Friday, 10/11/02

Returning from a long hiatus imposed by my stupid new job and other pressing domestic matters, I want to share with you my skyrocketing fondness for New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

"The question before us is straightforward," Mr. Bloomberg said to the standing-room-only crowd gathered for the first City Council hearing on the legislation. "Does your desire to smoke anywhere, at any time, trump the right of others to breathe clean air in the workplace? Common sense and common decency demand the following answer: The need to breathe clean air is more important than the license to pollute it."

Why can't that be my mayor talking? Seattle desperately needs an antismoking ordinance covering clubs, bars, and restaurants. I'd kill for one, and if murder isn't going to get it done, I'll donate time and/or money.

With the exception of the Tractor Tavern and Jazz Alley, I don't think I've ever been to a club in Seattle that had ventilation adequate to prevent me from seething over the goddamn scene kids and their goddamn cigarettes. I subject myself to far fewer shows because of it. There are probably two performers a week at the Crocodile I'd pay to see, but until Jesse Sykes' appearance last Saturday coincided with Jen's leaving town, I hadn't been by in months. I might get to one of the Neko Case appearances in November, but I need something on that level of greatness to make the insufferable atmosphere worthwhile.

The fact that California, land of sporadic civil genius, has already taken this step without collapsing the economy should be all the economic evidence anyone requires. If even one bar had gone out of business, you can be damn sure the owner would have been flown out to that New York city council meeting.

When was the last time you heard movie theater managers agitating for their customers' permanent access to nicotine? Movies are way the hell longer than most musical performances, with patrons who are less likely to wander away and get a drink in the middle. And I have exactly zero sympathy for people who can't be bothered to get up from a productive night of drinking and go smoke outside.

The other reason Bloomberg is warming my heart is his flat refusal to participate in the NY Columbus Day parade if Dominic Chianese and Lorraine Bracco don't get to come along. "I'm sorry if anybody is annoyed, but if my friends can't march, people that I think have done things for the city, then you know, I'll find some other way to celebrate the Italian heritage that we have in the city." Bloody right.

(Update: The parade organizers actually went to the extreme of filing, and losing, a lawsuit to force Bloomberg to participate without any nasty actors. They also tried to get a federal court order preventing the Mayor from extending invitations to Sopranos actors.)

While I'm singling out elected leaders for praise, Rep. Rick Larsen of the 2nd District and Sen. Patty Murray both voted against the offensively unconstitutional Iraq resolution. Larsen is in a tight race in terrority verging on yahoo country, may have hurt himself, and voted no anyway. On the other hand, Sen. Maria Cantwell, who's not up for reelection for four years, voted for it. Aside from maintaining Democratic control of the Senate and occasionally helping the judiciary committee reject an intolerable nominee, what precisely is Maria Cantwell good for? A sock puppet could do both of those things, as long as it was a Democratic sock puppet. 03:21PM «

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