Shutting down bars... again

12,581 Views | 81 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by Capt. America
The Brazos Kid
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I was going to reply in the COVID cases thread but it might be too much of a derail. Already had one post from there quietly removed by staff today.

Judge Peters is going to shut bars down again now that tomorrow makes 7 days above the 15% threshold for Region N hospital COVID capacity.

This will be strike 3 and you're out for many local bars and even restaurants that will have to scale back capacity.

Meanwhile, Walmart on Briarcrest is closed til Wednesday at 7AM to deep clean the store after a COVID outbreak amongst employees.

Where is the greatest threat of transmission? Is it large retailers such as Walmart, Academy, Kroger or HEB? The last week or so, Many folks crammed into these stores for last minute shopping.

Meanwhile, local bars have been curb stomped time and again by government officials from local to state. This rescind order will be the death of many bars.

For those bars that know they will not survive another closure, why close? At this point, you have nothing left to lose. Make them come in and shut you down. "Come and Take It".

For those that take that route, make sure us folks know you're doing so. I hope folks show up to support these business owners and raise hell when the TABC shows up.

Do NOT go quietly. This is a line in the sand folks.

TL;DR Government suppression sucks.
Belton Ag
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AG
It's the totality of human interaction that spreads the virus, not just bars, restaurants or grocery stores. It's kind of like death by a thousand cuts, each cut might cause some blood loss, but it's all the cuts together that cause the problem. So when our political overlords decide to shut the bars down, what kind of impact will that really make? 5 less people per day testing positive?
trouble
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AG
And it isn't going to reduce the hospitalization rate. The people hospitalized weren't likely going to bars.
Justin2010
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AG
dpeters@brazoscountytx.gov

Email sent.
Rapier108
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Very few China virus cases come from bars in other states so it is highly likely true everywhere. While you in theory could get it at a bar, the odds of it are pretty damn low.

https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/new-york-state-restaurants-bars-accounted-for-143-of-covid-19-cases-over-last-3-months/71-02e600f3-ae63-4f87-90e8-f80b6f6bd304

https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/new-york-state-restaurants-bars-accounted-for-143-of-covid-19-cases-over-last-3-months/71-02e600f3-ae63-4f87-90e8-f80b6f6bd304

If they're wanting to close things to prevent even a single case (which is where the goalposts moved to) then we should close every place where more than 1 person can gather so no bars, restaurants, churches, and grocery stores. That will show the virus who is boss.
pants
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I'm all for stopping the spread, but I just can't logically see how bars at reduced capacity are more dangerous than restaurants at reduced capacity. Maybe there's data I just don't know about.
kevmiller
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I laugh at people that still think this is a free country

I'm not a bar owner but if I was I'd be heading up a serious lawsuit.
deh40
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AG
So they ship patients to Brazos County hospitals from South Texas, then tell the County you have exceeded the hospitalization rates and must close down bars and reduce restaurant capacity.
kevmiller
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pants said:

I'm all for stopping the spread, but I just can't logically see how bars at reduced capacity are more dangerous than restaurants at reduced capacity. Maybe there's data I just don't know about.


Just a couple of the endless things that make absolutely zero.. I mean zero sense whatsoever



Rapier108
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kevmiller said:

pants said:

I'm all for stopping the spread, but I just can't logically see how bars at reduced capacity are more dangerous than restaurants at reduced capacity. Maybe there's data I just don't know about.


Just a couple of the endless things that make absolutely zero.. I mean zero sense whatsoever
Before China told everyone that lockdowns were the only answer, not one country had lockdowns as part of their pandemic response.

Then China comes along, makes everyone think that is the solution by locking down Wuhan after the virus was already at its peak and nothing was going to stop it, and then claiming victory after it burned itself out in the region. So every country did exactly what the CCP told them to do, even though it does not work. Now they're going to round 2, 3, or even 4 hoping for different results. That is the definition of insanity.
mgreen
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This is an order by the governor, not Dwayne Peters per KBTX.
The Brazos Kid
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mgreen said:

This is an order by the governor, not Dwayne Peters per KBTX.
And Judge Peters should say eff off to the governor and stand up for small business in our beloved Brazos County.
Justin2010
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AG
I got this response from Peters.

"When I signed the order opening the bars, one of the conditions was that I agreed to rescind the request if the county went over 15% hospitalization for COVID for seven days which we have. Whether I rescind or not doesn't change the Governor's order for bars to be closed. It is for information only to bars. TABC has been informed by TSHC that Brazos County bars whose alcohol revenue is 51% must be closed per the Governor. I am not closing anything. When asked by the reporters I tried to make that clear knowing I would probably be blamed for something I have no control of."

