Californians are already familiar with living in an environment completely regulated by the local or state governments. But a new bill would further regulate yet another small but significant aspect of locals’ lives: Their choice whether to use a straw while dining out at their favorite restaurant.
Written by Democratic Assemblyman Ian Calderon, this bill prohibits restaurants from offering straws to customers unless they are specifically requested. Members of the California Restaurant Association have only expressed concern if straws are “outright banned,” said Vice President Sharokina Shams.
Overall, many restaurant owners have already adopted their own policies of not offering straws unless requested — voluntarily. So, what is the point of getting the government involved in something as petty as drinking straws?
Passing legislation is absolutely wasteful on its own and it adds yet another little rule for enforcers to enforce. And all because to legislators like Calderon, their job is not to ensure people’s freedoms are protected, but to do more to restrict them.
California already scores poorly when it comes to small business growth thanks to a growing regulatory burden. You would think that lawmakers would think twice before passing more restrictive and unnecessary laws, especially ones that impact restaurants, which are still booming in California despite the financial difficulties and high taxes.
And before you say anything about the potential new law’s effectiveness, whether this law will truly impact restaurant owners and consumers in the end isn’t the problem. Instead, we must ask ourselves whether any government should be having a say as to how we do business and how consumers are supposed to be served and treated.
After all, the more we allow governments to dictate what we do in our private lives, the more power we yield to bureaucrats.
What’s left for us to learn is whether or not Californians will ever come to realize this.
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