Coronavirus updates: Hundreds of Texas bar owners pledge defiance to governor's order

[groundloop]

Source: ABC News

Hundreds of Texas bar owners say they'll defy Governor Greg Abbott's mandate that ordered them closed after a surge in coronavirus cases.

Approximately 800 bar owners have promised to participate in an event organized by Fort Worth bar owner Chris Polone called the "Freedom Fest" where bar owners have pledged to open their doors in defiance of the governor's orders which could place their state liquor licenses in jeopardy.

Abbott had previously allowed bars to reopen with restrictions but ordered them to close again on June 26 after the state experienced a resurgence of COVID-19 cases.

<snip>

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is aware of the event and will be conducting inspections, said commission spokesman Chris Porter. Violators of the order could face a 30-day suspension of their liquor license.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/coronavirus-updates-hundreds-texas-bar-owners-pledge-defiance/story?id=71982262&cid=clicksource_4380645_2_heads_hero_live_hero_hed

[Blues Heron]

1. fucking animals - shut them down and yank their licenses asap

these sickos are deranged

[olegramps]

24. After the epidemic clears there will be fewer customers, new owners and a lot of bars for sale.

[totodeinhere]

73. Good. Besides infecting people with the virus, bars encourage alcoholism and drunk

driving. It's great that many may be closing for good.

[theaocp]

30. Agree completely and a small request:

Think about substituting monsters for animals. Thanks!

[Ilsa]

2. Hopefully, they'll stay empty.

I hope those that go worry about getting sick.

My cousin's daughter in FL is a college student. They couldn't wait to get back to their dorms. She had dinner out with nine other friends. So far, eight of them have tested positive for COVID-19. Now she's quarantined in the dorm, not able to see her parents or grandparents, with whom she is close.

[orleans]

85. hopefully she'll be okay

hopefully they all will be

there's a lesson here somewhere....
i want to say "don't trust your friends"
but that's not it.
the lesson -- even people who have no symptoms can spread this crap or it could have been picked up at the restaurant, out in public, or in a dorm building
have they started wearing masks in florida yet? (that might explain a lot)

[secondwind]

3. This is INSANE.... the evils of capitalism on full display 😡

Whatever happened to FOR THE COMMON GOOD? LOVE THY NEIGHBOR?

[groundloop]

4. These bars would be back to normal now if their beloved pResident had shown an ounce of leadership

If tRump had shown an ounce of leadership in February and March, instead of hiding his head in the sand, we'd largely be back to normal by now.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

12. Damn straight. Tens of thousands of lives would have been saved, too.

[totodeinhere]

74. It's true that Trump shoulders much of the blame, but that's water under the bridge now.

Those bars need to close to save lives.

[Mr. Evil]

42. Once again, republican shortsightedness on display.

They want to open so they can make a short term gain. Then the consequences of that will be thousands more infected. Then their families, friends, co-workers, etc. All for their misguided demand to be stupid. Defiance can and will be deadly.

[RVN VET71]

5. This is a complicated mess

First, the bar owners are struggling, at risk of permanently losing their livelihoods. Second, what they're doing flies directly in the face of a public health-quake and risks the lives of thousands of Texans, including those fools who want to rush out and sweat, scream and spittle on each other. Third, Abbott is a man of limited imagination caused I think by a barely average intelligence leaving him with a complete inability to deal with the dilemma which is: a) forcibly close the bars thus enraging the drunken citizenry and causing a violent uprising or b) gently closing the bars which will, almost guaranteed, re-open in contempt of Abbott's government, and allow a horrible, deadly situation to worsen.

Abbott will choose"b" and the situation in Texas will worsen because Texans elected a terrible, terrible man as their leader and because there is a stupid streak in a large swath of the Texas gun-toting', manly-drinking' population that will deny the plague even when the doctors stick breathing tubes down their throats.

I cry for Texas. I know people living there and fear for them. I've also never met a Texan I didn't pretty much like immediately. But the neanderthal vote and a weak Democratic Party has led the entire state to this extremely low point.

