As Associated Press reporter Steven Dockery reported today, the House passed a proposal to toughen penalties against repeat drunk drivers:
House Bill 14 carried by Democratic Rep. Mike Menahan would let courts look back to impaired driving offenses up to 10 years old when someone is being punished for a drunk-driving charge, a change from the current five-year cutoff.
The measure, which was backed by the House on an 88-12 vote, allows courts to hit more offenders with tougher second-offense penalties, such as suspending offenders' licenses.
Rep. Alan Hale, R-Basin, was one of the 12 no votes on the measure. Hale, who according to his campaign website owns the Saddle Bar and Café in Basin, gave a passionate speech in opposition to not only HB14, but to all of the bills aimed at stiffening DUI laws. According to Hale, the DUI bills are “destroying” small businesses by preventing people from drinking and driving.
The AP story has a rather truncated quote from Hale’s opposition, so here’s the full text of Hale’s floor speech:
"These DUI laws are not doing our small businesses in our state any good at all. They are destroying them. They are destroying a way of life that has been in Montana for years and years. These taverns and bars in these smaller communities connect people together. They are the center of the communities. I'll guarantee you there's only two ways to get there: either you hitchhike, or you drive, and I promise you they're not going to hitchhike."
Here’s the video if you watch to watch it yourself. It was posted by user Montana Democrats.
Is he actually defending drunk driving??? For serious?
ReplyDeleteTO be honest though, if you are drunk driving in a small Montana town you are only going to hit another drunk driver
ReplyDeleteMOST Montanan's are horrified by this idiot and by our abominable record for drunken drivers and the carnage they create.
ReplyDeleteOh My God! How did this guy get elected?
ReplyDeleteI think Sarah Palin just found her running mate for the 2012 election! LOL!
ReplyDeleteDid it occur to him that you don't have to get intoxicated when you go to a bar.
ReplyDeleteBased on his choice of neckwear, I'd say he was probably drunk when he gave the speech. :-)
ReplyDeleteI AGREE WITH YOU! THE DUI LAWS SHOULD BE THROWN OUT. IN KENTUCKY THE STATE CAN GO AS FAR BACK AS TEN YEARS. AFTER YOU DO THE TIME FOR THE CRIME YOUR RECORD SHOULD BE CLEAN AND NOT HELD AGAINST YOU OVER AND OVER. THESE LAWS DON'T JUST PERTAIN TO ALCOHOL. KY USES DUI LAWS FOR MEDICATION AS WELL. IF YOU TAKE AMBIAN ON TUESDAY NIGHT TO SLEEP, THEN GOING TO WORK WEDNESDAY MORNING YOU OVER CORRECT AND SOMEONE WITH A CELL PHONE CALLS IN ON YOU, THEY WILL ARREST YOU FOR DUI. I TOO AM A BAR OWNER. AND YES, THESE LAWS DO NEED TO BE CHECKED, IN EVERY STATE. IN CASE ANYBODY CARES DUI AND DWI ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS.
ReplyDeletedrinking and driving never go together, having her 11 year old with her is just plain stupid. I'm sure she is very remorse over this and is suffering from the sting of public outrage.
ReplyDeleteny defensive driving
This guy is awesome. A man with some common sense. I don't care is he's republican or democrat. DUI laws have gotten so out of hand in this country that they basically make it impossible for the average person who gets a DUI arrest to make a living. Here in NJ it's totally draconian. It's all a big money making scheme and these inhumane laws are cash cows for the municipalities. Unless you're rich, a police officer, judge, or politician, you get screwed. It's a total travesty of justice.
ReplyDeleteIs he serious? He's got to be kidding me.
ReplyDelete