Welcoming Republicans to MN by keeping a handful of bars open until 4- Next Step: Apple-tini User's Fee

The cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis have put together special permits that allow bars to stay open past their usual 2 a.m. closing time during the Republican National Convention Sept. 1-4. The permits they've set up have a couple problems: they price out independent bars, provide funding for nighttime security (whatever that means), and serve the interests of out-of-towners instead of people who live here.

The City Councils' reasoning on why the late bar close is necessary, according to a Star and Tribune follow-up piece today?

"The idea for longer hours came from the Legislature, which wanted to cash in on the convention and also avoid the perception that the state is not as sophisticated as other locations that have hosted national political events."

Cashing In and Selling out

First contradiction: Both special permits costs $2,500 dollars for the four days, which could make you a little suspicious that when the legislature and city councils say they want to "cash in" on the convention, they mean it literally that government wants to cash in. If their Republican masters get a sniff of this, they might be in trouble. Only the private sector is supposed to be able to make piles of profit (is government even considered public sector anymore though?). It would really be safest if we contracted the 4 a.m. bar close out to a reliable company; Blackwater would be a good time.

The permits are also only available to large bars. In the St. Paul permit, bars "must have at least 291 seats or be in downtown or commercial development districts." This obviously rules out the the local corner bars that make St. Paul unique. Sorry Trend Bar.

It's an interesting tactic for the city council. By selling these expensive permits, they're sucking away the potential (however slim) that independently owned bars could profit from the Republicans (maybe an apple-tini user fee would help?). Instead of making Minnesotans seem like we're cosmopolitan, it's making us seem cheap and tinny. Might as well just bus the delegates and their escorts to the Mall of America's fourth floor.

Supposedly, the money from the permits will go to provide extra security. The question is: For whom is the security intended? As an almost constant patron of bars, I'm suspicious that would be me. And probably you too. It might be a blessing in disguise though; it's likely rubbing elbows with Republicans would just give us a rash anyway.

Repeal the Liquor Laws!

Lastly, a little controversy has been kicked up on the Star Tribune website with its follow-up piece on the St. Paul permit. Hidden amongst the typical interweb incoherence is a strand of people who are critical of the fact that we're reforming the stupid liquor laws we have in this state for only four days, and for the benefit of some fancy-lad out-of-towners, instead of for the people who live here.

Here's the best comment:

"I agree with the previous poster; why do the bars close for Minnesota citizens 361 days this year at 2:00 a.m., but on the four days that the convention is here, they can stay open until 4:00 a.m.? I think bars should set their own hours, liquor stores should be open on Sundays, and grocery stores should be able to sell liquor."

I've been irritated at liquor laws here for years. They just don't make much sense and god forbid Minnesotans elect a politician with enough backbone to stand up to the small groups of vocal teetotaling moralists.

1. No more 3.2!
2. Make bars stay open one hour past when they serve liquor. Make them serve Peace Coffee and mock duck tapas.
   
3. If influential groups like MADD want to limit drunk driving, the answer isn't the criminalization of drinking that they've been going after. It's. Fucking. Public. Transportation. (until well after bar close).
4. Liquor stores need to be open on Sunday.
   
5. Let's rethink the upping of the liquor age to 21. People need to learn how to drink responsibly when they're young and without a car. We're Minnesotans not some tipsy Southern Baptists. I realize we would revoke our federal highway money. Well, maybe we don't need these highways anyway if we don't need to drive to Wisconsin to buy booze on Sunday.