Hooray for Utah Republicans - Want to Lower Alcohol Limit to .05%

Rational Government Coming from Republicans - Outliers do Happen

Lost in the news about a radical right wing government about to take power and destroy many cherished American insitutions is this story about Utah thinking about lower the alcohol limit.

An effort is underway in the state to lower the legal blood-alcohol concentration for driving to .05 — a first in the nation. Currently, all 50 states have a .08 cap, eschewing suggestions from the National Transportation Safety Board to redefine what constitutes drunk driving.

But state Rep. Norman Thurston, a Republican from Provo who plans to introduce a bill on the issue in the upcoming legislative session, wants that to change in 2017.

“Impairment starts with the first drink, and we want to establish this state as one where you just simply do not drink and drive,” said Thurston, noting he worked with officials from the Utah Highway Patrol while drafting the legislation. “This is all about safety.”

Wow, who could oppose such a thing? Oh yes, the people who make money from getting other people all liquiored up and driving their cars into other people.

So what if they kill a family - their rights are more important

In 2013, the NTSB released a report recommending that states lower to .05 the limit at which people can be prosecuted for drunk driving.

While the national board characterized its proposal as a way to prevent drunk driving deaths, restaurant industry groups pushed back, questioning the effectiveness of such a change. The American Beverage Institute portrayed it as “criminalizing perfectly responsible behavior.”

And don't forget the people who make a living opposing government regulations which save lives.

That’s the same argument coming from some detractors of the proposed legislation in Utah.

“Why not focus on reducing the speed limit, or limiting texting while driving?” said Connor Boyack, president of the libertarian-leaning Libertas Institute, located outside Salt Lake City. “Those are real factors in causing traffic deaths.… This would just criminalize people not causing any problems.”

Not to worry merchants of destruction, we are sure the incoming administration will protect your right to sell alcohol so that people can drink and drive. It's what the Founding Fathers would have put in the Constitution if they had been stupid and callous instead of decent and noble.