Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Cheers!

Vladimir vodka is the drink of choice in West Virginia. Only the highest quality here in the Mountain State. Maybe a lot of people here in Morgantown are conducting scientific experiments. Maybe not.

Regardless, people here in West Virginia still can't buy liquor on Sundays. There's an op-ed here and a general rundown of blue laws here. This has to be one of more comical laws in West, right up there with the business and occupation tax and the franchise tax ("for the right to do business in West Virginia"). What is the intention of preventing people from buying liquor on Sundays, anyway? Is it to prevent people from drinking on Sundays? Why doesn't the law say that instead? It's one thing to have an idiotic law; this is an idiotic, passive-aggressive law. There is a push to repeal this law, but since most of the legislative effort in West Virginia is focused towards November's Special Session, it's probably not likely that anything will happen until the Spring.

Then again, one of the reasons legislators are targeting this law is to increase tax revenue-- estimated at over $1 million a year. Less liberty, but lower taxes? Dish out more in taxes, but have a shot of freedom? Such are the choices here in No. 50 West Virginia.

1 comment:

Steamboat Lion said...

We also have a ban on liquor purchases on Sunday in CO. When you ask the question "why Sunday of all days?" the obvious (and correct) answer "because that's the Christian sabbath" leaves me wondering how such laws can be consistent with the separation clause of the Constitution...