Our smoking regs aren't as tough as CA or NY. The bars with minimal food still are stinky smoking zones. Restaurants no, but lots of them have outside sections. Of course this is probably more the case in Florida than other states.

It would be a wonderful thing if they would prohibit the smoking in bars here. DH strips and leaves his clothing on the front step when he comes home from shooting pool. Then heads straight for the shower.

Our only smoking related amendment this time is about spending funds for education. We have 6 amendments. Budget forecasts, % of people to pass amendments, tobacco money spending, 2 bills on homestead exemption, and eminent-domain stuff. My son was reading off my sample ballot to MIL while driving to school so she would know how to vote. I suppose that it is better to ask a trusted loved one than to just vote yes to all, or no to all.

Locally the big issue is a 1/2 cent sales tax increase to pay for a public health care program for the county. It would provide health care for the poor who are not covered by Medicare/Medicad. This would put our sales tax as the highest in Florida at 8%.

There are some people who are against it because it's a tax and that's enough for them to vote against it. There are others who have been trying to say that this will cause economic ruin for the area because everyone will go out of town to buy stuff to save that 1/2 penny. Which I don't believe for second, in large part because there isn't any town less than an hour away that has stores where large purchase would be made.

Other people are against the tax because it will help people, they seem to be against anything that might be considered a "hand out" to anyone.

The two most hotly debated issues around here are this tax increase and whether the head football coach should be forced to step down because we've been losing for several seasons. This issue is so very important that it's the front page story on election day.

The thing that sucks about sales tax is that it's regressive - the more money you make, the less percentage of your income goes to sales tax. They should really raise income tax rates - especially on the wealthy, except for all the fearsome whining this would generate.

We don't have income tax here.

I'm sure from a smoker's point of view that's kinda like me saying they're welcome to sit in the back of the bus.

From this smoker's point of view it sounds just about ideal. I don't need or want to smoke everywhere I go. But I am feeling a little pissy about the upcoming total ban here (right now it's only allowed in bars; sometime this summer that'll change).

I don't need or want to smoke everywhere I go. But I am feeling a little pissy about the upcoming total ban

I feel the same way.

We had a sales tax increase for public transit, a minimum wage increase, the smoking issues, and the moot point workers' comp thing which covered a BUNCH of stuff, including how the picked investment managers.

I felt the same way with California.

Hell, the city I work in on Saturdays has made it illegal to smoke OUTDOORS in public places, unless there is a marked smoking section.

I get really pissy about it, sometimes.

I loved the ad Jon Stewart showed accusing some guy's opponent of voting to taser 7-year-old kids. The expression on the 'I don't want to be tasered" moppet's face was priceless.

You're pulling my leg. This was not a real ad. Was it?

I am SO GLAD that I'm not in the States with a phone right now. Also glad I voted a month or so ago. Still angsting, though. I'm torn between hopeful and fearful and cyincal.ful.

However, Mallory has consented to go to bed pleasantly for three nights running, so all my stress can go towards the election results rather than Gorbachev, the Head Banging Baby.

I'm sure from a smoker's point of view that's kinda like me saying they're welcome to sit in the back of the bus.

From this smoker's point of view it sounds just about ideal.

THere's a prop on the ballot here today to put a $2.60 tax on cigarettes. As as smoker, I think I actually plan on voting yes on that one. $7 - 8 for a pack of cigarettes is too much, and would go a long way towards helping me put this nasty habit back down again.