Blue Laws, Unions for Obama, and the Age of Civility

Blue Laws

Blue laws that ban the sale of alcohol on Sundays are especially frustrating on Superbowl Sunday.

Director of Risk and Environmental Policy Angela Logomasini explains why there are still restrictions on Sunday alcohol sales—and why the restrictions are wrong.

“The main proponents of such limitations are the few retailers who don’t want to be open on Sunday — and they don’t want their competition to fill that void. They partner with religious groups — in a bootlegger-and-Baptist coalition — who think Sunday should be reserved for worship not drinking or even shopping. Now if you are religious, you might say they have a point. As a Catholic, I understand that the work of shopping on Sunday isn’t really permitted beyond perhaps picking up essentials for a meal. Of course, for me, wine is an essential! But more importantly, those sentiments belong in the private sphere. I can decide not to do my heavy shopping on Sunday, to attend mass, and relax with family — but I don’t have the right to ban commerce on Sundays any more than I have the right to mandate that people attend services. At the end of the day, the pursuit of a religious conviction is only good when it is voluntary.”

Unions for Obama

Labor unions have been strong supporters of Obama and Obama’s policies.

Research Associate Trey Kovacs notes that many union members would lose their health care plans under Obamacare.

“[U]nions support Obamacare and EFCA/card check. However, it has been reported that 40 percent of employees at companies receiving waivers from Obamacare compliance are union members. They need these waivers because the union members under Obamacare would lose their health care plans. Did union officials not realize the negative affects the bill would have on its members or was it a matter of incompetence? Neither bodes well for the rank and file union members.”

Age of Civility

After the Tucson shooting, members of the media called for an age of civility.

Senior Counsel Hans Bader says that such calls for civility were largely superficial and disingenuous.

“Even as it prattled about the need for civility, the New York Times editorial board directed readers to its earlier diatribe that baselessly accused Republicans, the Tea Party, and conservative media of creating a climate of “division” and “anger” that made the Tucson shootings possible. The Times did so even though a column by its own David Brooks had earlier pointed out that there was “no evidence” that the shooter was influenced in any way by conservatives.”