Of Smoke-Filled Rooms and the Politics of Hypocrisy

[boedicca]

What a bizarre little example of how the Dems support laws and then exempt themselves from them. House Minority Leader Boehner now seeks refuge at the Democratic Club in order to smoke. For some unknown reason, the Dem club has been able to get an exemption to the DC smoking ban. It's unlikely that 10% of the club's income is derived from tobacco sales. Yet typically, the rules do not apply to the ones who shove them down everyone else's throat.

I'm not a smoker - but a business should be able to decide how to serve its clients regarding perfectly legal personal behavior.

His own party's club won't let him light up, so House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) has been sneaking over to the National Democratic Club to smoke. Ironic, and a tad scandalous -- considering Boehner sits on the board of the Capitol Hill Club, where Republican members of Congress do their boozing and schmoozing.

But the Capitol Hill Club, unlike the Democratic Club, never got an exemption to get around the District's new smoking ban. And Boehner and other members are no longer allowed to smoke in the House Speaker's Lobby, thanks to Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) new rules. So what else is a Republican to do when he's jonesing for a smoke?

Boehner, who's hooked on Barclays, has popped into the Democratic Club -- a sad sack of a joint (compared to the tonier GOP club), which is frequented by union lobbyists -- on several occasions. Most recently on Wednesday night, when he was puffing and chatting with Democratic Reps. Allen Boyd (Fla.), Dennis Cardoza (Calif.) and Jim Costa (Calif.).

(snip)

Lobbyist Tom Jolly, a longtime Democratic Club member, predicted that Boehner would become a fixture at the club since the minority leader can't smoke among his own. "I am one member who is delighted to have him as our guest," Jolly said, recalling how back in the day, in the '70s and '80s, GOP Reps. Ed Derwinski of Illinois and Steve Symms of Idaho were frequent Democratic Club interlopers.

(snip)

Republicans, meanwhile, are grumbling about the Democratic Club's ability to get the exemption, considering that in order to qualify a restaurant must make at least 10 percent of its profits from tobacco sales.

"We're baffled they qualified," a curious member of the Capitol Hill Club's board told the Sleuth.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2007/03/boehner_bums_smokes_off_democr.html

 

[JeffWartman]

I find it funnier that people are more interested in whether our public servants -- whether it's Barack Obama or John Boehner...smoke cigarettes...pretty inconsequential...in my mind.

 

[Avatar4321]

I find it funnier that people are more interested in whether our public servants -- whether it's Barack Obama or John Boehner...smoke cigarettes...pretty inconsequential...in my mind.

yeah well there are too many people focused more on the image than the substance.

 

[American Horse]

I find it funnier that people are more interested in whether our public servants -- whether it's Barack Obama or John Boehner...smoke cigarettes...pretty inconsequential...in my mind.

yeah well there are too many people focused more on the image than the substance.

Which explains a lot; there are always enough of us (including our MSM) who are willing to ignore the fact that the emperor is naked. It's not just the lemmings but the willing dupes among us who believe that everything is working just fine as long as it's their side that gets to exempt itself from following the rules they force on the rest of us; this while always being the first to sling the tar of "hypocrisy.”

 

[Claudette]

I really can't say I'm surprised.

AFter all. If the public option somehow makes it into law, our glorious leaders and all Govt workers are exempt.

Funny how the laws these clowns pass only apply to we the taxpayer. How would anyone expect a little ol law on smoking to stand in their way??? LOL

 

[Sherry]

I find it funnier that people are more interested in whether our public servants -- whether it's Barack Obama or John Boehner...smoke cigarettes...pretty inconsequential...in my mind.

Yes, but it is interesting when the government wants to regulate the amount of sugar, fats, salt, etc that the public consumes. I mean, shouldn't we "care" for them as well.