IT MIGHT SURPRISE you that Chicago, known for its rough-and-tumble futures pits and passionate support for free-market capitalism, has been slowly morphing into a borderline socialist society where every aspect of private life is tightly controlled by the state.
We first noticed it a few years ago, when we outlined the Chicago City Council’s attempt to ban smoking at all bars and restaurants. Of course, smoking in any large buildings and workplaces had already long since been outlawed.
Score one for the socialists. Thanks to opportunistic local politicians and an aggressive lobbying effort from liberal think tanks, the smoking ban passed, making it illegal to smoke cigarettes — a legal substance — in any bar or restaurant within city limits. Public-health advocates have heralded the move as a major score for the best interests of smokers and nonsmokers alike. (more…)