[llashram]

32. and Abbott

voted for a terrible, terrible man to play follow the leader with. Do bar owners want to stay open? Then IF they have room outside, inside, masks mandatory and spacing protocols in place. Serve all who are observing safe protocols. Or some variation. There are ways to work things out. But safety first. Compromise, compromise, compromise. Then idiot in D.C. will be instructed on the fact that no one believes his bullshit.

[justhanginon]

6. A lot of unknowing innocent people will pay a horrendous price

for this assholishness. As they fill up the bars with people that will bring back Covid symptoms to their children, parents, grandparents, friends, co-workers, the list goes on. Disgusting!

[kacekwl]

7. Somehow putting Freedom in the name

of your stupid group makes it ok.

[dalton99a]

8. There is plenty of booze in grocery stores and liquor stores. Drink at home.

[yaesu]

31. some people can't stand their own company & if I were a tRumpster I couldn't stand myself either. nt

[not fooled]

49. Ha!

Brilliant observation, which explains a LOT.

[not_the_one]

60. Quite an astute assessment.

The sad thing is, we gradually grow used to our own stink. Then only others smell it. That is now the lot of the entire republican party, under the tutelage of the turd.

[Evolve Dammit]

45. There's a George Thoroughgood song there! "When I drink alone..."

[beachbumbob]

9. 100;s of bar owners will face fines as well a loss of license. So go for it

[thecrow]

63. They should permanently lose their licenses

... like their patrons who will permanently lose their lives because of the bar owners shenanigans. And that 30 days thing? Save it for how long they will be in jail for opening against the governor’s orders.
These pansy RW governors should get serious and shut it all down or we will have a permanent pandemic.
I have been in my home for months because I am at high risk if I contract this virus and watching the populace deny and defy common sense and refuse to help contain the spread is maddeningly disheartening.

[TexasTowelie]

68. The governor stated back in April that nobody is going to be sent to jail

for violations of coronavirus rules. When there are only minimum repercussions for violating the rules then there will be some that will take advantage of the lack of enforcement. Abbott has lost any semblance of authority with that decision.

[beachbumbob]

77. Govs in most states have bunches of power including over the departments that control

business and alcohol licenses. Texas's governors I think have way less power than most, BUT if he does, the process takes a phone call and then the fines pile up if ignored.

[TexasTowelie]

81. Yes, the fines are usually assessed on the number of days that the business is in defiance of the

executive order. However, if the fine is $1,000 per day while the bar takes in $5,000 per day in revenue it is still profitable for the bar to open--it will be considered as the cost of doing business.

[Blues Heron]

10. Is there anything more annoying than a bunch of whiny drug dealers?

That's what this is all about. they want to sell drugs and it's killing people in more ways than one. Fuck 'em.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. Yes, some drugs legal, but they are still drugs & some are addictive, like alcohol & nicotine. nt

[AZ8theist]

11. THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS!!!!!!!!!!

[B Stieg]

14. "Deathfest" would be more accurate (nt)

[IronLionZion]

15. If America acted quickly and took it seriously like the Asian shithole countries

this pandemic would have been squashed months ago and bars/restaurants/sports/etc. would be open now without any problem.

But instead, our deplorables are using the "Asian businesses are open" excuse to for why we need to continue spreading the virus to as many Americans as possible.

They'll invoke their "constitutional right to not wear a mask" somewhere in here too.

[dalton99a]

33. +1. Asian countries are open because they implemented real containment measures

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/23/vietnam-zero-coronavirus-deaths.html
Vietnam took drastic early action to fight the coronavirus — and has reported zero deaths
Published Thu, Jul 23 2020 6:16 PM EDT Updated Fri, Jul 24 2020 12:37 PM EDT

At the outset of the pandemic, Vietnam urged local medical equipment companies to help them ramp up a testing program. By April, the country had already performed hundreds of thousands of tests. At that time, for every confirmed case, the government was testing almost 800 people -- by far the highest in the world. The next highest, according to data compiled by Reuters, is Taiwan, which tested 140 people for every case.

