Madison and Appleton are Suffering Big on Smoking Bans in Bars

It would be close to one year since Appleton and Madison posted very contrevorsial smoking bans. Yes, I am an non-smoker, but you need to know one simple opinion, it is up to the bar owners to decide if smoking is allowed not the government. I personally know a bowling alley owner back up in Appleton who at one time was my marketing teacher at Appleton North. I talked to him, and he said: "As a business we do not need to be told what to do with smoking." If we believe in that, then why is it we hear that popular joints like the Green Room and Sports Pub in Madison and The Bar in Downtown Appleton are on the brink of going out of business? In Madison, the only bars that are surviving are the downtown bars. The bars on the far east and west sides are the ones who are suffering. Now, if another large city in Wisconsin wants to pass a smoking ban in bars, they should take a few days and a few dollars along to bars in Appleton and Madison, and see the effects of their biased legisltion. They should ask the bartenders if they are still surviving, and if so ask what are they going to do to get through the tough times. This leads to hopefully the State of Wisconsin will finally pass a statewide bill that will allow smoking in bars. People like to drink and smoke in the bar. Now, where do those people go, they go to Middleton, Sun Prairie, and Fitchburg to smoke and drink. The suburbs are getting the business. As an election year apporaches I hope that those seeking elected office will tackle this issue, and find a way to protect the bars.