Good catch E.-- more on Seattle Nanny-ism

My friend E. sent me a note about an article on nanny-ism in Seattle (Big Nanny is Watching You) featured today in the Seattle Weekly. She first spotted it on The Agitator. Radley Balko is quoted in the article, referring the Washington State's new ad campaign to "discourage" smoking:

"This is so bizarre," says Radley Balko, a policy analyst with the
Washington, D.C.–based Cato Institute, after looking at the state's site.
"It's beyond parody." Balko tracks nanny-state issues for the libertarian
nonprofit.In his opinion, the ad campaign clearly paints "smokers as
being the dregs of society." Balko also says, "It just seems like an effort
to make pariahs of smokers."

Smoking, strip clubs and cheap booze, oh my! Not in my part of Emerald City, thank you very much. Seattle City Council, progressive voters and tobacoo czar Roger Valdez you are my hero.
~sheeple of Seattle Metro

Roger Valdez, when asked about the standard of proof used to establish smoking ban violations, after complaints are filed: "We don't have to prove anything," Valdez said. "If we get a complaint of smoke coming in from outside, you have to show by clear and convincing evidence that smoke isn't coming inside." Yet another example of guilty until proven innocent.

Edit: South Puget Sound Libertarian also blogged about the article Big Nanny is Watching You. I somewhat disagree with Mark though. The Seattle Weekly can be definitely dragging through some socialistic mud, depending on the writer, but certainly not always. I applaud the Weekly for shining the spotlight on Seattle Nanny culture.