I just sent the following to John Weber (city councilman running for mayor), and a slightly modified version to Walter Steed (city councilman running for reelection):

Mr. Weber,

I feel it’s important to let candidates know both when they have my support and when they do not.

Allow me to preface this with: I am no fan of Nancy Chaney. I was truly hoping she’d have an opponent I could support, because I think she’s horrible for Moscow. In addition to her reprehensible stance on economic growth, her position on gun rights flies in the face of everything I believe in as an Idahoan. She certainly will not have my vote today.

That said, neither will you, because yours was among the unanimous votes for the Moscow smoking ban, as well as among the five votes for the revised noise ordinance.

Let me be clear: I am not a smoker. I generally abhor smoking and do my best to avoid those who smoke. Given the option, I will choose a (voluntarily!) smoke-free establishment over those that permit it. Furthermore, I live in a quiet neighborhood and have certainly been annoyed by noisy neighbors in the past.

But, stronger than my dislike for smoking or inconsiderate neighbors is my belief in private property rights and keeping police power to a minimum. Your vote forcing Moscow establishments to prohibit smoking was a flagrant violation of private property rights. It’s amusing that someone who professes a concern for economic development in Moscow, on one hand, would turn around and tread on free enterprise the way you did. And, to grant police the ability to be a complainant in a noise violation – why? If the noise isn’t bothering anyone enough to complain to the police, why give them that power?

I noticed the Greater Moscow Alliance says you are in “complete agreement” with their stated values of “advance[ing] quality of life and economic prosperity by supporting free market enterprise, private property rights,
stewardship of natural resources and responsible government” – yet your voting record shows the complete opposite on at least two of those issues. Ironically, on the very same page as your stance on the GMA’s values is your assertion you’d vote for the smoking ban all over again!

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.

In the future, I hope you consider freedom more important than going along with the cause(s) du jour.

Laurel mylastname

I was really trying to be tactful, honest-to-Pete, but then I found the GMA’s voting guide and my diplomacy went out the window.

I hate liars. I mean, I realize the term is more or less synonymous with “politicians,” but still.

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

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