House panel OKs Sunday sales bill (hotel, business, venue)

[JPD]

Originally Posted by K-SawDude

Can't someone just challenge the constitutionality of this law in the first place? Maybe that's too expensive of an idea, but it seems like a violation of religious rights (or heck, even interstate commerce, which the Federal government can regulate for "fairness.")

It's utterly ridiculous that the whims of the few are dictating the behavior of the majority here. Not very American if you ask me.

I was thinking about this today. Suppose a store owner decided to sell alcohol on Sunday and they got busted, setting off a legal battle. It be pretty easy to prove that the law is nothing more than an attempt to make people obey the beliefs of one small segment of christianity, which has been openly admitted by lawmakers and spokespeople for the Georgia Christian Coalition dozens of times over the past few weeks.

[jpatlanta]

Its a little ironic that the same self serving "god fearing ultra right" people who stopped this also say they want to balance the budget and be fiscally responsible yet its a proven fact that the law costs the state hunderds of millions in lost convention revenue and jobs.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by jpatlanta

Its a little ironic that the same self serving "god fearing ultra right" people who stopped this also say they want to balance the budget and be fiscally responsible yet its a proven fact that the law costs the state hunderds of millions in lost convention revenue and jobs.

I'm not sure the revenue argument can be made. I don't believe that necessarily MORE alcohol will be consumed, but rather that the place and time of purchase may change. Big difference and a huge hole in the argument of the fundamentalists.

Also, let's not define the merit of one issue by the lack of merit of another. Fiscal conservatism vs social conservatism is what you're describing. They are not the same thing, although some individuals claim both mantras.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by K-SawDude

Can't someone just challenge the constitutionality of this law in the first place? Maybe that's too expensive of an idea, but it seems like a violation of religious rights (or heck, even interstate commerce, which the Federal government can regulate for "fairness.")

It's utterly ridiculous that the whims of the few are dictating the behavior of the majority here. Not very American if you ask me.

I agree to a certain extent.

However, freedom from a "tyranny of the majority" is also a core building block of the American system. That's one reason why we're a representative democracy and not a pure one (besides the obviously practical reasons), and why there's a certain amount of procedural inertia built into the system.

[Adric]

Folks on the west side can drive to Hopewell, AL and grab a 6 pack if it's a booze emergency. It's about 45 minutes away from Austell.

The rest of us will just have to deal with it until these morons in office grow a pair and pass the sales bill, which honestly, I don't think will happen until Georgia is officially the last state left that has Sunday bans. Thanks for limiting my rights yet again christian coalition!

Ugh, I thought this was the 'new south'?

[K-SawDude]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

I agree to a certain extent.

However, freedom from a "tyranny of the majority" is also a core building block of the American system. That's one reason why we're a representative democracy and not a pure one (besides the obviously practical reasons), and why there's a certain amount of procedural inertia built into the system.

A fair point. I guess I look at the majority/minority divide in America more as "we must protect the rights of the minority" rather than "a minority with political power should get to dictate the behavior of everyone else." I fully believe the blockage of Sunday alcohol sales is an example of the latter rather than the former.

Fundamentally, the former sentiment is much more democratic in its roots; the latter is much more oligarchic (and, in the case of this particular law, theocratic.) And America/Georgia shouldn't be a theocracy.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by Adric

Folks on the west side can drive to Hopewell, AL and grab a 6 pack if it's a booze emergency. It's about 45 minutes away from Austell.

The rest of us will just have to deal with it until these morons in office grow a pair and pass the sales bill, which honestly, I don't think will happen until Georgia is officially the last state left that has Sunday bans. Thanks for limiting my rights yet again christian coalition!

Ugh, I thought this was the 'new south'?

Metro Atlanta is the 'New South' and then there is the rest of the state.

Do you have a theory about how Alabama was able to allow Sunday sales?
A few years back there were stories about social conservatism in AL that made GA seem progressive--not related to the sale of alcohol, fwiw.

[Adric]

Originally Posted by TakeAhike

Metro Atlanta is the 'New South' and then there is the rest of the state.

Do you have a theory about how Alabama was able to allow Sunday sales?
A few years back there were stories about social conservatism in AL that made GA seem progressive--not related to the sale of alcohol, fwiw.

No, I have no idea. Never lived in AL. I'm from Nashville however, home of the Southern Baptist Convention, LifeWay Christian Stores, the largest printing and publishing city of the Bible, and nicknamed the "belt buckle of the bible belt" and even they have Sunday sales.

I'm starting to agree though that north and south Georgia need to split. I have no doubt in my mind that if the rest of the state had metro ATL's mindset, Sunday sales would have passed years ago.

It seems like when we refer to the rest of the state, we are mostly referring to southern GA. Rural north Georgia towards Rome and Dalton doesn't seem nearly as socially conservative as southern GA but that's just in my limited experience with southern GA.

[mike7586]

I thought for the first time there are more politicians from Metro Atlanta/North GA in the Gold Dome than South GA? If that is true, it still doesn't seem to be helping much...

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by mike7586

I thought for the first time there are more politicians from Metro Atlanta/North GA in the Gold Dome than South GA? If that is true, it still doesn't seem to be helping much...

President of the Christian Coalition Against Sunday Alcohol Sales in Georgia | WDEF News 12 | News, Weather and Sports for Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley

<Jerry Luquire says he's picked up three no votes from senators in the past, and only needs seven more to kill the bill.

Jerry Luquire, President, Christian Coalition,"We call them the magnificent seven, if they would just come through, we'll have our 29 votes in the Senate and this bill will never come up again.">

There is now a grassroots lobbying campaign. Maybe some further explanation will be forthcoming.