be dead wrong in his actions, at least he has the guts to stand up for his own principles.
Crusader| 2.12.09 @ 11:18AM
Ahh, dims excuse idiocy because repubs were idiots before them? Man how far back can we go to play THIS game?
Georgeanne Mastro| 8.5.09 @ 11:32PM
Dear Mr. Kaine, as I watch the destruction of healthcare reform unfold on television due to mostly the planned disruptions in town hall meetings, I must say the Republicans are well organized, Recess Rally seems to be doing a pretty darn good job and scaring the American people! That's what I see working from the Republicans, what I DON'T see Mr. Kaine are SMART, PREPARED Democrats fighting back with the truth in these town hall meetings! Mostly what I see are Dems who look afraid, who don't know how to answer, don't know how to quiet these "thugs" and we look beaten! Mr. Kaine, with a few more weeks of August, I imagine this battle will wage on and unless we as Democrats do something, besides running positive ads, besides the President campaigning for healthcare reform, we need to be smart, and we don't look like we are Mr. Kaine. It's amazing to me that with the Dems in control, or lack thereof, with 60 votes we have to battle this hard with a Democratic President, with a Democratic Senate and a Democratic House we just my not get what Americans voted for in November - HEALTHCARE REFORM with a PUBLIC OPTION! Let's be honest here, the bill is getting waterdowned and Dems are just as bad as Republicans here, insurance companies, drug companies greasing their palms, let's face it it's all about money! And the loser is the American people! I have been a Democrat all my life, I'm a fulltime working senior citizen, working mainly because of healthcare benefit, and I have waited for decades for healthcare reform in this country, and for the first time I really felt we could pass this; but Mr. Kaine now I'm not so sure. If we don't start fighting like the Republicans we won't get this done and you can be sure 2010 we'll just may not be the majority party and God forbid 2012 Mr. Obama may not be re-elected! If that doesn't scare the Democrats into fierce action, nothing will. How the heck is the Democratic Party preparing Congressman and Senators for these highly orchestrated town hall meetings? You all knew this was coming, the Republicans do this, you were warned, but nothing, I see nothing the Dems are doing that can successfully defeat these "bused in" yellers! Mr. Kaine you better figure out something real quick on this, get it out to Dems and turn the tide on healthcare reform so we can win in Sept. after the "vacationers" return. Figure it out and get it done!
A disgusted Democrat in G