911: "Send an officer now!! My server just... BROUGHT ME A STRAW!!!"

[Brad Johnson]

The Looney Left at it's wackiest. Ian Calderon, Democrat state assemblyman, proposes a bill which would establish fines up to $1000 and as much as 6 months in jail for wait staff who give patrons an unsolicited drinking straw.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/01/29/california-lawmakers-proposal-makes-serving-plastic-straw-without-request-crime-report-says.html

A lawmaker in California reportedly introduced a bill last week that would make it a criminal offense for any person in a restaurant to serve a patron a plastic straw in their drinks without it being requested.

The penalty would be up to six months in jail or $1,000 fine or a combination, The Washington Examiner reported.

We need to create awareness around the issue of one-time use plastic straws and its detrimental effects on our landfills,” Ian Calderon, a Democrat in the state’s assembly said, according to the report.

Calderon, in a statement, said 500 million straws are used in the U.S. daily, citing the National Park Service. The report said it is hard to quantify the number and called the claim “dubious.”

Though the proposal may sound drastic to some, the pitch to move diners away from plastic straws is not a new on in California. There are already two cities that have “straws-on-request” laws and The Los Angeles Times’ editorial page has endorsed some similar legislation.

I went to his FacePlace page. Some of the comments are meme gold.

Brad

[Fly320s]

I went to his FacePlace page. Some of the comments are meme gold.

Brad

Link?  I could use the laughs.

[Ben]

From what I saw in other news reports, within about 12 hours of the release, he already started backpedaling and said he was pulling the criminal portion.

Nevertheless, I don't know what they think they're going to accomplish. AFAIK, places like McDs, etc., don't fall under the regulation. I'm pretty sure CA McDonalds locations just by themselves give out more straws every day than all the "sit down" restaurants in the state combined.

Also, all the information they are using for this is from a single research project by a nine year old kid.

[Brad Johnson]

Link?  I could use the laughs.

https://www.facebook.com/AssemblymemberIanCalderon/

Brad

[makattak]

Also, all the information they are using for this is from a single research project by a nine year old kid.

I really shouldn't be surprised by that, I should know how stupid politicians are. Nevertheless, my jaw hit the floor.

[makattak]

Also, my "that doesn't sound right" meter pegs with the "500M plastic straws per day" claim.

There are ~300M people in the country. (I know its slightly larger). 500M straws would be almost 2 straws per person, per day. Most people don't use them in their home, so it would require roughly 80% of the country to eat out (their entire family!) twice per day. Every day.

That seems high.

[lee n. field]

The Looney Left at it's wackiest. Ian Calderon, Democrat state assemblyman, proposes a bill which would establish fines up to $1000 and as much as 6 months in jail for wait staff who give patrons an unsolicited drinking straw.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/01/29/california-lawmakers-proposal-makes-serving-plastic-straw-without-request-crime-report-says.html

I went to his FacePlace page. Some of the comments are meme gold.

Brad

Heinlein's "Crazy Years".  The Stupid is being turned up to 11.

[Scout26]

Look, a $1,000 is just "crumbs" per Nancy Pelosi, and with the CA minimum wage being jacked-up to $15/hour, those now 1% servers can afford the $1,000 per straw fine...

[MechAg94]

Even if it is 500 Million straws per day, don't they realize that is only a very small portion of the trash generated daily by the average person.  How about finding some real solutions to that instead of threatening to throw wait staff in jail and fine them.

[MillCreek]

My wife and I never use straws when we go out, and when we use them at home, I have these cool bent stainless steel straws that I found on Amazon.  Perfect for sipping my margarita when I am in the hammock.  Only about four more months until I can get the hammock out of the shed and hang it up.

[lupinus]

He's making one hell of a strawman argument.

Someone had to.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[BlueStarLizzard]

https://www.facebook.com/AssemblymemberIanCalderon/

Brad

And with the monthly coffee meet and greet? 

[just Warren]

Like a lot of folks given to the vapors about issues they think have easy answers he's just gasping at straws. 

[Strings]

Ahhh, California. The state that made it illegal to kill someone while carjacking them, and banned a weapon which has only ever existed in a movie

[dogmush]

Ahhh, California. The state that made it illegal to kill someone while carjacking them, and banned a weapon which has only ever existed in a movie

??

phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range?

[MechAg94]

My wife and I never use straws when we go out, and when we use them at home, I have these cool bent stainless steel straws that I found on Amazon.  Perfect for sipping my margarita when I am in the hammock.  Only about four more months until I can get the hammock out of the shed and hang it up.

I used to work with a guy who had spent a lot of time working down in Venezuela.  He was more confident in the cleanliness of the straw than the glass. 

I was finally able to find the extra long straws like the convenience stores use on Amazon.  I use them all the time, but I don't go through multiple per day.  And it is not a significant portion of my trash by any means.

[MechAg94]

Besides, plastic is the reason we exist.   

https://youtu.be/7W33HRc1A6c?t=5m20s

[Firethorn]

Quick solution, I think, would be to just place a mug or something in the table with a bunch of straws in it.  Thereby making straws available without the server bringing them over unasked. 

Or stuff a few into the napkin holder, next to the ketchup/sugar packets, etc...

[Angel Eyes]

phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range?

Just what ya see, pal.

Besides, plastic is the reason we exist.   

https://youtu.be/7W33HRc1A6c?t=5m20s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaCHH5D74Fs

[Blakenzy]

Better BYOC (bring your own cups)   Or have the scalding coffee poured on your hands...