No "Me Government," Please
There's a joke about "me-search," research in an area in which the researcher has some learnin' to do. (Researchers doing this make this joke about themselves.)
"Me government" should not be a thing: coming up with legislation or voting against it because you have real estate it would muck with -- or a personal issue you need to deal with.
But welcome to the Spokane City Council, where all the council members signed on to a bill to allow mixed drinks to go...
All but one.
Daniel Waters writes in The Inlander:
"Including complete mixed drinks and cocktails, sold in LCB-approved containers, this temporary policy would greatly help licensees in the city of Spokane survive during this period of unprecedented business restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic," the letter reads.But while six council members voted to support the letter, one, Councilwoman Kate Burke, voted against it. Her signature will not appear on the letter.
..."Selling a few cocktails sold toward the end of COVID is not going to save a business," she says.
But this time, there's also deeper, more personal motivation to her vote."I know that a lot of businesses make money from alcohol," she said at a Council Finance Committee meeting on Monday. "But there's also a lot of people who are trying to stay sober during this time."
She elaborated in an interview with the Inlander Tuesday.
"I am an alcoholic," Burke says. "I struggle with my alcoholism. I know I have a lot of friends who are struggling right now as well. Being in this situation. I don't think we need to push alcohol on more people."
I am very sympathetic to people with addiction issues, but they shouldn't be a form of public governance.
And so, despite recognizing the importance of alcohol to the local economy, she argues that it's "such a harmful drug to a lot of people that I just feel like we just don't need more of it.""America is so alcohol-friendly. You can go to a grocery store and buy it. You can order alcohol from a restaurant right now in a bottle," Burke says. "I don't understand why we need to do cocktails. It's like we keep expanding this -- alcohol is everywhere! It's already so much."
I'm not into baseball, and the traffic to get to Dodger Stadium or anywhere near there on a game night is probably ruinous to mental health for some (stopped traffic just kills me, for one!), but I don't think the answer is shutting the place down.
People always view things from their own personal perspectives. "When your only tool is a hammer...."
One of my coworkers was an engineer working in the business office and we used to talk about various college majors and their usefulness to future employment. Her view was that college teaches problem solving methodologies - lawyers learn one method, doctors another, and engineers yet another. We all view problems/issues and devise solutions from the standpoint of the solution methodology we've embraced.
As for the unique problems reformed (and reforming) alcoholics face in this time of enforced idleness, I'm sympathetic. I'm also sympathetic to the local businesses that could generate some revenue with mixed-drinks-to-go sales; and to the bartenders who might get a little work out of it.
We cannot build a government on the sum of the fears of the citizens. From such things is authoritarianism built. Some things, citizens will have to deal with on their own.
"Why, you may take the most gallant sailor, the most intrepid airman or the most audacious soldier, put them at a table together — what do you get? The sum of their fears." ~ Winston Churchill
Conan the Grammarian at April 23, 2020 6:40 AM
If the solution is to stop selling the offending materials, then shut it all down. Some people can't stop eating, so stop selling food!
I R A Darth Aggie at April 23, 2020 8:15 AM
put them at a table together — what do you get?
Ideally, lots of boozing, and plenty of no shit, Chief? stories. All things Sir Winston would excel at.
I R A Darth Aggie at April 23, 2020 8:32 AM
✓ Coney
Crid at April 23, 2020 1:50 PM
As for the unique problems reformed (and reforming) alcoholics face in this time of enforced idleness, I'm sympathetic. I'm also sympathetic to the local businesses that could generate some revenue with mixed-drinks-to-go sales; and to the bartenders who might get a little work out of it.
Bartenders have done more for me than any politician ever has.
(Thank you to Hannah, Hadi, Kristof, Abigail, Kelton, Eric, Tony, Sam, Steve, Brad and everyone else bar-related who has been put out of work due to this situation.)
Kevin at April 23, 2020 1:52 PM
“Bartenders have done more for me than any politician ever has.
And plumbers and electricians and mechanics, more than any lawyer.
Isab at April 23, 2020 2:34 PM
"I don't think we need to push alcohol on more people."
Nope, she doesn't get it - no one is "pushing" alcohol on people. If you don't want it or can't handle it then stay away from it.
Don't make YOUR problem my problem.
Too many folks, and politicians, don't get this basic "live and let live" concept.
charles at April 23, 2020 3:47 PM
I am an alcoholic, and I can tell you from experience that the availability of mixed drinks in this situation will not make a damn bit of difference.
As she says:
"America is so alcohol-friendly. You can go to a grocery store and buy it. You can order alcohol from a restaurant right now in a bottle," Burke says. "I don't understand why we need to do cocktails. It's like we keep expanding this -- alcohol is everywhere! It's already so much."
Alcohol is available in many places and, if you can't sit around a table with your friends and drink, you don't order a drink at a time. You buy the bottle.
Steamer at April 23, 2020 6:16 PM
She looks sad, like she could use a cocktail and a friend.
That or absolute power over her fellow citizens. Whichever.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at April 23, 2020 10:25 PM
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