“We would see hundreds of tests for every positive infection,” said Binh Tran, a general partner at 500 Startups Vietnam. “They’d test neighbors, store owners, really anyone you’d been in contact with.”

The Vietnamese understood that hospital capacity was limited, and hospitals would be quickly overwhelmed if they didn’t get ahead of the problem.

So schools closed for the Lunar New Year holiday at the end of January and stayed closed until mid-May. From the outset, there were restrictions on travel. Flights to and from China were suspended in February. The government closed down the country for two weeks on April 1. In some regions, the lockdowns were extended for a longer period.

[IronLionZion]

36. Asian countries have experience with pandemics

and have established strict quarantine/test/trace processes and most everyone has masks at home and complies with wearing them.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

16. They think they are speakeasies. They are more like petri dishes. . . . nt

[ResistantAmerican17]

17. It finally dawned on me why Greg Abbott is such a bag of dogshit.

He’s afraid in 2022 he will be primaried by Lt. Gov. Dan, “let granny die for the economy” Patrick, the darling of the Texas ultra right wing “religious” nutjobs. I live in metro Houston and it’s dire around here. Oh, and fuck bill Barr sideways, running.

[marble falls]

22. Gov Abbott had dreams about the White House st one time.

[ResistantAmerican17]

28. I will admit, I did not know that.

[ResistantAmerican17]

29. Found the Dallas Morning News article from 2018.

Thanks for pointing me to that.

[marble falls]

54. As you know he's a piece of work.

[NurseJackie]

18. Revoke their licenses.

[marble falls]

21. I'm all for it. A weekend in jail'd be nice. Might change their whole attitude infectous disease.

[totodeinhere]

75. And throw the owners in jail. n/t

[marble falls]

19. First rule in owning a bar: do not drink your own hootch.

[calimary]

20. Oh for Fuck's Sake!

How about 30 days in the clink?

[Lonestarblue]

23. I feel for desperate business owners trying to stay afloat.

I have no idea how many of these bar owners fall into that category, but I have no sympathy for Chris Polone, the organizer of this protest. Polone is the owner of the Rail Club Live in Fort Worth, which is in Tarrant Country, one of the last major metropolitan areas that consistently votes Republican. On July 4, Polone violated shutdown orders and opened his bar for a Tea Party Protest. The name of that protest says a lot.

People like Polone don’t seem to care how many will die as a result of their stupid protests. They always believe that nothing will happen to them, so it doesn’t matter what happens to anyone else. The whole Tea Party is one part of the Republican Party that needs to be wiped off the face of this country. They are nothing more than insurrectionists who want to destroy the government while claiming their right to do any damn thing they please, no matter who it hurts.

If Trump wants to send his Storm Troopers to the states, he should send them to Fort Worth today where they could do some good by arresting these bar owners as soon as they open their doors later today. Of course, that won’t happen—Republican state, Republican mayor. Mayor Betsy Price was recently quoted in Business Insider where she praised Trump and Abbott and said she “believes that the pandemic was "an unknown for everyone," which made it impossible to prepare for.” Yeah, those warnings last November and January, plus decades of warnings about the potential for pandemics, just could not have been known by anyone. What rubbish. They’re called contingency plans, and every business I’ve ever worked for had them.

[MarcA]

67. Repug rep for much of Tarrant County is July 4th putin pal granger. n/t

[Delphinus]

82. Not a business owner,

just a manager, and yes, put together contingency plans over a decade ago when the avian flu was seeming to become a concern for local health officials.

[mwooldri]

25. Send in the police.

Check all the licenses for "underage drinking" - but take all the information for contact tracing, as inevitably someone will get the virus and it will spread.

Then shut down the bar.

Edit to add - police tactics are typically to inflate the charges. Defying the governors orders and permitting underage drinking would be something that if a bar owner were to appeal to some kind of alcoholic beverage control board or some other authority that issues liquor licences - they would find that harder to appeal than just defying a Governors order.

