43: There Oughta Be A Law

In Tennessee, it’s illegal for grocery stores to sell wine, but perfectly legal for passengers to ride in cars and drink alcohol. At the state level, legislators have fought for years over how (or whether) to rework these two rules. And there’s no question that the federal government wants states like Tennessee to pass tougher open container laws that would put a stop to drinking in cars all together. The hope is stricter laws would prevent costly accidents, and even deaths. As bait, the federal government offers millions of dollars in funding that states can use to fund transportation projects and new jobs. But, unlike most states, Tennessee has yet to bite, instead choosing to allow its residents the right to crack open a cold frosty one from the passenger seat. So what is it with these local laws that don’t seem to make sense? It turns out the process of making a laws isn’t always as logical as might think.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices