This is what gets Republicans/Conservatives beat every time.

Broad category of "enforcing moral behavior", here's a Republican pursuing the time honored tradition of nuisance regulations. In this case its the regulation that's the nuisance, not the behaviour.

A former city councilwoman in Asbury Park is admonishing beachgoers to put on a shirt when they're on the boardwalk.

Louise Murray says it's the law.

A Monmouth County ordinance banning people from wearing bathing suits on the boardwalk was passed more than 40 years ago but has largely been forgotten. It says: "No person clad in bathing attire shall be on the boardwalk or the public sidewalks adjacent thereto."

And for what reason is the EX-council harpy banging on this?

"Do you really want to be sitting in a restaurant and seeing somebody come up half-dressed? We all can't be Sports Illustrated and we all can't be GQ's," Murray said. "I had my day, the window's obviously closed, but even at my best day I never walked in a bar in a bathing suit."

This appears to be somewhat disingenuous of Ms. Murray. From the comments:

I love a nice bikini on a young lady just as much as the next guy but, the ban is needed in this cesspool of moral decay!  We went to the Stoned Pony last summer for a concert and was repulsed by all the queers walking around in speedos and string bikinis.  They think they look so hot but they are nothing but side show freaks.  Asbury Park has become a disgusting town.  It's a damn shame.  And these self-degrading, soulless beings have the nerve to talk about pride!  They've ruined Asbury Park and want the same for the rest of the country.  You want to walk around half naked open a private pool.

Or, somewhat more pointedly:

Man strolling into restaurant at lunchtime wearing only a 'banana hammock' = BIG APPETITE KILLER!

In other words, you can't take your kid to the beach in Asbury Park because you're going to hear her say "Daddy, what's that man doing to that other man?"

Now, normally a restaurant/bar will just post a sign that says "No shirt, No Shoes, No Service" and maybe post a muscular young man or two at the door to point out the sign to the more persistently blind unclad patrons.  But in this case they all phoned up Harpy Murray so she could make some noise and save them the cost of hiring a bouncer.

The problem with this is that it is EXACTLY THE SAME THING DEMOCRATS DO. Republicans repudiate their claim to believe in a free country when they do this kind of thing. If there's only a choice between two flavors of tyrant, obviously most people are going to vote for the one that gives away free stuff and promotes sex on the beach. They want the fun boss, not the grinch. Duh, right?

Conservatives win with SMALLER GOVERNMENT. Conservatives win by backing up the right of an outraged parent to chastise lewd behavior on the beach in front of his/her kids. They don't win with Nanny regulations. That's the DemocRat's schtick.

The Phantom