I sent him this article and asked him to comment on it.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/health-science/coronavirus/2020/12/22/388378/galveston-county-refuses-to-enforce-stiffened-covid-restrictions/amp/
Justin2010
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AG
It sure would be nice for our "conservative republican" judge to take a stand.
maddiedou
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AG
deh40 said:

So they ship patients to Brazos County hospitals from South Texas, then tell the County you have exceeded the hospitalization rates and must close down bars and reduce restaurant capacity.


Is this really true if so they are willing to destroy brazos valley over basically illegal patients I do not mean illegals before yall jump on that wording
maddiedou
EliteElectric
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They are doing this to bars because they have an enforcement instrument. TABC. They can't regulate big business out because they own too many lobbyists. They can't force people not to gather because no local law enforcement is gonna put a private citizen in jail for visiting another private citizen.

So to placate, and give the appearance nationally of doing something, they bully bars and small businesses. That's the world we now live in. Big fish eating little fish with the stars and stripes waving as they do it all under the guise of public sqfety.

If we don't do something soon Walmart, Taco Bell, Amazon et al will be all the choice we have left. Think megacorp USA is unfair now, hang around a few months.

This has to stop.
isitjustme
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AG
Justin2010 said:

It sure would be nice for our "conservative republican" judge to take a stand.

I agree with your sentiment, but if TABC wants bars closed and they don't close, TABC can take their license. Out of the judge's hands in this case. He could allow 75% restaurant capacity to continue, though.
Justin2010
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AG
agrab86 said:

Justin2010 said:

It sure would be nice for our "conservative republican" judge to take a stand.

I agree with your sentiment, but if TABC wants bars closed and they don't close, TABC can take their license. Out of the judge's hands in this case. He could allow 75% restaurant capacity to continue, though.


Fair point. Most bars have become "restaurants" now anyway.
The Brazos Kid
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agrab86 said:

Justin2010 said:

It sure would be nice for our "conservative republican" judge to take a stand.

I agree with your sentiment, but if TABC wants bars closed and they don't close, TABC can take their license. Out of the judge's hands in this case. He could allow 75% restaurant capacity to continue, though.
Imagine a world, if you will, of a contingent of bar owners united and all saying "screw it, we are open regardless of the consequences". Kind of a last stand.

Maybe I'm being a bit overboard with this... maybe not but if statewide, all bar owners stayed open, it would force such a heavy hand from TABc that the public backlash of so many operators getting fined, losing licenses or even jail may finally wake the general public up to this jackboot, fascist overreach that we are seeing.

When we operate as individuals, we are but one voice. When we stand in solidarity as a group, we can achieve so much more.

Only a few hundred at most control 330,000,000 million citizens. Let that sink in.
isitjustme
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AG
TxFoundry said:

agrab86 said:

Justin2010 said:

It sure would be nice for our "conservative republican" judge to take a stand.

I agree with your sentiment, but if TABC wants bars closed and they don't close, TABC can take their license. Out of the judge's hands in this case. He could allow 75% restaurant capacity to continue, though.
Imagine a world, if you will, of a contingent of bar owners united and all saying "screw it, we are open regardless of the consequences". Kind of a last stand.

Maybe I'm being a bit overboard with this... maybe not but if statewide, all bar owners stayed open, it would force such a heavy hand from TABc that the public backlash of so many operators getting fined, losing licenses or even jail may finally wake the general public up to this jackboot, fascist overreach that we are seeing.

When we operate as individuals, we are but one voice. When we stand in solidarity as a group, we can achieve so much more.

Only a few hundred at most control 330,000,000 million citizens. Let that sink in.


I'd be fine with that. Judge wouldn't have anything to do with that either. But people should take a lot of this stuff back in our own hands. Waiting for govt leaders to do the right thing is not always (rarely?) the best thing for the governed.
The Brazos Kid
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Just sent this to Judge Peters. You can do the same:

dpeters@braxoscountytx.gov

Judge Peters,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing you in regards to the imminent shutdown of bars here in Brazos County which fall within Region N hospitals. The governor has declared a 15% hospitalization rate over a 7 day period would move us into closing down 51% establishments and cut occupancy rates of restaurants to 50% capacity.

While safeguarding residents of the county and region are fine and noble causes to undertake, this order as a whole is misguided.

Let me first say I am not a bar owner. I rarely frequent bars. That was a different story 25 years ago. The fact is, bars are not substantially contributing locations to the spread of COVID-19. The main culprits are the "big box" retailers. Case in point, Wal-Mart on Briarcrest Drive is currently closed till Wednesday at 7AM for deep cleaning as they had multiple employees test positive for COVID-19.

