Twin Cities bars may be open until 4am during GOP Convention

[CatholicEdHead]

I saw this on KARE OnLive while flipping through channels. There is a bipartisan push to keep the bars open until 4am around the Cities (7 county metro). Also I guess Liquor stores will be allowed to be open on the two Sundays around the convention (what Wisconsin has year-round).

So, lets flood the streets with drunk Republicans 24/7 during the convention. :puke:

There is no story at KARE yet, but here is the bill at the Capital.

https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S3642.0.html&session=ls85

S.F. No. 3642, as introduced - 85th Legislative Session (2007-2008) Posted on Mar 10, 2008
1.1A bill for an act
1.2relating to alcohol; allowing a later closing time for on-sale establishments
1.3during the 2008 Republican National Convention.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 Section 1. TEMPORARY LATER CLOSING TIME.
1.6During the 2008 Republican National Convention, holders of an on-sale liquor
1.7license may remain open and may serve alcohol until 4:00 a.m. each day. This provision:
1.8(1) applies to all holders of an on-sale intoxicating liquor license or 3.2 malt liquor
1.9license located within a city or township within the seven-county metropolitan area;
1.10(2) applies during the period from 12:00 p.m. on August 29, 2008, through 4:00
1.11a.m. on September 8, 2008;
1.12(3) is subject to local approval by each licensing jurisdiction in the seven-county
1.13metropolitan area. Approval under this section must be on a citywide or townshipwide
1.14basis and may not be granted exclusively to individual license holders within the licensing
1.15jurisdiction. A city or township may not charge an additional fee to license holders for
1.16approving the later closing time; and
1.17(4) is repealed as of 4:01 a.m. on September 8, 2008.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. But if they're drunk, they'll be easier to entrap

with sexual partners they'd rather not have revealed. :evilgrin:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. I think it would be great fun to hang out at the airport.

I wonder if Larry Craig will be there?

[IronLionZion]

18. I can't wait until Larry Craig flies into MSP again

I hope there are good Minnesotans there waiting for him with cameras and whatnot! :rofl:

[MNRich]

3. Why Do We Need To Change The Rules For Repugs?

Are we going to make prostitution legal as well during the RNC?
What about drug legalization?
How's about we suspend ALL laws during the convention so the Pugs can do whatever they want?

This is so typical of the Repug mentality: I want everyone else to follow the law, except for me when it inconveniences me.

I would think that the party of Christian, family-values would be advocating for LESS drinking and drunkedness -- I guess that's what we would call "hypocricy".

[qb]

4. I wonder how many sex workers will be flocking to the Twin Cities from surrounding areas.

If it were legal the "sin tax" would be a great source of revenue. That would certainly be an ironic way to recover from Timmy the Tool's mismanagement :evilgrin:

[IronLionZion]

19. There aren't enough sex workers in the midwest to accomodate them all

They will likely be flown in from everywhere. I wonder if there is enough hotel space for all of them or if stuff is going to go down in cars or back alleys or whatever?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. Welcome to DU, MNRich!

:-)

[MNRich]

13. Thanks!

I've been lurking for years, and just decided to regsiter and post. Good to be here.

[loveable liberal]

6. I say lets take their money for a as long as we can...

Besides, just think about how many great drunken republican stories there will be.... oh I cant wait.....

[Randomthought]

7. Dodging drunk drivers

on the morning commute. That sounds like a nightmare.

[Eric J in MN]

8. What time do they usually have to close? NT

NT

[CatholicEdHead]

9. 2am

[Pierre.Suave]

10. So much for those wholesome family values...

We can use this against them however.

WE really can.

[Pierre.Suave]

11. Upon further research...

it appears we cant because this was introduced by a DFLer...

Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis...


I will be over there smashing my head against the wall...:shrug:

wtf is she thinking?

[dflprincess]

14. Maybe she's thinking it's DFLers that will feel the need to drink heavily

when all the Republicans are in town?

[kenfrequed]

15. Hmm

Well actually it might even be useful. I can hardly imagine more interesting press than having a bunch of drunk useless RNC'ers in town. If we are really, really lucky there will be scandal and misadventure to cast a bad palor on the event. Between that and the protests their 'unified convention' might more resemble a freak show.

[Pierre.Suave]

16. I see the potential for that as well

however, I don't think it was a good idea.

[kenfrequed]

23. Hmm

I disagree with opening up the law just to help those poor RNC jerks. So that element of it bothers me too.

[Deja Q]

12. Well, I suppose people would have to drink before listening to politics...

When drunk, anything seems tantalizing... :evilgrin:

[Pierre.Suave]

17. Don't I know it...

:evilgrin:

[dpbrown]

20. More importantly, are they shipping in hookers for all the Republican pervs?

And can they somehow highlight Senator Craig's stall at the airport?

[dflprincess]

21. I imagine they are shipping hookers in.

I swear I read something about the number that showed up in NYC for the last Republican convention - I believe there were some hard feelings between the locals and the "temps" who moved in for the week.

I would really enjoy standing in the concourse offering to show arriving delegates to the Craig bathroom - but I think it's in an area you can't get to without a ticket. I suppose I could hang out in the baggage claim area and just hand out maps.

[Pierre.Suave]

22. HAHA

I am sure that Security would ask you to leave before too long.

[CatholicEdHead]

24. St Paul City Council does not want this to happen

http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/conventions/17239419.html

The St. Paul City Council today made clear its opposition to a proposal in the Legislature that would extend bar hours during the Republican National Convention.

Council members voted 4-3 to approve a resolution asking the proposal not be enacted and citing potential for problems in neighborhoods and a strain on police.

"This is not Las Vegas. This is the city of St. Paul," said Council Member Lee Helgen, who brought the resolution forward.
The legislative proposal would allow cities within 10 miles of the Xcel Energy Center, where the convention is being held, to push the bar closing time from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. during the 11 days around the Sept. 1-4 event.
.....
St. Paul police have estimated the cost for additional service would be about $500,000.

[CatholicEdHead]

25. Yet Minneapolis is all for it

http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/conventions/17312979.html

Minneapolis now officially supports legislation that allows later drinking hours during the Republican National Convention -- but only if the City Council decides where and when.

The City Council's stance, adopted Friday on a 9-3 vote, rejects its own committee's advice to take no position and puts the city at odds with St. Paul, whose council rejected later hours on Wednesday.

If the state bill passes, either city can change its mind, since the 4 a.m. closing bill by DFL Rep. Phyllis Kahn requires local approval to implement.

"We can be a cold Omaha or we can stand up and be a 24-hour city," said downtown DFL Council Member Lisa Goodman.