Utah juice bar charges liberals an extra dollar for a drink

There are two types of customers at George Burnett’s juice shop in Vernal, Utah. The conservative kind pays $4.95 for a 16-ounce juice or smoothie.

But call yourself a liberal? Get ready to shell out an extra dollar.

Burnett figures it’s a way to make a “very public� point about his thoughts on American fiscal policy.

“Really what I’m focused on is the fiscal differences between big government, small government and liberal ways, as far as entitlements and spending,� he told KSL-TV Channel 5 in Salt Lake City. “We have a fiscal problem in this country. We’ve got to deal with it or we don’t have a country.�

The extra dollar, he said, will be donated to conservative groups such as the Heritage Foundation.

Burnett first made a name for himself last year, when he took to Vernal’s streets carrying a sign bearing the slogan “Honk! If You [Heart] Drilling� to showcase his support for the local energy industry.

Now guess the name of his healthful beverage business. It’s “I Love Drilling Juice & Smoothie Bar.�

Predictably, public reaction has been mixed. On the company’s Facebook page, James Arens wrote, “You are a hero!� But Tim Brown wrote, “Run this guy out of town!�

“If you own a business, you don’t insult half of your potential customers,� wrote Facebook user Justin Olson. “That’s Econ 101.�

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