Pelosi And Her First Command Decision

Preparing for a fight on Iraq? Defending the poor? Protecting the weak?

No, nothing that trivial. She banned smoking near the House Floor Your tax dolalrs hard at work. I guess things like this are why she needs to pretend that Congress will actually work five days per week.

Actually, I applaud her decision, and support it wholly. Not because of some touchy feely pat on the back becaus we care reason, but because smoking is outlawed virtually everywhere, including in all federal buildings. This is another item on the list of regulations and laws from which the Congress, who should lead by example as America's statesmen, have exempted themselves. Why should they be allowed to smoke at work?

I recently left service in the federal government, and I have some experience with the unproductivity that banning smoking in buildings has brought. I had a co-worker who smoked. He was the only one in the office, and he left about every hour for 10-15 minutes to light up. It was completely unregulated. Talk about a waste of time...for each eight hour day he worked only seven, as the other hour was spent smoking.

Had there been a smoking room or designated area in the building, it would have been much more beneficial to the government, and a better expenditure of your tax dollars. Since he had a private office, as did we all, some manner of ventilation system would have allowed him to smoke in the office. If you figure 1/8 of his salary, this could have paid for itself in no time.

However, since Congress has imposed this on all of us, then they should at least abide by the rules.