May 14 2008
Beaufort Moves a Step Forward to Nanny State
In Beaufort we have another case of overbearing politicians imposing their personal will on the people of the city and throwing away the concept of private property. The council unanimously passed a preliminary ordinance to ban smoking in all indoor places open to the public as well as outdoor venues such as patio dining, stadiums, etc. These elected officials are trying to force people to change a lifestyle that they disapprove of under the ruse of second hand smoke.
City Councilman George O’Kelley justifies his fascism by claiming he’s protecting the employees, but no employee is forced to work in an establishment where smoking is permitted, so his claim is nothing more than pure rubbish. People like George O’Kelley and the others on the city council have no respect for one’s private property. This is a decision to be made by the owners, not the bureaucrats. This is how free market and free enterprise work. Evidently Mr. O’Kelley missed school the day they taught about freedom, personal liberty, and limited government.
