Primaries are over... How will Feingold/Johnson/Barrett/Walker affect vapers in WI?

[Meg.]

Let's be honest, vaping is one of the few issues I really care about. (Other than finding a job, but, you know what I mean.)

It's going to turn into a hot-button issue over the next few years, and I'm wondering if some fellow forum members could offer their insights into this.

Let's say a group of Senators wants to author a bill about e-cigs. They bring it to the floor. Would Feingold follow his party's lead and try to ban vaping on a nationwide level? Or would he go against them like he says he would in his ads? Would Johnson do the "conservative" thing and defend our right to vape? Or would he cave in to Big Tobacco lobbyists and support such a bill?

At a more local level... What would happen statewide? We've already seen so many states ban vaping and e-cig supply sales. Would Barrett inflict a ban? Would Walker argue against one?

What can we learn from these candidates' past voting records and past statements? [ETA: I just moved back to Milwaukee last year after living in Louisiana for six years. I'm not as familiar with these candidates as I would like to be.] Wondering if anyone here has some insight.

(Okay, vaping and vapers' rights is not going to be THE make-or-break issue for me when I cast my vote... But it IS important to think about! They took away our right to smoke in bars FFS... That was bad enough...)

 

[harmony gardens]

That's a great question. I was disappointed in Feingold going along with the tobacco bill. It seems vaping was a little too new to be on the radar at the time all that was going on, which may be a break for us. Anyone who's followed this saga knows that there isn't any real thought behind the bans,,, it's just a knee jerk reaction based on the FDA's statements that treats nicotine users as basic addicts.

I had heard a while back that Mark Neuman talked about lifting the smoking ban in bars, and Walker had said he would do the same, but indications are that he might back off that stance, too.

I guess I'm as in the dark about what they will do as you are,,, but I have been wondering the same thing.

 

[MlrGrl]

Meg!
Glad you found your way here!

 

[MlrGrl]

What can we learn from these candidates' past voting records and past statements?

When it comes to elections, I've learned one thing: don't pay attention to what they say, look at what they've done in the past.

LOL -- I just spent 35 min writing my personal opinion of the Gov/Sen race. Then realized my feet were tired from standing on the soap box LOL

Bottom line - I believe, with every fiber of my being, without a shadow of a doubt and with my whole hart -- for the good of vaping and the good of this state & nation, Walker and Johnson are the way to go.

As for repealing the smoking ban - if I'm not mistaken (& I keep forgetting to ask my guy in the know this), wouldn't the repeal have to work it's way through the sentate/assembly first before being signed by the Governor?

 

[C-kool Dad '09]

AGREE! I've heard the 'Ban' is a done deal (not worth the effort what with all the other problems the State faces). Possibly unless these people were/are smokers I don't see them knowing or caring much about vaping (in a bad way) THEY NEED AN E-CIG EDUCATION.

 

[MlrGrl]

Let's say a group of Senators wants to author a bill about e-cigs.

THEY NEED AN E-CIG EDUCATION.

If our state reps tried to do something, heck, even anyone on the local level - hopefully it will be a repeat of when Illinois tried to do the same thing - we shall swoop in and school the powers to be in the virtues of vaping. And I bet some of our fellow Ill vapers will cross the boarder to add safety in numbers.
And the secret weapon - children. My girls heard me talking to MlrMan back when the Ill situation was going on & asked a lot of questions about the political procces. The youngest one (8yrs) said she would get up and talk & tell them why they need to help her mom & her mom's friends continue vaping. What could be cuter than a child (or two - the 11 yr old said she'd talk too - 3 if Vick's son talks too...??..) on the verge of tears at the horrible thought of her mommy going back to those cancer sticks?

Exploiting children? Don't even go there. If my daughter wants to participate in the democratic process, write her own speech and talk in her own words about something even she is passionate about, I will not deny her this wonderful learning experience that in America, unless you speak up, you will get walked over. I'd even pull them out of school to go to Madison for this life learning experience.

Smokers rolled over on such things as bans because we couldn't deny the fact that yeah; it's bad for us and yeah; maybe bans would help us at least cut down......
But don't ... touch our PVs! Especially when we, ourselves - NOT big pharm, NOT some ABC group that claims to care about my heart, lungs, children - are trying to raise money to find out just how much healthier (hopefully...gotta be honesty) vaping is to analogs....

Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! ..............Forget it, I was rolling.............
lol

 

[C-kool Dad '09]

Wie bitte?

 

[Meg.]

Bottom line - I believe, with every fiber of my being, without a shadow of a doubt and with my whole heart -- for the good of vaping and the good of this state & nation, Walker and Johnson are the way to go.

I would have to agree with you on this one.

I was not aware of Walker trying to repeal the smoking ban, but if that's true, then that is definitely a good sign for vapers. I could care less if people are allowed to smoke analogs; those were dark days I do not personally wish to return to. (If others want to, it's their choice.) I still believe the all-American principle of "let people do what they want as long as they're not killing each other," but I suppose one could argue that smoking IS a form of killing other people...

