Thursday, March 9, 2017

Utah and the Zion Curtain

Another excellent example of Republican legislators who have forgotten what it means to be Republicans, and in this case, they think they are the Morality Police. (A job they certainly weren't elected to do.)
 In short, the Utah Legislature has expanded the "Zion Curtain," to now include a "Zion Moat." (A name they apparently find offensive, but it's beautifully appropriate and descriptive.)
Previously (to help the state get the winter olympics) they had "opened up" liquor laws to allow restaurants to serve alcohol. If a restaurant wanted to serve alcohol (and most do), they had to put a wall or barrier between the bar area and the eating area, primarily so children couldn't see drinks being made or consumed. (I'm not joking.) This wall came to be known as the Zion Curtain.
Now they have expanded it by saying you don't have to have a Zion Curtain if instead you just create a 10 ft buffer area from the bar where minors are not allowed at tables (unless accompanied by an adult), or build a half-wall or railing, at least 42 inches high, that creates a delineation between the dining and liquor-dispensing areas. The new buffer zone has come to be known as the Zion Moat.
"What this bill does is establish parameters under which restaurants can operate and keep children away from alcohol," Sen. Jerry Stevenson, the Senate sponsor, said. "It keeps kids away from the bars and the mixing area and works to prevent overconsumption by patrons."
Exactly how this helps to prevent "overconsumption" (which, by the way, isn't a word) isn't exactly clear.
And really, how does not seeing drinks being made keep a child from drinking it? (Especially if their parents can still order and drink alcohol at their table?) (Note: I am not in anyway suggesting that parents shouldn't be allowed to drink.)
But then because the Utah legislature just can't help but be hypocrites in every possible way, they added this to the bill-
Restaurants serving alcohol are now allowed to be closer to community locations (churches and schools where minors are found)— dropping from the current 600 feet distance to 300 feet.
And again, just further proof that Republicans in this state don't know how to be Republicans, this new bill would boost the state markup on liquor from 86% to 88%. The markup on heavy beer sold in liquor stores would go up from 64.5% to 66.5%. Utah consumers already pay the highest markup on wine — and the sixth highest on spirits — among the country's 17 liquor-control states and one county.
Republicans who raise taxes, and create even more government control and interference in personal choices- that's Utah for you.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Your comments are always welcome here!