California Assembly Member Kevin Kiley has written a letter to Governor Newsom and the Director of Alcohol Beverage Control Eric Hirata. Kiley asks that the State cease its prosecution of a Placer County small business owner.
Mathew Oliver is the owner of House of Oliver, in Roseville, CA (Placer County). The State wants to fine Oliver and close his restaurant and lounge for 30 days. They say he violated the State’s fraudulent and misguided Covid health orders “sometime during late 2020 and early 2021.”
Kiley writes, “The prosecution of the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) is happening despite the Placer County District Attorney finding insufficient evidence. In fact, there has never been any evidence presented that any harm was caused.”
Kiley continues, “To the contrary, Placer County has actually experienced better health outcomes than the rest of the state.” The Sacramento Bee reported on March 14, 2022 that two-years of data showed Placer County Covid death rates at two-thirds that of the state average (146 per 100,000 people versus statewide at 217 per 100,000.)
Kiley writes, “It is imperative that ABC end its selective and politically motivated attack on this small business in my community.”
Meanwhile, the State has also assessed fines and suspended licenses of another Placer County business. Upper Cut Barber Shop and its individual barbers / cosmetologists remained open during the pandemic because the self-employed workers could not pay their bills.
Warrants have been issued for the owner Randy Mitchell. His associates had their licenses suspended and fines assessed. One employee was threatened with arrest, loss of the ability to work for 6 months and to be shackled with an ankle monitor.
It’s easier for California to pay people to not work. No license is needed for sluggards or to defecate in the streets. It’s no surprise that California leads the nation in making it difficult to go to work or operate a business.
Millions of Californians cannot engage in more than 300 occupations without applying to and paying the government to earn a living. Arbitrary rules, certificates and training keep new workers from entering the marketplace.
Compared with emergency medical technicians, aspiring cosmetologists in California must undergo 10 times as many months of training; would-be animal trainers (who are unlicensed in 41 states) must complete more than 30 times as much training; commercial door repair contractors (unlicensed in 26 states) must complete more than 39 times as much training. The starting barber license takes far more schooling than to qualify for an entry position as a law enforcement officer.
No study has ever shown that the health or safety of consumers was enhanced by licensing. However, licensing does increase the costs of the service to the consumers and keeps thousands of willing workers from entering the occupation. Licensing costs the state economy nearly $30 billion annually in misallocated resources.
Licensing is a type of monopoly to protect existing businesses. It also gives the government another opportunity to expand “white collar” welfare (occupational cops and bureaucrats) to make sure workers and businesses know to whom they owe protection money. Licensure is used by tyrants to spank their subjects.
Kiley’s letter rightly alludes to the state’s mandates that killed more people and destroyed more lives than Covid. The state is responsible for killing thousands and devouring millions of people’s wealth. The government is shamefully hiding suicide statistics, education failure, family break-ups and the increase in alcoholism and drug abuse.
It takes intelligence to build a barn but any jackass can kick one down.
For the state it is never about righteousness and right outcomes, it is about obedience. Obey or get crushed by regulatory agencies.
(Lou Binninger can be heard on No Hostages Radio podcast, live on KMYC 1410AM 10-1 Saturdays, read at Live with Lou on Facebook and at Nohostagesradio.com)
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