Barrett doesn't come across as a threat in any way. (I met him when I was in 5th grade and he was a very nice guy.) I do, however, think he's clueless. And I think that translates into Barrett's-not-going-to-do-much-either-way.

What worries me about Feingold is that he strikes me as the typical Wisconsin Democrat who is easily persuaded by what he reads in the newspaper. My impression of him (true or not) is that he does not take the time to research things for himself and just votes along party lines. It seems that as the anti-vaping campaign is gaining steam across the U.S., a majority of Democrats are blindly agreeing with the statement that "vaping is bad because diethylene glycol is in antifreeze" blablabla... He's been in the Senate for EVER and has voted in favor of many of the restrictive policies that have irritated smokers across the nation. I doubt he'll be any more merciful when it comes to vapers.

Walker in particular strikes me as someone who thinks for himself and gets facts on an issue before taking action. I believe that trait will work in vapers' favor. Johnson comes across as a borderline Tea Partier which makes me a little nervous, but to their benefit, Tea Partiers are all about personal liberty and I'm sure that would include defending our right to vape.

Sorry for the rant. Whatevs.

 

[MlrGrl]

Wie bitte?

Not a fan of "Animal House", C-kool? LOL

I would have to agree with you on this one........

...........Sorry for the rant. Whatevs.

Never be sorry for a rant. It gives us something to talk about LOL

I've never met anyone who ever said they didn't like Barrett as a person - not even those that are totally against him on every political decision he's ever made.

With that said - I was totally disgusted at the campaign ad he ran on election night during the news. They not only talked about his horrible beating last summer, but showed a picture of him in the hospital with his head bandaged and the blood still on his face.
Ummm.....just a week or two ago, didn't Walker run an ad saying nothing more than it's time to "take the gloves off" & showed boxing gloves - NOT a bat/knife/weapon & his opposition EXPLODED saying Walker was insensitive because of the beating.

Can you tell I have issues with double standards?

As for him being a threat - while I don't see him publically declaring war on vaping & encouraging congress to do something about it, I could totally see him signing a bill if presented to him to ban it, no matter how much we schooled them.

Feingold is only a "maverick" when his party doesn't need his vote. And if the Dems have the FDA & the other ABC groups in their back pocket (or is that the other way around?), then you can bet he'll vote their way in a heart beat. And after the vote, he'll say you don't know what you are talking about when you tell him what a life changer vaping has been for you. After all, he is a Senator....he's from the Government and he's here to help

Walker has deminstrated in the past that he is willing to make a statement, get educated on a subject, and publically explain why he reversed his decision. Have I agreed with everything he has done over the past 8 years? No...there were a couple of things that I felt he should have stood up straighter on & not given in, but in the over all picture, they were minor issues and had nothing to do with a hand in my wallet or an intrusion of any person rights.

 

[C-kool Dad '09]

Yep.

 

[JLeigh]

Eh, I'm a little jaded when it comes to politicians. I take the "I'll believe it when I see it" approach. If Feingold disappeared from the face of the earth tomorrow, I wouldn't be terribly upset. Tom Barrett is a decent enough guy when you meet him face to face, but I don't agree with his politics at all. Nor does he have what it takes to get this state into shape. Walker talks a good talk, but don't they all? We'll see.

 

[MlrGrl]

Eh, I'm a little jaded when it comes to politicians. I take the "I'll believe it when I see it" approach. If Feingold disappeared from the face of the earth tomorrow, I wouldn't be terribly upset. Tom Barrett is a decent enough guy when you meet him face to face, but I don't agree with his politics at all. Nor does he have what it takes to get this state into shape. Walker talks a good talk, but don't they all? We'll see.

I TOTALLY understand where you are coming from when it comes to politicians.
Let's see if this will ease your fears at least where this one canidate is concerned: Walker is my County Executive & he has done wonders for this county. Given the financial situation we encountered 8 years ago with the employee pension fiasco, he basically saved Milwaukee County from going bankrupt.
When he and Neumann were first running, I toyed with the idea of voting for Neumann over Walker simply because I didn't want to see what could/would happen to this county if he left. After bringing up my thinking to MlrMan, he pointed out that while it will suck for us locally, it would be more beneficial to this state for Scott to be in the Governor's seat instead of down here in Milwaukee.

Scott has a proven track record. He may be "Milwaukee", but he's not typical, traditional Milwaukee. The guy is a boy scout (actually, he really is/was - he's an Eagle Scout LOL). He's been beat up, spit out and it still shining.

Give him 4 years. If he doesn't perform, vote his .... out of there.
I'm 100% (not 99.999% - but 100%!) sure you will be satisfied or your money back

 

[C-kool Dad '09]

I'm Liking this MlrMan 'Dude' - no more BUD for me!

 

[MlrGrl]

I'm Liking this MlrMan 'Dude' - no more BUD for me!

Yeah; he's a keeper....& much better at wording things than I am LOL

knew you'd see the Lite......