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Governor Perdue Prefers Time Management to Freedom
As I've previously lamented, the state of Georgia still has blue laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol on Sundays. However, it seems that lobbyists have recently been agitating for change and representatives in the General Assembly have listened.
Follow up:
A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including six Senate Republican committee leaders, are backing the legislation to let voters decide if they want to allow local Sunday beer and wine sales at grocery and convenience stores.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Seth Harp (R-Midland), would give voters in each city or county the option of approving Sunday sales. Cities and counties would not be required to hold such referendums. City councils or county commissions would have to call for a referendum, then voters would get to decide.
Harp, chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee said that allowing communities to vote on Sunday sales would let them have "local control of local issues."
"I believe strongly that we as senators have a responsibility first to the citizens of our districts," he said. "The opportunity to let them make that decision is among the most fundamental rights that exist in our form of government."
Doth mine ears deceive me? There exist politicians who believe in dispersing power away from central governments? I know: I can't get too excited; these 'ticians certainly have their own interests at heart. They just know how to grease wheels.
The possibility of being able to purchase booze on Sunday (at least, beer and wine) is tantalizing. How many times have Georgians slapped their hand on their head on a Sunday afternoon (often prior to a Monday holiday) after learning they've got no spirits to imbibe? Such is almost always followed by a few choice words about archaic, religion-based regulation and inept politicians. Whoeever came up with these blue laws clearly has never experienced the joy of drinking on a Sunday afternoon.
And here is where I'm supposed to exclaim that with this bill, these remnants of Puritanica are finally going to go away. Unfortunately, it's not going to happen: "increasing civil liberties" wasn't on the Sonny-Do list.
Governor Sonny "I have no f--king clue about economics or freedom" Perdue hints that he plans to veto this bill. Why? He's not saying much, but the reasons he has shared are both asinine and anti-freedom. You see, Gov. Perdue's only stated reason for vetoing this bill is to force Georgians to better manage the timing of alcohol purchases:
Speaking on Atlanta radio station Q100, Perdue said the proposal before the General Assembly to allow such sales, "is going to have a tough time.
"I don't support that. I don't know whether it will pass the Legislature or not, but it will have a pretty tough time getting the last vote." . . .
"Think of it this way, . . . it really helps you plan ahead for the rest of your life — buying on Saturday, rather than Sunday. Time management."
I surmise Perdue's real motivations are that he doesn't want to alienate his fundamentalist Christian base, as represented by the Christian Coalition and the Georgia Baptist Convention among others. Humorously enough (Although far from unprecedented), the liquor store lobbyists are fighting side-by-side with the Bible beaters to stop this bill. Note that Perdue's anti-freedom stance is pitted against the majority of Georgians, as recent polls show a clear majority favor the freedom to buy alcohol on Sunday.
If Perdue is true to his comments on Q100, Georgians are stuck with having the freedom to buy booze for your private consumption six days a week (Freedom six sevenths of the time isn't bad, right?!?). And don't ask: I don't know how Sonny Perdue got re-elected.
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