Dear editor,
A town hall meeting recently took place in the metro area to discuss whether the state should end its ban on Sunday liquor sales.
I endorse the free market, yet my position has nothing – nada, zilch, zippo – to do with liquor itself.
My point is this: In the context of our free-market economy, government should not be dictating to businesses what days of the week we can and cannot operate and purchase. (Clarification: Free-market liberty does not apply to the sales of products or services that are illegal. That is a whole different discussion for another day.)
The problem is government in Minnesota and a handful of other states have left outdated laws in place prohibiting consumers from buying goods at their own convenience. This is not a true free market. If enough consumer demand exists for store owners to open their doors on any given day, government should not stand in their way.
Currently, 38 states, including all of our neighbors, allow sale of alcohol on Sundays statewide or by local option.
If the law is changed to allow Sunday sales, it would not mean that liquor stores would be forced to open on Sunday.
Why should it matter to government that someone who does their grocery shopping on a Sunday afternoon also would want to pick up a bottle of wine for dinner? Government doesn't care how many drinks that person has if she or he goes out to eat on a Sunday. This is an example of government micromanagement at its worst and illustrates how government has crept into places it does not belong.
We could spend all day discussing the nuances of selling liquor in stores on Sunday, but we cannot lose sight of the most important point in this free-market discussion: It should be up to business owners themselves whether they want to open their doors on any particular day and up to us as citizens whether we want to patronize their establishment.
I support all business to be open on Sunday – if they so choose. Otherwise, we may as well throw an umbrella over all our businesses and shut them all down on Sundays.
I would love to receive feedback regarding this issue on the merits of a free-market economy.
Sincerely,
Rep. Mark Anderson, R-Lake Shore