And one more tiny sliver of freedom goes up in smoke

From BretBart

BANGOR, Maine (AP) -- The Bangor City Council approved a measure Monday that prohibits people from smoking in vehicles when children are present.

When the law goes into effect next week, Bangor will become the first municipality in Maine to have such a law. Similar statewide measures have been adopted in Arkansas and Louisiana and are under consideration in several other states.

After I got done beating my head on a wall, I thought about this a little bit. On one hand, the city seems to be trying to protect children that cannot protect themselves, and that is never a bad thing. On the other hand, how dare you tell me what I can and cant do in my own car and with my own children. A few questions come to mind too:

• Are they going to post signs at every entrance point to the city? I'm willing to bet that they don't, and they just harass people because they know they can get revenue out of it.
• This law applies to all minors(under 18) So if a 17 year old is driving with 3 friends all under 18 and the driver is smoking, they can pull the driver over and issue him 3 fines?
• Whats next? How long before someone passes a law saying I cant put salt on my kids meal because it might harm him?

When are people going to wake up and realize that the government exists to serve the will of the people and its actions are dictated by what the people determine that it can and cannot do? Teh government was not created to tell the people what they cant do!