Just for the Record has a blog entry riffing on a Mike Sylvester post on the subject of increased liquor licenses in Fort Wayne. (Leo Morris also has a post on the subject.) The discussion has to do with increased availability of liquor permits in Fort Wayne in order to assist the municipal riverfront development in the area. The particular quote that raised some hackles was this:
Councilman Tom Smith, R-1st District, leans toward the proposal but only if the city establishes guidelines to select the best applicants, citing as examples businesses that would voluntarily be nonsmoking and not allow video gambling machines.
For the record points out the moral hypocrisy that seems to be involved here. For the Record lets loose an inspired paragraph in reaction:
To that I say horseshit! The whole idea that booze is splendid in exponentially increased quantites, yet smoke and gambling are still a “no-no,” is absolutely preposterous. If you’re gonna crawl up on your “moral” high-horse and spew bull-twaddle, then you best fleece yourself of all the hypocrisy prior to opening your fat trap. This whole thing reeks of bureaucratic tomfoolery.
I don’t know enough about the situation to have an opinion, but I was looking for an excuse to repost that paragraph and to agree that you’ll quickly fall into a morass when you purport to legislate based on morality.
And with that, Let’s all have a cold one!
It’s always 6:00 somewhere.
Doug, that would be 5:00PM Central per Jimmy Buffett.
I don’t get the video poker part, but I do the smoking part.
It isn’t a moral issue, it is a worker health issue, at least to me. If we can get more places to go smoke-free in the workplace, that is a good thing. I don’t care if the carrot is liquor sales or remodeling permits, the more we can get rid of smoke in the workplace the better.
Hmm.. falling into a morass would be in itself a moral quandry I would think.
Of course, the Republican Party has set itself up as the Daddy/ Authority/ God, gays and guns party.. and then wonder why people are disgusted when the morality they seek to legislate on others isn’t part of their own practice…
You know what would really make people (and money) flock to downtown? Riverboat gambling. Lets tie a few Harrah’s and MGM boats up down there with a slew of table games, slots, off track betting, and a couple decent poker rooms.
Then, don’t allow them to serve food or have lodging, and put a slew of good restaurants and hotels right across the street.
Would sure beat a baseball stadium. And would probably draw tourists from all over the place.
There is only one silver bullet that can save downtown Fort Wayne.
It is a casino…
Fort Wayne is considering many different options… A casino is not on their list.
Mike Sylvester
Fort Wayne Libertarian