IMO these bar owners are being irresponsible. I feel for them; their business has essentially evaporated due to the virus. Need to find other ways to help them out.

[Wounded Bear]

26. Sounds like a suicide pact...

[yaesu]

27. its simple, local heath departments should shut them down otherwise no health code will stand

and it will be a free for all lawless state, oh wait, trumpster states are already like that.

[KG]

34. Alcoholic Lives Matter!

[Initech]

87. Coronaivrus: No lives matter!

[Aviation Pro]

35. Make it a positive

They can open their bars but they can only give away their alcohol.

[Zephaniah]

37. British Comedian: Put a F**king Mask On!

[not fooled]

50. Hear, hear

Welcome to DU!

[Zephaniah]

57. Cool Username!

Reminds me of ... something.

[gopiscrap]

56. welcome to DU

[Zephaniah]

79. ANOTHER Good Username

Very truthful.

[ALBliberal]

38. A friend from my home town of Silver City NM

Got the virus in a bar in Corpus Christi. Thankfully she was never ventilated but she had a horrible bout and felt she was certain to die. She’s now on fb imploring people to wear masks and stay out of bars.

I just don’t get how they can be in such denial. It boggles my mind.

[MarcA]

71. Glad she recovered and learned her lesson. Apparently some can learn. n/t

[ALBliberal]

88. I choose to think that for her it was about everyone around

her influencing her and I have to believe that those in red states can still be reached especially by neighbors that have suffered through (or even perished) from this horrible disease.

[33taw]

39. Why not set up tents or RVs in the parking lot and make attendees stay for 14 days?

They either need to get tested to leave or wait it out. No medics, no ambulances, set-up a food tent and drop off supplies from a helicopter. They want a third world country - give it to them.

[Hotler]

40. Let them. Chances are the majority are repugs.

Their customers are repugs. Give them their Freedumb Fest. Cull the herd.

[Traildogbob]

43. Gotta agree

Don’t allow them in hospitals. Insurance companies, do not cover self inflicted medical cost. Participants should be tattooed and refused medical treatment, any federal help. Eliminate out of state travel.

[DBoon]

41. Texas bars are open 24 hours...

[cannabis_flower]

62. Texas bars

have never been allowed to be open 24 hours. Or at least they aren't allowed to sell alcohol past 2am or before 7am.

Here's the hours you can sell alcohol in Texas. They have some pretty strict rules. If you want to drink 24 hours a day go to Louisiana or Nevada.

What are the Hours of Operation for Alcohol Sales in a Bar, Restaurant, Liquor or Grocery Store in Texas?
Package (Liquor) Store Hours in Texas:
Monday through Saturday- 10 am to 9 pm and closed on Sunday. Liquor stores are also closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. If Christmas Day or New Years’ Day falls on a Sunday, then the store must close on the following Monday. (I know. Weird, right?) Note: Liquor stores may also sell beer if they have a (BF) license, but the beer sales hours are the same as for liquor

Grocery and Convenience Store Beer & Wine Sale Hours in Texas
Monday through Friday 7 am to Midnight. Saturday 7 am to 1 am. Sunday 12 Noon to 12 Midnight Note: These stores can only sell wine not to exceed 14% alcohol by volume. (unless they have an additional permit to sell wine above 14% by volume and those sales have some different hours)

Mixed-Beverage Permitees such as bars, pubs (and Mixed Beverage Permits with Food Such as Restaurants )
Monday to Friday 7 am to Midnight | Saturday 7 am to 1 am | Sunday Noon to Midnight (10 am to Noon if the alcoholic beverage is served with food to the customer) Note: if the business holds a late hours permit, customers may purchase until 2 am every day, However, consumption of the alcohol must end by 2:15 am

Winery Hours to Sell and Serve Wine
Wineries may sell wine to the ultimate consumer for both on and off premises consumption. Wineries may obtain a Winery Festival permit (GF) and sell to the ultimate customer at civic or wine festivals, farmers markets, or other special events. The winery hours are: Monday to Saturday 8 am to Midnight. Sunday 10 am to Midnight. and New Years Day Midnight to 2 am. Customers can continue to consume the wine until 2:15 each night with or without a late hours permit if the community has extended hours permits

