An email from a listener regarding Smoking

Hi Jay and Ernie. Man, you guys are way off base with your "slippery slope" logic on smoking bans (eg if smoking is ban, then why not ban junk food or alcohol, etc).

If I follow your slippery logic that government has no right telling owners how to run their restaurants, then we don't need to have health inspectors and rules on how to prepare and serve food. If a business owner wants to cut corners on employee hygiene, cleanliness, cooking, and refrigeration, that should be their right according to your logic. And, if customers get sick, by your logic, they can just go to another restaurant next time ...if they survive.

If a government has no right telling owners how to run their restaurants, then we don't need rules saying they can't hire topless female waitresses. If someone has a problem with topless female waitresses, they don't have to go in and can just go to another restaurant.

If a government has no right telling owners how to run their restaurants, then we don't need building codes to protect the safety of customers from fire and other risks. If they get hurt, they can go to another restaurant, if they survive.

And, who knows where your logic would end? If we take it to another level, auto manufacturers shouldn't be required to install seat belts and air bags. If someone has a problem with it, they don't have to buy the car.

Air quality is a recognized concern of government. Whether it be car exhaust, industrial exhaust, or smoker's exhaust, government can and should regulate pollution for the health of everyone. Your straw man arguments of if we ban smoking then where will it end ...junk food? alcohol? is a false argument. Smoking harms everyone exposed to. Period. Junk food harms only the consumer of it. Excessive alcohol harms only the consumer (assuming they don't drive drunk). So, you guys are just way off base.

Your logic is flawed. And you were rude to the caller (don't recall his name, but he was a real estate agent) and would hardly let him talk. And when he didn't agree with something you said, you kept shouting over him to the point of hyper-ventilating. Your credibility and manner on this issue is about as good as World Wrestling Entertainment. Both are entertaining but hardly believable.

In the future, try listening to your callers and keep an open mind ...you'd be surprised what you can learn.