In 1989, the State of Illinois placed a ban on happy hour specials, imposing a rule which made it illegal to offer drink specials at certain times of day in an effort to curb drunk driving. This Wednesday, however, nearly every rational person in the state rejoiced as Governor Rauner signed a bill making happy hours legal once again in Illinois.
According to The Chicago Tribune: “Discounts now will be allowed for up to four hours a day and up to 15 hours a week, as long as they are advertised a week in advance and aren’t offered after 10 p.m. Volume specials, like two drinks for the price of one, remain prohibited.”
Outside of being a ridiculously intricate law, it’s good to know that I can now hop over to Esquire after work and get a beer that’s on happy hour special – but honestly, did this law do anything in the first place? I mean, people are going to drink after a stressful work day; it’s inevitable. Happy hour on Friday comes naturally, and I struggle to see how the government can curb that with a law.
In all seriousness — this new happy hour law is fine. Fuck it. Who cares if you can have a couple drinks for cheap after work? I don’t.
What I do care about, however, is about how Governor Rauner almost single-handedly caused a state government shutdown due to his insane budget proposal. I care about how the kids of Lincoln’s Challenge Academy in Rantoul couldn’t go to school because of budget arguments at the state level (their teachers are currently working without knowing when their next paycheck is coming, by the way). I care about my mom, who works for Eastern Illinois University, and (like many other state workers) is being forced to take furlough days this year.
Rauner and the state government may be able to pass laws that allow drink specials to exist, and that’s great and all, but what are they doing for the people who need their help the most? This entire law seems like a thinly veiled attempt to appease a population that is constantly being bombarded, not supported by their governor. If they really wanted to distract us, why wouldn’t they make marijuana legal? Then at least we’d have more money than we’d know what to do with (case and point: Colorado).
I’m not saying that the state government shouldn’t have made this new happy hour law. I’m not even saying they did it intentionally to throw a bone to the citizens of Illinois who have become so annoyed with the Governor that his approval rating has dropped to 36.5%. But when the government can pass frivolous laws like this at the drop of a hat, yet has trouble keeping a school for at-risk youth funded, perhaps we have some massive priority problems, no?
Maybe that’s not how government works; I’m not sure. Either way, I’ll enjoy my drink on special on Friday evening all while wondering why the state government can’t agree to fund crucial programs. I have a feeling I’ll need the drinks. Cheers.
Photo of Bruce Rauner by The Associated Press, Photo of bar taps by Arvind Grover