Hours to Serve Alcohol in Private Clubs
Note: Private Club Permit holders must provide regular food service to their members and guests. The service hours are Monday to Friday 7 am to Midnight. Saturday 7 am to 1 am. Sunday Noon to Midnight. ( Private Clubs can serve alcohol at 10 am to Noon on Sunday if they serve food with the alcoholic beverage) If a Private club has a Late Hours permit, they may serve alcohol until 2 am each day

Wine Only Package Store (Permit Q) Hours of Operation
These retailers can sell wine not to exceed 24% alcohol by volume, and malt liquor and ale. Hours are: Monday to Saturday 10 am to 9 pm. Closed Sunday (also closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. If Christmas Day or New Years Day falls on a Sunday. then the store has to close the following Monday. Note:These retailers may also sell beer if they hold a Beer Retailer’s Off Premise Permit (BF)

https://www.mytabc.com/time-liquor-store-opens-texas/

[DBoon]

65. The Grim Reaper operates 24 hours

The bars may be closed, but death is always open.

[Politicub]

44. Executioners for people dying to drink in a bar

That’s who these bar owners are: they are opening intentional hot spots for people to contract COVID-19.

[RussBLib]

46. literally dying for a drink at the bar

at this rate, we won't get this virus under control

[Evolve Dammit]

47. Defiant, self-righteous ignorance and anger. A poisonous cocktail for sure. Well, go for it then.

They simply don't care. About anyone. At all.

[wheelinanddealin]

48. ridiculous

absolutely despicable

[gopiscrap]

55. welcome to DU

[louzke9]

51. Lets see, here!

The five counties leading in Texas with the largest cases of Covid19 include MAJOR CITIES. Those cities listed by county totals are, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Fort Worth and Austin. Great idea bar owners. Hope the state suspends their business license!

[eggplant]

52. 30-day suspension is nothing when you aren't open.

If they are forced to be closed for the next month, then it doesn't punish them at all.

They need to completely revoke them.

[bucolic_frolic]

53. Abbott won't go there

suspensions and forfeiture of liquor licenses. This will be another look the other way ordinance.

[Gore1FL]

58. They are Parasitoidic.

Who thinks it's good for business to kill your customers?

[Initech]

59. ...

[cannabis_flower]

61. They are still allowed to be open..

but only for to go orders. But then it's not really a bar without people standing around drinking. It is different considering that Texas didn't used to allow people to take alcohol out of a bar.

[Kid Berwyn]

64. Lock them up.

Threats to public safety.

[TexasTowelie]

66. So I see that ABC finally got around to publishing an article

about a topic that I posted a thread about back on Wednesday.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/107847835

[MarcA]

69. If somehow it's Only the deplorables that would be damaged. n/t

[totodeinhere]

76. Yes, but unfortunately the virus doesn't care if you are a Democrat or a Republican.

It's an equal opportunity killer.

[bluestarone]

70. Fine them x amount of dollars for every day they are open after the order is issued, THEN

Force payment BEFORE renewing their liquor license! EASY PEASY!

[totodeinhere]

72. Throw them in jail and forceably close their establishments before even more people die.

Bars are one of the most dangerous places to be.

[Schmice3]

78. What is their point? n/t

[turbinetree]

80. And just think #Moscow Mitch doesn't want these asshole's to be sued................

you know take no responsibilities for one's actions......................greed is fucking good mentality...........and they only get a 30 day suspension.................guess life is cheap in that neck of the woods.............

[Yeehah]

83. Arrest, prosecute and convict

or your orders mean jack shit.

[TexasBushwhacker]

84. I'm not surprised this is happening in Fort Worth

It's one oof the few big cities in Texas that's still red. Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, El Paso and all of the South Texas region are blue.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

86. It would seem if any group understood the term "cull the herd" it would be Texans.

I guess there's a difference between being able to define a term and actually living (or dying) through the experience.