Yesterday morning in Michigan was an awakening from 100 years of draconian law banning the sales of alcoholic beverages before noon on Sundays.
Granted the establishments need to acquire (purchase) an annual permit from the State to do so, but the following local news clip features a customer who represents one of my strongest arguments for years now just why this should have happened much sooner.
I to had worked on third-shift for a time and the law banning the sales infuriated me even more so than it did before. Besides the work schedule conflict in timing this was an obvious move for any weekend plans be they BBQ's, picnic's, golf outings and so-on.
Apart from the recreational, the economic side of this is a win-win all the way. With more establishments opening their doors earlier (which is inevitable) this will bring more sales in all their products/services thus raising sales taxes to the State besides the taxes on alcoholic purchases themselves. On that note, opening doors earlier, now this either entails employees working overtime or the employer hiring additional staff which of course now raises income tax to the State in either scenario. That plus the additional revenue to the State as stated previously from the purchase of annual permits will generate even more as time goes on.
With the state revenues in a shambles this law was a no-brainer and should have been changed, well 100 years ago.
Another big change to reforming the Michigan laws regarding the sale of liquor is Christmas. Christmas holiday sale opportunities have also been expanded: The old law barred sales from 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve through Christmas day, whereas the new law permits sales until midnight on December 24 and after noon on the 25th.
21 comments:
It's a win-win for the state. They'll now have more permit money to waste on government programs. Is this a great country or what? :-P :-P :-P
Woo hoo! Common sense prevails! This is good news! :-$ I hope this brings more employment opportunities to the state.
Maybe or maybe not Odie. In this last election Michigan voters are putting in a republican governor along with both chambers of our State legislature now in control of republicans. Time will tell, but this change in law no matter how one sees it is long overdue.
Exactly Teresa, common sense indeed!
I remember the Christmas eve/Christmas day law as a pain. Rush to the store before 9:00pm to get my drinks. Thought it was a pretty dumb law to start with.
I agree Mark. A couple of Christmas' back I was last minute shopping on Christmas Eve and my last stop was for beer, the time 9:02pm, too late!
Thank goodness my friends owned a saloon and that is where they held their family Christmas, I placed a call and they graciously "gave" me two cases of beer which I would pay for later as exchanging money for it at that time would be illegal.
Congragulations, being dry that long is a bummer.
Michigan strikes another blow agains the nanny state! We just changed the law here last year.
If that's the argument for changing the law then it's a weak one at best. First off if someone gets infuriated because they can't get booze then they need help, not beer. And what's wrong with buying the booze the day before? This law was done out of respect for the Saboth day. Since the Saboth day falls on Sat.,Sun or Mon. depending on your religion it should never have been put into place. There is a law in Michigan that you can't hunt with a gun on private land in lower MI on Sundays. That was put into place so the Church goers didn't hear gun shots while in church. My opinion is fewer laws period.
Hi Christopher! I'm glad they finally got things right.
It was a silly law. What if you want to stop at the store for a party or something before Church?
It used to be before noon here too, but a while back I think they changed it to 11, or 10 am?
I don't buy much booze, so I'm not all up on that stuff.
Nice to know around the holidays we can buy champagne and stuff on Christmas Eve & Christmas if the mood strikes. Hope your snow rations aren't too horrid, we finally are starting to get alot.
Idiotic attempts to control people. If someone wants to drink before noon Sunday, they'll buy it Saturday.
Like everyone goes to church anyway. Isn't this a separation of Church and State Issue !!? :)
Thanks Mal! :)
You got that right Silver and glad to follow in Colorados footsteps! 8-)
Well Chris you seem to have a small chip on your shoulder as your comment is rather presumptuous and convoluted.
If you had understood what I wrote I said ONE of my arguments and that, again if you had read it had to do with the timing conflict. I happen to be one who enjoys a beer or two after work LIKE MILLIONS of other Americans and if a draconian law is preventing WHAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE A LEGAL PURCHASE then yes I tend to get infuriated. Ever hear of the Tea Party? Those are others who happen to get infuriated when government interferes with private industry.
Have you ever been in a position such as no milk in the house when the kids want their cereal or the baby needs diapers and,,, yet what do you know, you found yourself NOT GETTING ANY THE DAY BEFORE! Before you go off assuming put your brain in gear, please.
I do not know if you have ever worked third shift for any extended amount of time, or have brothers, brothers in-law or any friends or relatives at all that drop by but I have and have planned for the next day just to find they had stopped by while I was at work and of course my wife would take the time to visit (take a hint, they drink beer). Now I arrive home at 7:00am Sunday morning after work looking to enjoy a beer just to find out that I have to wait FIVE HOURS just to have to have one! So again, yes I am infuriated at them for not replenishing for what I had PLANNED, BUT I AM JUST AS INFURIATED at state government for being such prudes and impeding commerce! You might draw different conclusions now huh?
I’ll have you know I am quite aware of why these draconian laws were put in place (another hint; look at the labels I put on this post) but I will also remind you Jesus turned water into wine which to this day is served up in Catholic mass before noon on Sunday. If any religious folk (and I am one) have a problem with this reform, well f@#k them, I am not drinking on consecrated ground for petes sake, I am at my own damn castle not bothering ANYONE!
I could careless about hunting as this post has nothing to do with it. You want to talk about hunting then post on it yourself and do not try to confuse the issue, stay on point.
You start out basically attacking me for supporting the states decision and then end basically agreeing with my original premise being this is one less stupid, outdated law to deal with.
Hello Bunni! My dear you understand! 8-)
As to snow, not much here but supposed to get maybe 2" starting this morning?
Well Kid, we all forget things now and then or visitors consume but either way free enterprise should be just that and this is a step in the right direction.
Not really Christopher. I was just pointing out things in your post. You have done the same for me. I'm sorry if that hit a nerve. I was just pointing out the reason why these laws were pout into place. I'm glade you pointed out that Jesus turned water into wine. I drink and am also a Christian. I also have no problem with drinking. I also don't have any problem with the law being changed either. I brought up hunting because it fell under the same reasoning. Sorry you couldn't see that in my post. I didn't "attack" you. Give me a break. I pointed out that if someone can't wait to get home for a drink or can't plan ahead and buy it the day before maybe they should be look at that. You need to relax. Thou dust protest to much.
Oh and yes I have worked the third shift and never once have I gotten cranked up like you have over not getting whatever you drink. I don't have that mentality. As a libertarian I'd like to see most the laws removed that don't harm anyone but the person doing them. Thanks for letting me point that out.
Chris, You did not read it thoroughly otherwise you would have connected the dots and furthermore you repeat the same mistake yet again here and below.
I am more than relaxed thank you and it was you doing the protesting I simply replied so it would be good to practice what you preach.
If you set out on a path to insinuate something that is far from the truth expect to be strongly rebuked. Others outside of this forum read the exact same comment from you and strongly support my reply and they do not even drink alcohol.
I wasn't insinusting anything. I was just pointing out some things in your original post that didn't sound right.
Chris, If it "didn't sound right" to you even after I asked you re-read it with clarification then I do not know how to explain it better?
But in your first comment there is indeed an insinuation which was not warranted and I do not appreciate, hence my reply to it. If indeed you did not mean it that way then you should have reworded it so as to avoid this current conversation.
Be it as it may, I still call you friend and wish you and yours a Very Merry Christmas! :)
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