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February 28, 2007
All Bottled Up - Dogs, dial-up, dumb laws, and drinking on Sunday
Interim state Sen. Shea Flinn (Memphis) isn’t wasting a second in his predecessor’s (Steve Cohen’s) seat. In addition to proposing a constitutional amendment that would authorize casino gambling (bring it on, I say), he has taken on one of the most illiberal industries in the state (beside healthcare) — the liquor lobby.
Flinn’s shot across the bow was a proposal to allow liquor stores to be open on Sundays. Then, in tandem with his likely successor, current Rep. Beverly Marrero, he introduced a measure that would allow wine to be sold where the food is. Imagine it! We may someday be able to pick up a bottle of Pinot Grigio with our Camembert and water crackers, and on any day of the week.
It seems apparent that the mighty Flinn has invited wrath from a bevy of strange bedfellows. Liquor distributors and religious groups, though traffickers in different kinds of spirits, will likely team up to oppose both measures, even though it’s not like one is currently unable to drink on Sunday, if one plans ahead or gets it “by the drink.” Come to think of it, says Volunteer Voters blogger A.C. Kleinheider, restaurants and bars probably won’t be too happy about liquor stores opening on Sundays, either. But the fact remains that our liquor laws are outdated and incompatible with the current 24/7 society, so I encourage you to contact your legislators with regard to this relaxation on refreshments.
The hidden hurdle, even if both bills were to survive the inevitable multi-pronged onslaught, is local control — which is a good thing, don’t get me wrong. However, after all, it is illegal to buy Jack Daniel’s whiskey in the county of its origin, whether on Sunday or on Tuesday. Even if “gin is in” elsewhere in the state, we’d have to make sure our city and county governments uncork any local prohibitions, as well.
THIS BITES
Sen. Doug Jackson — you remember him from the “Girls Gone Wild” video (or something like that, I may have left out a word or two) — has introduced a handful of bills that all deal with the subject of vicious dogs and their owners. Leaving aside the irrational breed discrimination that so often accompanies this kind of thing, and the fact that “pit bull” is often just a catch-all term used to describe tragically abused mongrels, let’s avoid exuding the smell of fear, as it were, with regard to animal control.
It’s true that a critical few lack responsibility with potentially dangerous dogs under their care. It’s also warranted that general inflation causes us to periodically review the monetary penalties associated with misdeeds, so that lawbreaking isn’t taken as a joke; but what is the probability that any of us will be attacked by roving packs of ferocious canines as we walk our streets? You no doubt remember the “Summer of Sharks” a few years back, when media reports made it seem like attacks were increasing, and the exact opposite was true. Let’s be sure the problem isn’t merely one of perception.
Furthermore, Sen. Jackson claims that drug dealers and other miscreants are arming themselves with attack dogs due to being barred from owning firearms. Please. They may well indeed be acquiring animals trained to be violent toward humans, but these are in addition to the guns. You with me?
It is also interesting that those lobbying for tougher restrictions and penalties against dog owners are, for the most part, representatives of law enforcement. Color me cynical, but I have to ask: is it truly public safety that is at issue here, or is it the idea that cops desire to, as they would see it, level the playing field against their adversaries? Think about the rise in no-knock, warrantless raids, TASER® use, and plenty of other questionable police militarizations across the nation before you answer.
A FAST MODEM ON EVERY FARM
Here’s a question for all you effete, tech-savvy urbanites reading the Pulse (online, I presume): when was the last time you used dial-up? How workable is that type of connection, given the nature of Internet content these days? Even fairly generic websites have embedded video or audio that won’t make it to the client before the exasperated user quits trying. There’s much more to come on this, but battle lines are being drawn over the prospect of delivering broadband access to more, and in particular rural, Tennesseans. Such a move could enable major economic shifts, so stay connected as this develops.
POINTLESS LEGISLATION WATCH
With so many dumb bills filed, it’s difficult to keep up. This week, Sen. Tim Burchett (Knoxville) wins for suggesting drug-testing all recipients of public assistance. Though Rep. Stacey Campfield (Knoxville), sponsor of no small amount of bad legislation himself, explained recently on his blog that filing deadlines create a lot of bill text that is put together hastily by legal staff, and that many times barely resembles either the filer’s original intent or the final outcome, I can’t see any way to fix this one. I recommend that Burchett’s expensive, goal-deficient folly gets promptly deposited in the recycle bin.
[Cross-posted from the Pulse.]
Pulsations | By joe lance | 09:15 AM