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Immigrants More Likely to Support Smoking Bans

John Fiore — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:29:00 +0000

A recent study shows that the demographic most likely to support anti-smoking legislature are those who have recently immigrated to the United States. Immigrants and their children are very likely to approve smoke-free spaces, according to a data analysis produced from the U.S. Census’ Current Population Survey between 1995 and 2002. During the course of those years, more than seventy-five percent of U.S. residents born outside the United States supported a smoking ban in four different types of public space, including hospitals, restaurants, offices, indoor sports venues, shopping malls, and bars.

Just under sixty percent of U.S.-born citizens support the same set of legislation. Overall, Americans have become more likely to support anti-smoking legislation. “It is surprising that most of the immigrants had stronger attitudes,” said study author Theresa Osypuk. There are several theories as to why this is. According to the survey, foregin-born U.S. citizens are less likely to be smokers, but are more likely to be in situations where they have to deal with cigarette smoke. Predictably, smokers are significantly less likely to support bans on smoking in public areas.

The report will be published in its entirety in the January issue of the “American Journal of Public Health.”

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Expulsion of Grieving Spouses Rule Ended

John Fiore — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:03:08 +0000

President Barack Obama recently signed into law a bill that terminates a rule that made newly-married foreigners vulnerable to expulsion if their American spouses died within two years of marriage. The rule also required the expulsion to take place before their application for permanent residence was approved. Commonly known as “the widows’ penalty,” the rule was a piece of a bill that financed operations of the Homeland Security Department for 2010.

President Obama signed the bill on Wednesday. Brent Renison, the lawyer pressing a class action lawsuit for several surviving spouses, has estimated that the widows’ penalty has affected at least two hundred people nationwide.

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Health Care Bill Hit Again by GOP

John Fiore — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 16:28:17 +0000

The current status of the bill concerning a government-run health care system for some Americans means that the Obama administration is very close to creating a safety net for the American public – however, the future’s bill remains uncertain as it has once again come under fire in Congress. Republicans are virtually unanimously against the bill, with the Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell (R-Ky), stating that the latest version of the bill “would have a dampening effect on what is already clearly a very, very difficult economic situation.”

McConnell also argued that the bill would reduce benefits for seniors and raise taxes on individuals and businesses. The bill’s legislation is designed to spread health insurance to several million citizens that currently lack it, and would begin cracking down on industry practices like the denial of coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions.

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