Another blow to personal responsibility ....

its all inside ....

No not at JC Penney but rather inside the California State Legislature .... striking another blow to personal responsibility and making it even more difficult for businesses to want to sell their products here or even do business in the state ....

Yes my friends the paragons of public protection are at it again .... all the gory details can be found here ....

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_0901-0950/sb_942_bill_20050222_introduced.pdf

Senate Bill 942 which will make cigarette manufacturers responsible for the littering habits of the users of their products.

First the disclaimer ...

I AM NOT A SMOKER. SMOKING IS A FILTHY HABIT. I personally believe that everyone should try to quit, however if someone CHOOSES to smoke knowing the risks (and anyone born after 1956 is well aware of the risks) more power to you, HOWEVER -- DO NOT EXPECT ME TO PAY FOR YOUR BAD CHOICES .... either now or in the future.

Having said that, the idea that somehow the product manufacturer (of any product) is responsible for the disgusting habit of throwing the leavings of the used product away in an illegal manner (we do have laws against littering) is absolutely one of the Top 5 BIZARRE, IRRATIONAL and IDIOTIC to ever come out of Sacramento (if not THE TOP) ... and that's saying something folks.

For those who will say well its just BIG TOBACCO and they can afford it .... I will counter with the argument that this is just the first step down a VERY SLIPPERY SLOPE and that it is is not that far from say next targeting the Candy Manufacturers because John Q Public throws them away in the same fashion at almost as great a rate.

At what point does it become the responsibility of the manufacturer to be responsible for ANY action of the purchaser ... Especially when the manufacturer has no idea which of its ultimate customers is doing said illegal activity. will the state now also go after manufacturers of couches (i saw four discarded along the road i travel to work just this morning) or microwave ovens (two of those on this one stretch) or snack foods of all varieties (too numerous to mention)....

For the past 14 years until November 2004 my family and i and other friends were part of two groups that participated in the Adopt-a-Highway program.

As an aside, i highly recommend this program if you are looking for something worthwhile to do and get a little exercise at the same time. If ever you want to see just how much stuff of all kinds is thrown out of vehicles or left along the side of the road ... take a walk one day and you will be amazed.

The point however, should be to enforce the laws on the ACTUAL perpetrators of the illegal activity. Trying to hold cigarette manufacturers liable for the actions of some (but not all) users of their products would be like trying to hold Ford Motor (or every other automobile company) liable for the medical, liability insurance and related costs of accidents caused by drunk drivers.

At what point is the ACTUAL PERSON doing the illegal activity actually responisible for dealing with the consequences of their actions??

If this bill passes (and with the super majority of liberal members in the California Legislature it probably will pass easily) every business owner will have reason to fear that their business will be next in the hit parade. Lets face it people ... the state needs money and they will do anything no matter how illogical, idiotic or asinine to get it .... COMMON SENSE BE DAMMED FULL SPEED AHEAD!!!!

Please, call or write Governor Swarzenegger; call or write your state senator or assembly member ... the ridiculous-ness MUST STOP before all of us suffer irreversible damage.