The News-Leader Editorial Board stretched its arms a little too wide this morning in an effort to encapsulate the smoking ban vote.

In the editorial entitled “Smoking Vote Welcome Move,” the Editorial Board first strongly agreed with Zone 1 Councilman Nick Ibarra that “governing by petition should not become the status quo.”  It then went on to rebuke him for an unwillingness to compromise.

When the bill was first introduced to great fanfare in the media and press, it was presented as a “work-place safety” bill.  Fine.  But as one got into the bill, it seemed that there were many, many more restrictions than just for workplaces.  In fact, one clause indicated that you could not smoke within five feet of a park.  I tried to get someone to explain how that was a workplace issue and received no satisfactory answer.

It was not Mr. Ibarra and others on the Council who were refusing to compromise. Rather the One Air Alliance withdrew the bill after efforts—not only by Mr. Ibarra but others on Council—to craft a satisfactory middle ground resulted in two or three amendments to the bill.

The News-Leader criticized Councilman Ibarra for attempting to insert certain exemptions with—in their words—“full intention to vote against it no matter how many exemptions in contained.”  That may have been his intent.  However, Councilman Ibarra—in his steadfast efforts to be politically pure—has often been on the wrong end of an 8-1 Council vote.  The count appeared to be 5-4 against the bill without any amendments. It would not have taken very much of a compromise for one, two, or even three Council members to switch the votes in favor of the amended bill.  

However, the One Air Alliance—on their side—insisted on being as politically pure as Mr. Ibarra was on his.  And so the bill was withdrawn without a vote.

This is the type of rigid, fringe politics that refuses to allow reasonable people—working together—to develop a compromise that, while not perfect, at least gives both sides something and leaves each side wishing for more.

So, now we will have an election.  The One Air Alliance—or whatever name they are calling themselves this month—can launch its campaign to get voters out.  And representative government has been a bit diminished because of a small number of people not willing to compromise their perceived political purity.  As for Councilman Ibarra, whether that purity has actually helped his Zone 1 constituents—among the least wealthy in the city—will be decided by voters if he chooses to run for reelection in two years.