Reply #41: Good old fashioned federalism is the way to go with this one.

[double_helix]

I agree with your opinion, leave nightclubs and bars alone. Restaurants are for a general/diverse customer base(famlilies, elderly, couples, etc) and should cater those needs. Night clubs/bars are for a specific group of customers (singles, young people, etc) who are looking for a good time (sex, alchohol, smoking, dancing, etc).

Of course, our subjective opinion may differ greatly from someone else's, which is why issues like these should be left up to communities - the people who actually frequent and work in the establishments; it is the only way to arrive at a more objective, reality based set of laws.

We Democrats, Independents and Republicans -- all Americans -- should think back to the classical liberal philosophy this country was founded on when wrestling with these tough, modern day issues.

Regulation should always be the last resort, not the first, and not on a whim. And even then, we should try to make it as federal/local as possible.

When thinking about these issues it's better to ask, "What if this was my vice being taken away? What if this was my way of life being compromised ?" Framing the question this way makes it much harder on us: instead of giving away someone else's rights, we are forced to think about giving away our own; it helps us think and proceed much more judiciously.