In the last couple of weeks, Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger, HEB and Academy have had at or near pre-COVID numbers of customers within their stores shopping before Christmas. These very retailers will suffer no restrictions whatsoever with your rescinding of the current order. Shouldn't these potential super-spreader locations resort to an online order/parking lot pickup format to help "stop the spread"?

Bars get the short end of the stick. They are the low hanging fruit in the regulatory process. They are bound by TABC regulations and that makes them an easy target for enforcement.

The large corporations have the ability to fight to keep their doors open. They provide products and services "for the greater good". The small business owner does not have the same resources and deep well of reserves to pull from to fight these measures.

I implore you to think about your neighbors at this moment in time. This will be the 3rd time these businesses have had to stop operations. For many, this will be a "3rd strike and you're out" kind of situation. They will not come back from this.

Galveston County is standing up against this level of tyranny from far flung Austin: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/health-science/coronavirus/2020/12/22/388378/galveston-county-refuses-to-enforce-stiffened-covid-restrictions/

I hope you take a stand, help protect your fellow Brazos County neighbors and do the same as Galveston County judge Mark Henry has done, with bravery and honesty.

Sincerely,
J---- C------
-College Station

Edit to fix URL
EliteElectric
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First they came for the small retailers, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a retailer.
Then they came for the bars, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a barkeeper.
Then they came for the restaurants, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a restaurant worker.
Then they came for meand there was no one left to speak for me.



Stop this madness #recallabbott

If we can at least get an initiative to recall him, it will be a shot across the bow. It will put local and national politicos in a position to acknowledge that the natives are VERY restless.


Quote:

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants"

"Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual."

"All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression."

Thomas Jefferson

Stupe
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S
I would love a recall for Abbot, but there isn't a provision for it in Texas.
EliteElectric
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Stupe said:

I would love a recall for Abbot, but there isn't a provision for it in Texas.
Can we get some torches and pitchforks and go to his house?

I kid I kid........kind of.
Muzzleblast
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After nearly a year of one man rule the legislature needs to pass a recall provision.

The Brazos County Judge is laughable.

He signs orders then says he did nothing, it's Abbott.

Peters is reprehensible. These are not laws but "orders" issued under emergency provisions based on a 1975 law to deal with hurricanes.
Stupe
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S
This is ridiculous.

Fauci has looked incompetent from the beginning yet state and local governments keep listening to what he says. I can't think of anything that he's said that he didn't contradict later.
Stupe
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S
Quote:

After nearly a year of one man rule the legislature needs to pass a recall provision.
I agree, but it would also open them up to recall. No way that they are going to do that.
Capt. America
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AG
Email sent. Might be a little more than that before we're through.
2007fightintexasaggie
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AG
E-mail sent to Peters. Nothing will change until we make it change. We voters have all of the power but rarely use it.

Here's to also hoping that the primary for the 2022 governor race is stacked with some quality candidates and not just a secession activist - although maybe that's not looking half bad by the time we get to that point in time (I kid - somewhat).
Rapier108
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The problem is the Republicans don't really have anyone with serious name recognition other than Abbott.

The Democrats have Beta and that's it, but that could easily be enough.
ZoneClubber
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AG
Since the Texas Legislature is about to gather they should all be prepared to amend or rescind the Texas Emergency Act of 1975. No governor, county judge or mayor should have such absolute power, unchecked and unending based on a declaration of an "emergency"

Your state representative and senator should be hearing from you
Justin2010
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AG
We also need another mechanism for calling a special session of the legislature.
2007fightintexasaggie
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AG
You're 100% correct. However, I think there are enough folks angry that name recognition won't be as big of a hurdle. That's if (and a big IF) folks remember this by the time the election rolls around. Sadly most will probably be back in the flock.
EliteElectric
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Email sent

Quote:

Dear Judge-

As a local business owner it troubles me deeply to see fellow local business owners being forced to close and/or drastically reduce capacity while large corporations such as Walmart are allowed to simply remain open. This is draconian and seemingly just a way to present a forward facing placation to those who wish to appear concerned nationally. If Walmart, Taco Bell, HEB and UPS can remain open then so can the rest of us, including bars and restaurants in my humble opinion.

Having worked on and donated to many campaigns in Brazos county over my 29 years as a resident, including current and former mayors, commissioners and councilpersons, I can assure you that voters have long memories. What has taken place over the last few months will not be forgotten. Do what's best for Brazos county. Stand up for Brazos county much in the same way Galveston has stood up for Galveston. This is your chance to draw a line in the sand and send Governor Abbott a message, one that lets him know loud and clear that we are not a one size fits all state.

Sincerely
EliteElectric
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I don't expect my complaining to do anything of note, except to maybe raise the overall decibel level that politicos are hearing. If enough of us are groaning publicly it will give those with less courage to do so some safety in numbers.
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