Money is a hardly a democratic method. It favors the rich, exclusively. That is an oligarcy, and requires that many lose out.

Smoking is a smokescreen issue. My right to clean air should be the default. Smokers should ask before they light up in public places. However I would happily allow 50% of bars and restaurants to be smoking-only, and I will happily avoid them.

To say that banning smoking, a known pollutant and carcinogen, is an encrochment of the police state, YOU are the one who is whining.

Arresting someone, calling them an "enemy combatant" (whatever the fuck that means exactly), locking them up, removing their right to trial, or giving them a military trial with hooded judges and providing the accused with no evidence IS totally police state activity.

As to "laws which take the decision away from us"... we live in a SOCIETY, there are many of us that have to get along togther. TO do so, we make rules to inhabit the same square footage.

Does it not seem reasonable that an average person should be able to expect clean air when they eat or listen to music? Why do smokers get to make the default as smokey air, they don't exactly ask non-smokers if they mind. The responsibility should be on the smokers.

Again, selfish.