First Missouri, Now Kansas: Sexually Oriented Business State Laws
joker44
In the wind
"Kansas bill aimed at sexually oriented businesses [SOBs"] Kansas City [MO] Star 2/16/2011.<br />
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The "Community Defense Act" aims to: "outlaw physical contact between patrons and dancers; prohibit the sale of alcohol; require [SOBs] to close at midnight; and restrict where new [SOBs] could open." The bill would create statewide rules for bookstores, strip clubs, & other SOBs. Last spring the Kansas legislature "narrowly" failed to pass such restrictions; since the November election the legislature has become even more lopsidedly Republican and the executive branch is now in Republican hands.<br />
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As most TUSCL members know, Missouri began enforcing it's new law late in August of last year. Imagine the chagrin of the unwary visitor to KC's Bazookas seeing dancers in bikinis after having viewed BZ's website which STILL [today] advertises "100% naked where it counts."<br />
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I've been absent from TUSCL since the law took effect because I haven't visited an SC deeming it to costly for what you get. SC owners have reported dramatic drops ("down nearly 80%") in patron headcount and mass exodus of dancers not only to Kansas but other states. More recently, one owner reported "traffic and sales have plummeted."<br />
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SC insider rumors say some clubs are looking to relocate to Kansas, possibly near the Kansas Speedway. The proposed Kansas law may sabotage that plan.<br />
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On the Missouri legal front: Initially, the MO SOB owners twice failed to win an injunction preventing implementation of the law pending legal action. Recently, on 1/27/2011 a circuit court judge dismissed the owners' lawsuit, cancelled the scheduled trial, and assessed legal fees to the owners and retailers who brought the lawsuit.<br />
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An attorney for the owners said he would appeal the ruling "to a higher court."<br />
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[additional material gathered from KC Star articles on 9/16/10 & 2/4/11]<br />
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STAY TUNED!</p>
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7 comments
If you live in the area you know Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach [onetime prof of law at Univ of Mo KC branch & author of Arizona's immigation law] is pushing both voter id and immigration law for KS. Voter id to combat the miniscule voter fraud that is Kansas -- a widowerer tried to cast a vote in place of his recently deceased wife because she would have wanted to vote for Obama. Voter ID & immigration laws in KS are thinly veiled voter suppression mechanisms to thwart any potential voter not registered as a Republican.
As in other parts of the country, conservatives have fought bloody political battles with moderate Republicans and despite relative success they remain angry, really very bitter, and never completely satisfied So each law passed, no matter how ridiculous or antithetical to the libertarian wing of the party, is a red meat victory. Gettin' one over on those evil liberals and RINOs. Raw, emotional triumphalism over rational, effective legislation.
Horseshit! Business doesn't hire workers just because taxes are lower, they hire workers because demand for their products and services is increasing. Do companies move to Missouri because of lower taxes? Of course! But most states have eliminated the franchise tax, so the only reason for a company to move to Missouri would be because their executives can get luke warm lappers...ooops, now that's about gone too.
Read my 2/21/11 post... It's done because they have the power to do it after years of frustration, bitterness, and disappointment seeing their agenda thwarted or watered down. And because they know there will be no meaningful, organized opposition. It appeals to peoples' idealized public image even though privately many people engage in these disparaged activities. Simply put it appeals to peoples' moral hypocrisy; looking good in public despite you're private behavior.