The Smoking Ballot Box
Posted By The Cigar Soldier on October 29, 2010
As much as I try to avoid delving into the political arena on this site, I do have to remind you guys that on top of it being Cigar Night and the Oliva Cigar Event on Tuesday the second at Titletown Tobacco, it’s also voting day. We share a lust for all things cigar and I believe many of us share common ground when it comes to the excessive legislation and taxation on our beloved stogies but how you cast your vote may be drastically different than the guys you sit across the table from on Cigar Nights. And that is totally okay.
When it comes to putting together my mental ramblings I strive hard to stay away from heated political topics unless directly related to personal rights and the infringement by big government on those rights. That usually means another smoking ban I’m addressing because I’m pissed off by the actions of governments ignorance on the subject. The rest of the politico mumbo jumbo you can get elsewhere and I intend to keep it that way. Politics will always be a topic of general discussion on our Cigar Nights and you can be involved or gracefully bow out of those conversations. I just don’t feel as though it’s appropriate for me to jam my political views down your throat unless it directly affects our hobby. I do have to assume however that as a cigar smoker you share my views on the mistreatment of the coveted weed and therefore will continue to write about those politicians and laws that infringe on our right to enjoy a legal product.
Now, that being said: I do expect you guys to get involved on Tuesday and vote. Even if you don’t vote for the guy or gal that I want to win, you still need to take part in the process and make your voice heard. Yeah I know they’re all hacks and for the last two months we’ve been bombarded with radio and television ads basically saying “vote for me because I’m the lesser of two evils.” Nobody runs a campaign on the grounds of what they have done or will do in office, it’s all attacks on their opponent and it makes me want to puke. The political system in this country does not covet the most noble of candidates so what can we expect? It’s a very simple equation, shit into the system equals shit out of the system. It’s like sweeping up all the leftover parts and pieces remaining from butchering a cow, stuffing them into a tube and expecting it to be better than the original individual pieces. Actually, I guess that would be a hot dog and hot dogs are pretty damn good. Well, bad example but you get my point. When you look at some of our elected officials and many of those trying to get into office it’s easy to see why we’re in the messes we’re in year after year. It doesn’t have to be that way and just maybe one of this years crop will be that Nobel gentleman or lady we seek.
Much of the general population really doesn’t care about politics and even less about politicians so it’s understandable why they shun elections. I believe that politicians are really just thieves with a license to legally steal directly from our wallets. Check your next paycheck if you don’t believe me. There are some very inherent differences between the candidates up for office this time around and I recommend doing a little research to make up your own mind. I can’t honestly believe you’re dumb enough to be duped by a TV commercial into thinking you could have had a V8 so I want to believe you won’t be swayed by the continual BS and lies from these guys in between episodes of Man Vs Food. You fat gluttons.
Tuesday is a big day for more reasons than Cigar Night so please be sure to get out and cast your vote before stopping down and grabbing a handful of Oliva cigars as we watch the election results roll in. It may be a victory cigar you’re smoking or possibly a consolation cigar in honor of your candidate that came up short. Either way you’ll be surrounded by your fellow Brothers of the Leaf who care about being there with you and most of all, I’ll be happy to see you. That’s one campaign promise I guarantee to never break.
Have a great weekend my peeps,
The Cigar Soldier
About the author
They’ve got smoking so over-legislated that soon one lung will be suing the other for smoking too close. I have a sign on the door at my workplace in TN that says we cant smoke too close to the doorway by order of such and such an addendum to such and such a ryder to such and such a version of such and such an ordinance. STUPID!
It’s over legislation in hopes of obliteration. I get not smoking in or at the workplace especially in an office environment. What doesn’t make sense in telling a bar owner or tobacco shop that you can’t smoke there! Who takes a job that type of job and then complains about smoke? Get another job! A free market will dictate an acceptable level of “smoke” for the public. The government does not need to regulate that anymore than they need to regulate how violent video games are. If general public consensus says its’ too violent, it won’t sell in much the same way the public will avoid frequenting establishments that are considered too smoky.