Walter Steed, Moscow city councilman (don’t know if he’s been reelected or not), replied to my friendly email:

In a message dated 11/3/09 4:10:46 PM, [my email] writes:

Though Heinlein’s razor states I ought not attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity, when it comes to politicians, I can’t really come to any other conclusion than: You’re a liar.

Laurel, Thank you for your position that it’s important to let candidates know both when they have my support and when they do not.

Wow, and I’ve never heard of Heinlein’s razor before. I appreciate your previous vote and hope the candidates you voted for this time make every vote exactly as you wish. Re the smoking ban, it was a health based unanimous vote by the council members. The fact that only one of 16 bar owners spoke out against the ban spoke volumes to us regarding the private property rights stand of the other 15.

Again, thanks for your previous support.

Walter

Walter Steed
1345 Ridgeview Drive
Moscow ID 83843

Phone (208) 883-0123
Fax (208) 882-7184

Of course, I wrote back…

Walter,

I must have missed when it became the prerogative of the government at any level to concern itself with enforcing my health.

That said, I’m not surprised only one bar owner spoke out against the ban, nor that you’re justifying your vote via tyranny of the majority. If I have learned one thing over the last few years, it’s that my countrymen are cowards.

Just a few months ago, I built a fence in my backyard. I had to purchase a $43 permit for permission to build said fence. I asked the lady at the planning and zoning department what exactly I was getting in exchange for my $43. She explained that Moscow hasn’t always had a fence permit, but so many people were calling the city with complaints about their neighbors’ fences that the utilization of city resources necessitated a permit and associated fee.

At what point did we decide the solution to a problem with our neighbor was to call the police or code enforcement officers, instead of knocking on their door and working it out?

The fact that fifteen bar owners failed to speak out on behalf of private property rights tells me those bar owners wanted to ban smoking, anyway, but knowing it might be unpopular with some of their customers, took the cowardly route and let the force of government dictate their business practices instead. The unfortunate side effect was the aforementioned tyranny of the majority being imposed on the sixteenth business owner, who was no longer free to choose the best practice for his establishment.

Let me state it plainly: You took away that business owner’s liberty and are justifying it by saying he was in the minority. Apparently you only believe in rights when they are the popular view of a majority – otherwise you would have voted against the smoking ban and left it up to private businesses regardless of whether or not they expressed an opinion.

Surely you’re not suggesting I deserve to lose my rights if I don’t speak up on every vote that takes place, from the city council on up to the United States Congress? Or, if I do speak up but am in the minority, my rights are inconsequential?

As far as I am concerned, it is always the duty of elected officials to err on the side of liberty. You, along with the rest of the city council, absolutely fail that test time and again.

I’ll stop taking up your time, but would appreciate it if you can do me one favor: Please let me know who the one bar owner opposed to the smoking ban was, because I (and a merry band of liberty-loving friends) will not longer patronize the other Moscow bar businesses, and plan to tell them why.

Laurel mylastname

EDIT: In case anyone is keeping score, Steed and company’s “health based” ordinance has caused a drop in revenue for Moscow bars. But he’s pro-free-enterprise! Pro-economic-development! Really! I promise!

Last Modified: Monday, February 15th, 2010 @ 01:42

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