Thursday, March 13, 2008

Blumenthal to make casinos smoke free

This is a story that effects me directly.

CT Joyce just went to the casino and came home $18 wealthier...and smelling of smoke. Now, I'm all for the money part. Money is fun and useful and easy to carry. But the smoke part...eh, not so much.

So when Attorney General Richard Blumenthal proposed that Connecticut has the authority to protect the health and safety of casino employees, I was relatively pleased.

I say "relatively", because one of my little idiosyncrasies is that while I enjoy smoking the occasional cigar, I happen to detest the smell of cigarettes. Yeah, I'm weird that way. But I'm willing to forgo the retro thrill of burning a stogie in a casino for the general health of my (and everyone else's) lungs.

Christine Stuart (photo credit) from CT News Junkie has more:
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal decided Thursday that the state has the authority to ban smoking at two casinos belonging to the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Tribes.

Blumenthal said there’s a clause in the compact between the tribes and the state that allows the state to regulate health and safety standards.
I think it's simply common sense. I'm not a big fan of casino gambling, but on the few times I've been there, it's always made me somewhat uncomfortable to see some elderly slot machine aficionado with a tank of highly volatile oxygen sitting next to a doddering old chain smoker who isn't very aware of the dangerous chemical interaction potential of a spark in an oxygen-rich environment.

In related news, so far there's no evidence whatsoever that Richard Blumenthal has frequented executive escort services.

Let's hope it stays that way. Please keep it in your pants, Dick.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Considering he has an aversion to roaming in search of higher office, preferring to stay at home (in his safe AG gig), maybe he's already spayed.
oldswede

Anonymous said...

Why doesn't Blumenthal do something a little more useful for the state? Like chase after CNG, CL&P, get rid of the state tax, make CT more amenable to its residents. Gambling and smoking are far too easy and cheap a target. CT has become 'The Gouge State' of America.

Adam J Schmidt said...

He should be more focused on F&S Oil. Besides, having the state increase their regulatory reach seems to make the claim that they can have a casino in the first place because it's tribal land not subject to local jurisdiction seem even more disingenuous.

Anonymous said...

Things to worry about! Dick Blumenthal did a 85 page report on the Sheriff's system in 1999, that involved unlawful lobbying activities, whereas, former State retired employees, former state police officers and corrections officers hired a lobbyist and got a provision past that permitted them to collect their 20 hazardous duty pensions, then work beyond a 120 day per diem restriction. Today ,right here and now dozens upon dozens of former state employees are collecting $50,000 to $65,000 a years state pensions and also working for $65,000 a year as judicial marshals.Blumenthal did nothing to prevent this, refused to prosecute these people for unlawful lobbying activities, and also, in his report, concerning the Sheriff's , he cited these guys for a 85 page lambasting, the people went to the pols to vote the sheriff's out of office, and the State Constitution and move those deputy sheriff's over to the Judicial branch, what did the Judicial branch do? The put one of the Sheriff's in charge of the branch that the voters voted out!

That is fraud. Richard Blumenthal's refusal to prosecute civilly these individuals, has cost the tax payers millions of dollars of paying these retirees twice, how many of you wish you could retire with a 20 year and out hazardous duty state pension,then be able to go back into a state job and collect as well as works again and collect a salary?
Richard Blumenthal cost the taxpayers of this State millions of dollars, refuses to protect whistle blowers, and expends countless tax dollars defending abusive state employees in DCF, as well as other state agencies.This state has not had a Attorney General that advocated for the taxpayer in years.His worrying about smoking in a Indian casino is absolutely what he does,takes the easy road. Tricky Dicky cheese sits around waiting for the other idiot to leave the Senate seat, however, this Sheriff issue, and his messes he help create will be his own waterloo.