NationStates Jolt Archive

The Finnish government with its leftist "we decide what you want" -types is planning to ban happy hours in bars and pubs. They had to lower liquor taxes (which still are really high, but not insanely high) to limit import from Estonia which has much lower taxes. Now they're going to have to show that they didn't mean it. So, they want to ban all discounts on alcohol, such as happy hours in bars.

http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Government+aims+to+stop+dumping+of+beer+but+no+changes+to+alcohol+taxation/1135219005162

We really should have a constitution that says what the government can't do.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't your country have a hugemolongous number of alcoholics?

I'm pretty sure they aren't banning happy hours. Just banning the advertisement of happy hours. Imagine that; you are sure you are to pay approximately 3.20 Euros for a pint, but the barman/maid tells you it's the happy hour and it's only 2.80... What a pleasant surprise. Oh joy!

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't your country have a hugemolongous number of alcoholics?
Do you have a problem with it, huh?!? *hiccup*

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't your country have a hugemolongous number of alcoholics?
No.

Finns usually drink very little on the working week, and then walk on four legs on Friday. That's the typical pattern. Absolute numbers of alcoholics or total consumed alcohol per capita isn't exceptional.

And the leftists will always make sure that everybody thinks Finland is full of alcoholics and Finns can't handle alcohol.

Man, that's total bullshit. Just another example of assholes trying to play daddy to the populace.

If I want to drink a drink a week, or 15 a day, it isnt anybodies fucking business. :upyours:

No.

Finns usually drink very little on the working week, and then walk on four legs on Friday. That's the typical pattern.

My father used to do that. He died at 46.

Absolute numbers of alcoholics or total consumed alcohol per capita isn't exceptional.

That still does not exclude the possibility of many drinking way more than they should do.

And the leftists will always make sure that everybody thinks Finland is full of alcoholics and Finns can't handle alcohol.

Why? I would understand that you would aim at the left for burging into someone's life if you still aknowledge that the habit is exceptionally risky (but not that someone should intervene in private matters). But, if it's not a problem and they know it's not a problem, why would they intervene?
That "can't handle alcohol" is quite scary. You mean to tell me alcoholics are people "who can't handle alcohol", as opposed to cool people who drink the same ammont?

Oh Conan, say it ain't so! :D
^(does anybody get what I'm talking about here?)

I just keep hearing "Leftists". As far as I can see, in Finland a coalition of a centrist, a centre-left and a rural party is in power.

Is that what you would call "leftist"? Sounds more like suburbanite to me.

I am not surprised i've seen a stat saying Finns are some of the happiest people on earth, no Leftist Government could allow that.

Oh Conan, say it ain't so! :D
^(does anybody get what I'm talking about here?)
Yes. I'm a bit dissappointed he didn't have Triumph with him. We so richly deserve a good trashing like of the one the Québécois got.

I just keep hearing "Leftists". As far as I can see, in Finland a coalition of a centrist, a centre-left and a rural party is in power.

Is that what you would call "leftist"? Sounds more like suburbanite to me.
This rural party is in many issues traditionally statist. The Social Democrats are by definition people who embrace statism and are leftist. So that's very leftist to me. Their logic is: state intervention = good.

My father used to do that. He died at 46.
From alcoholism? Sounds unlikely.

That still does not exclude the possibility of many drinking way more than they should do.
Yep, but why should the well-behaving majority adjust to draconian laws enacted for alcoholics only?

That "can't handle alcohol" is quite scary. You mean to tell me alcoholics are people "who can't handle alcohol", as opposed to cool people who drink the same ammont?
The problem is with the disgustingly contemptuous attitude that Finns are like children who can't be trusted with potentially dangerous things. Keep in mind that the leftists were the main supporters of prohibition.

The same shit is happening in QLD, Australia. No more drinks specials, no more student nights, no more Free Drink With Entry. And they've had lockouts on the GC for a couple of years now. It's a bitch. Protest it hard you guys. Don't let the morality police win.

Their logic is: state intervention = good.
And you think that a conservative party wouldn't welcome an intervention in order to curb the evils of alcoholism?

You know youve had too much cold medicine when you read the title of this thread and think it says something about a forum ban.

This extreme leftist is opposed to this father-knows-best nonsense.

There is nothing "left-wing" about this policy at all, any more than there is with gun control, anti-smoking, or any of the other pet issues sometimes adopted by center-leftists.

And you think that a conservative party wouldn't welcome an intervention in order to curb the evils of alcoholism?
Their group leader in the parliament (Ben Zyskowicz, a teetotaller himself) has been speaking against this the last time I checked.

Good.

To be honest, I've always thought that the Finns should try to be happy for more than just one hour a day.

Without beer, no Finn has a social life. I'm sorry, but this ban is un-Finnish to the extreme. It lacks any level of sisu as well.

Man, that's total bullshit. Just another example of assholes trying to play daddy to the populace.

If I want to drink a drink a week, or 15 a day, it isnt anybodies fucking business. :upyours:
Strangely reminds me of the righties in the US. They always seem to have a “daddy knows best” attitude when trying to legislate morality

If I want to drink a drink a week, or 15 a day, it isnt anybodies fucking business. :upyours:
It's other people's business when your drunkenness causes you to commit harmful acts, or when your alcoholism causes you to become a burden on society.

Not that I particularly support this new law. It will probably turn out to be yet another example of a Scandinavian government's oh so successful attempts to curb alcoholism.

What's the problem with the law? It's not limiting how much to get to drink in slightest (unless you drink all your wages, in which case you have a drink problem). All it does is stop happy hours, which in my eyes only serve to increase binge drinking (just got to get an extra couple of drinks before happy hour is over). What'd I'd support is 24hr licensing which has proved a phenominal success in the UK. Let people decide how much they want to drink (without being influenced by discounts whilst probably already under the influence) and let them decide when they want to go home.