Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Freedom, liquor and granite

Well here's a little bit of irony for y'all. The state liquor commissioner in New Hampshire has been fired after refusing to blow into the state's breath test machine after being arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. As the state liquor commissioner, Richard Simard was in charge of overseeing the state's liquor stores -- those duties included marketing and enforcing state laws.

Mr. Simard was arrested and released with a promise to appear in court. Wow, and Harris County judges fret about "catch and release" for people caught with negligible amounts of marijuana on them.

I'm just a bit curious why the Granite State - that bastion of individualism - would have state-owned liquor stores. Maybe it's just the Puritanical nature of the citizenry that the people must be protected by the state from the evils of alcohol. I find it just a little bit interesting, though, that the state will allow you to liquor yourself up (and pump money into the state's coffers) and will then oblige the public's need to arrest you for drinking and driving afterward.

They'll get you both coming and going.

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