Coffee Proposal Mugged In Berkeley

W hile Florida was burdened on Election Day with some dubious feel-good referendums, none could compare to one on the ballot in Berkeley, Calif.
Ballot initiative Measure O would have required all cups of coffee sold in the city to be ``fair trade,'' organic or shade grown. Violations of the proposed ordinance would have been misdemeanors, punishable by fines up to $100 and up to six months in jail. Luckily, even voters in ``The People's Republic of Berkeley'' saw this as excessive government intrusion and voted it down by a 3-to-1 margin.

More...