Comments on: Amendment 9: Combining Vaping, Drilling Ban Draws Criticism

By: K

Mon, 29 Oct 2018 03:48:18 +0000

Here’s the upshot:

The drilling ban will have zero impact. None.

Why that’s true:
Florida state waters are the only place where the drill ban will be in effect.
Florida state waters are 3 miles out.
Federal Waters are 12 miles out.
The United States Exclusive Economic Zone is 200 miles out.
Example:
This means that the federal government can lease an oil plot out over the Destin Dome south of Apalachicola, put the lease at four miles out, authorize it and the lease holder start drilling and there isn’t a thing Florida can do about it because it’s in federal waters outside of Florida jurisdiction.

And at 4 miles out, the rig will be *clearly visible* from the shoreline.

So the drill ban is useless.

As for being combined with a vaping ban…. it’s just another example of how the rest of the world thinks florida has lost its mind.

By: nod

nod — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 00:54:46 +0000

any business or restaurant or town can ban vaping. leave it up to the individual places. if you do not like it don’t go there, but putting it in the constitution just ruins it. those that vote for these amendments just do not understand what a constitution is.
bundling is the same reason a lot of needed laws do not get passed in congress.

VOTE NO ON ALL AMENDMENTS.

By: M in Bratt

M in Bratt — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 00:27:18 +0000

@retired; There is one US Senate candidate on the ballot that wants to implement term limits for congress, and it’s not the senator that has been in congress for 40 years.

By: my two cents

my two cents — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 00:27:11 +0000

I think bundling this amendment makes sense if you think about it. Health conscious people who recognize the harm caused by second-hand smoke/vapor are generally the same who would vote against drilling off the coast of Florida. Maybe not for the same reason, but the reasoning is very similar.

The benefit of satisfying the few who think they should be able to vape or drill where ever and whenever they please irregardless of the health/environmental consequences to others is similar in that both drilling and vaping will only benefit a few and potentially harm many.

By: Jim

Jim — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 00:24:50 +0000

Only someone who doesn’t vape would want to ban vaping! As someone who has a Loved one who Vapes to give up smoking I find it ridicules that people would want to ban vaping when the steam from vaping doesn’t even affect the people around them in any way. Yes I have read the negative B.S. put out by the cigarette companies, why anyone would trust BIG tobacco at this point is beyond me.

By: Bob

Bob — Sun, 28 Oct 2018 23:30:12 +0000

I am not in favor of “logrolling” or bundling several items in one amendment proposal, but if the Legislature fails to do its job to pass laws, the voters, through the review commission and signature process, must act. If you oppose oil drilling in state waters and oppose e-cigarettes/vaping in public places and workplaces, why vote NO just because you’re irked at the process and legislators can’t do their job?

By: retired

retired — Sun, 28 Oct 2018 21:11:12 +0000

NEED TO BUNDLE TERM LIMITS WITH SOMETHING ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL

By: Tabby

Tabby — Sun, 28 Oct 2018 20:23:18 +0000

Vote NOOOOO on Amendment 4. Then read carefully the language in the Greyhound ban. The unethical treatment of animals will be used by animal rights freaks to go after hunting and fishing. If you think that’s ridiculous then why didn’t they just say Greyhound Racing specifically ?

By: Alex.

Alex. — Sun, 28 Oct 2018 19:54:06 +0000

Jason you are right on. I vote no on all amendmenrs because it does make the Constitution a piece of junk.

By: M in Bratt

M in Bratt — Sun, 28 Oct 2018 15:00:12 +0000

These two very unrelated issues should not be enshrined in the State Constitution. Both issues should be handled by the duly elected legislature. It is very deceptive of this constitutional revision committee to bundle these issues together in the hope that they can combine enough votes to get this amendment passed. There may come a day when finding more sources of energy will be necessary, and having to repeal an amendment of the State Constitution could be difficult, and take a lot of time. There are more interests in Fl. than the tourist industry. All one needs do is look west to Gulf Shores Al. and you see the view of oil platforms doesn’t hurt tourism in the least.