Commentary: Random Thoughts from the Humidor (X)

In this segment of Random Thoughts from the Humidor, I pontificate on the upcoming football season, Lance Armstrong, and observe the latest from Puro PAC.

Football and Cigars

Baseball is still my favorite sport to watch with a cigar (the pace of the game and the long season is perfect for relaxing with a cigar), but football is a close second. Finding a cigar shop with your game on television is a goldmine, while watching the Sunday night game (which streams for free online) isn’t bad either on a crisp fall night on my balcony. My favorite Super Bowl viewing experience was at Shelly’s Backroom, although that had more to do with the fact that my Giants beat the undefeated Patriots that year.

Lance the Dope(r)

Following years of allegations that Lance Armstrong cheated his way to his historic victories in the Tour de France, the U.S. Anti-Doping Association has stripped him of all seven of his Tour de France titles. Lance claims the government agency lacks the power to do this and claims it is all a political attack against him, but has dropped all his legal challenges to the agency’s actions. Meanwhile, Armstrong continues to push for the government to control the lives of adults who choose to use tobacco and relentlessly attacks those who oppose his efforts. Does he see the irony (or hypocrisy) of complaining when the government supposedly overreaches against him for putting a foreign substance in his body, while at the same time pushing the government to interfere even more into the lives of millions of others who choose a different (and legal) substance? I doubt it.

Puro PAC Supports Cigar Bill Co-Sponsors (And Some Who Aren’t)

Puro PAC, the “Super PAC” created to fight for Cigar Rights in Washington, has been busy raising money and supporting candidates (so far the PAC hasn’t reported any independent expenditures). According to the most recent reports, all of the money is going to incumbents (though recipient Shelly Berkley (D-NV), a cosponsor of H.R. 1639, is currently challenging Republican Dean Heller for his Senate seat). Roughly two-thirds of the money has gone to Republicans. Of the 46 recipients of Puro PAC contributions, all but seven are co-sponsors of either the Senate or House versions of the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Preservation Act. Those who aren’t include Speaker John Boehner, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey (who apparently raises money at cigar events but also voted for FDA regulation of tobacco to begin with and led the charge to raise the SCHIP tax), and non-cosponsoring Representatives Leonard Boswell (D-IA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), and noted cigar smoker Gerry Connolly (D-VA).

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys