By BILL O'BRIEN
One interesting aspect of the state's public smoking debate is that it's a classic example of how things work -- or don't -- in the Michigan Legislature.
Several years ago, the anti-smoking lobby, a grassroots, but well-organized and effective movement, set its sights on a handful of Midwest states with a goal of stomping out smoking in public places, including restaurants and bars, among the last public outposts for smokers.
Anti-smokers prevailed in some states, and succeeded in persuading lawmakers to ban smoking in most public places.
Then they came to Michigan, where entrenched special interests have full access to, and much sway over, the full-time legislature. Alcohol and restaurant lobbies are two of the oldest and most-established special interests at the state Capitol, and they vehemently oppose smoking restrictions that could impact their businesses. The pro-smoking crowd employs well-paid professionals with full-time access to full-time legislators and their staffs. They're armed with food and drink, campaign cash, endorsements and other weaponry that's much more persuasive than the public's more-limited fare of letters, e-mails and rare face-to-face encounters with politicians.
Many members of the anti-smoking effort are people with other jobs, families and outside interests. Their involvement in the smoking debate might be driven by the loss of a family member or loved one to smoking-related illness, but most don't do it for a living. And in this debate, they're up against pros who know how to make state politicians smile.
So while there's strength in numbers -- most people don't want smoking in public places, including bars and restaurants -- there's plenty of punch among special interests who want to maintain the status quo.
What followed was another Capitol classic. Lawmakers from both parties finally "agreed" that a smoking ban in public places is desirable. But they couldn't reach consensus on "exemptions" from the law.
Smoking lounges, tribal casinos, bingo halls runs by labor unions and the like weighed in, and lawmakers locked themselves into the "yes, but ..." mode. Talk about a legislative smokescreen: Lawmakers huff and puff about getting something accomplished, but little ever comes to fruition.
Now, of course, lawmakers are too busy to take up the smoking issue. They're in the midst of the state's annual budget "crisis" and potential state government shutdown.
A smoking ban eventually will come about, but likely not until the state's tourism lobby realizes that out-of-state travelers are turned off by Michigan's smoke-choked bars and restaurants. Then the public health portion of the argument will overtake the current and inane "property rights" debate.
Twenty years from now, Michigan residents will look back on the smoking debate and wonder what took so long to slay this killer.
By then, the obstructionists will have moved on to other issues, and the public will wonder what's holding up progress there, too.
