More Blue on Blue Madness (Non-Campus Edition!)

As part of its ongoing attempt to create new revenue streams the NY Times continues to develop pieces for The Onion. Or maybe this is serious and the Washington DC nanny-staters have lost the last of their minds:

Public Housing Nationwide May Be Subject to Smoking Ban

By MIREYA NAVARRO  NOV. 12, 2015

Smoking would be prohibited in public housing homes nationwide under a proposed federal rule announced on Thursday, a move that would affect nearly one million households and open the latest front in the long-running campaign to curb unwanted exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke.

The ban, by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, would also require that common areas and administrative offices on public housing property be smoke-free.

But the restriction on smoking inside dwellings would pose challenges to overburdened public housing agencies, which could face resistance from some residents resentful of losing control of what they can do in their own homes.

At a guess, most public housing projects are located in big Blue cities with Blue mayors, and this latest comedy is coming from a Blue administration. So my attitude is sort of like my attitude towards the campus turmoil where progressives are screaming at "insensitive" liberals and demanding they step down - they deserve each other, so let them have each other.

On the other hand, there may be some important principals and questions in play. Just for example, if smoking is legal and a man's (or woman's) home is his/her castle, why is the government allowed to make this rule? What is the limiting principle, and what will stop them from banning smoking in privately owned residences? Certainly some creative progressive could invoke fire safety as a public concern, particularly in urban high-rises, if all else failed.

And of course there seems to be the tiny matter of actual enforcement. One might imagine that HUD is showing a lack of vision and energy - while they are at it, why don't they make the possession, use and/or sale of hard narcotics illegal in public housing? Oh, wait, you mean drug possession, dealing and use are already crimes? Well, then, problem solved and good day!

We do get some encouragement on the enforcement question:

Shola Olatoye, the chairwoman and chief executive of Nycha [New York City Housing Authority, 400,000 residents in 178,000 apaertments], said, “For us, the major issue is our ability to enforce something like this.” Ms. Olatoye said she had yet to see the proposed rule but expected execution and enforcement to be handled by residents as well as by authority employees.

“It should be resident-led,” she said, adding that the Police Department should not be involved.

Yeah, equal enforcement under the law, if your neighbors like you. I don't foresee any problems with that...

Pressing on, and not to stereotype, engage in cultural appropriation, or otherwise give offense but... just whom does HUD think we are talking about when we talk about public housing resident affected by this proposed ban? I am pretty sure neither Mitt Romney nor his many kids nor any other dreaded one-percenter will be affected by this. Even the NY Times is willing to hint at the issue, although they hide behind an annoyed public housing resident to make the obvious point:

Another resident, Bruce Walston, 62, a lifelong smoker, compared the smoking ban to the Police Department’s stop-and-frisk tactics in disproportionately targeting people in black and Hispanic communities.

“If it goes across the whole board, I wouldn’t care, I’d be down with it,” he said. “But it can’t target one area.”

If you are worried that this rule will disproportionately hit low-income ethnics, well, tell Obama about it. Or tell DeBlasio, since they are all relying on the votes of low-income ethnics. As to class equality I don't think the Feds have the legal authority to ban smoking in Trump Tower. But I would pay extra to watch them try.

I SHOULD ADD: The Fickle Finger of Campus Outrage is currently pointing at a tenured Vanderbilt professor who is in an extremely left-threatening category as a conservative black woman. Around her, we rally first and get facts later.

Comments

[henry]

Well from the Driscoll thread,mouth fits better here Milwaukee protestors want Walker to toss Chisolm. It includes an early BLM case "Dontre" but otherwise I agree with a lot of their complaint. Non- prosecution of illegal roadside strip searches, John Doe against Barrett opponents in City Govt, ignoring actual crime in Milwaukee, etc.

[maryrose]

Tenure goes right out the window when the inmates take over the asylum
As my dad was the father of 7 children. This was his battle cry
We never did rule the asylum

[maryrose]

Chisholm out of office
I like the sound of that

[RokShox]

The Left promulgates these anti-liberty rules and laws, then turns to the police to enforce them.

Frustrated citizens pushed to the brink resist or attack the police. The Left turns to the police and blames them.

[Art in Newport]

Ed Morrissey has the story of Trump’s remarks on this topic from an interview this am on Fox Business

Trump: Mizzou situation “disgusting … their demands are crazy” (apologies if this was already posted)

Has any other candidate said anything?

[Jack is Back!]

First again and again and again.

[Jack is Back!]

Sorry, wrong post.

[Rick Ballard]

Henry,

What a heartwarming story!

Come, Citoyen Chisolm, the tumbrel awaits.

I wonder if removal for malfeasance would eliminate his immunity from damage claims?

[Comanche Voter]

Sounds like the start of an American version of China's Great Leap Forward. We'll have the residents enforce the smoking ban and have criticism circles. If some black smoker in Harlem gets out of line with his neighbors, they can send him to the countryside to toil in the fields. But you can't pick very much cotton when your lungs are rotten from smoking.

[henry]

Trump, Statesman.

Be loyal to the Trump, or else.

[Janet]

Public Housing Nationwide May Be Subject to Smoking Ban

Why stop there?
You must be a vegetarian to live in public housing.
Only electric cars may be parked on public housing property.

[Jane]

Oh phew. I have a golf cart. Does that count?

[Jane]

Trump is truly an ass. He doubled down today on exporting all illegals, said it will be cheap and will do it in 12-18 months. That's 23,000 people a day.

Why would anyone believe him?

[Janet]

Maybe there aren't that many illegals. Not sure where the numbers for all the illegals here comes from. How can anyone know?

Anyway...the choice is to vote for someone that says they can't do it. ..that isn't appealing.
I'd rather vote for a CAN DO person.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

I have a suspicion if they knew they were going to be forcibly deported they might just do it voluntarily.
Ask Ike.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

I think they should ban smoking in public housing.
They should have a curfew for the residents of government housing as well.
In fact they should have to work for Uncle Sam to live there.
Why, I think they oughtsta haffa work for free to live in Unca Sams big house.
An, when youz gets rights down to its, Big Boss Sam should haff sum o dem folks livin in da big house wit him and steppin an fetchin him sum lemonade and mebbe sum uff dem girlz shoulds hang around for Sam affa dark.
And da ress o dem coons should just shuts up an be happy dey gots a house at all, even if it dun come wit a colla.

[Janet]

Or how about this - if an illegal steps up to be deported..they get to go to the head of the line to come back legally?

[Threadkiller]

Why would anyone believe him?

I believed Romney when he said he would win.

[Threadkiller]

Plus, why do we have to believe him?

Everything that happens in this country is based off of what the group of so called LIVs believe.

If they are convinced a president can give them free phones, education, rent, health care, etc, then what makes them now so wise that they won't believe that a president can give a criminal fence hopper the boot?

Everyone should say hell yes when Trump levels threats at invaders. Let the invaders sort it out.

[Miss Marple 2]

Jane,

I see no reason why 23,000 people per day couldn't be sent home. It is quite doable.

Will we do it in those numbers? Probably not. But the idea that we COULD do it will cause a lot to go home, and a lot to either not come or get themselves home before their visas run out.

Our alternative is to let illegals and potentials know that we won't do anything. Then more will come.

I do not want to be in a European situation.

Today, Eric Trump was on Cavuto, and he said his father is concerned about AMERICANS who are out of work or working in crap jobs (my words) because of illegals, and his father is a patriot who cares about the country.

This is exactly right.

[Miss Marple 2]

AmishDude Retweeted
The Notorious F.A.G. ‏@Ebolamerican 38m38 minutes ago

BREAKING: Swastika Discovered In #Mizzou Library; Premises Evacuated, Campus Police Hate Crimes Unit Investigating