Wholesalers asking Congress to ban direct sales

[dr9]

What's more ridiculous?

Oxford MS: Beer/wine/spirits can be sold, but not cold. You have to buy it warm. (many retailers store them outside during the winter in a cage; climate loophole) Restaurants and bars are exempt.

State of Georgia: Beer/wine/spirits can be sold in any manner the local jurisdiction deems appropriate for that community, whether it's a dry county or 24/7 in the city. Except on Sunday. On Sunday, noone can sell beer/wine/spirits. Except restaurants.

Pennsylvania: as outlined above.

 

[Angelic Alchemist]

What's more ridiculous?

Oxford MS: Beer/wine/spirits can be sold, but not cold. You have to buy it warm. (many retailers store them outside during the winter in a cage; climate loophole) Restaurants and bars are exempt.

State of Georgia: Beer/wine/spirits can be sold in any manner the local jurisdiction deems appropriate for that community, whether it's a dry county or 24/7 in the city. Except on Sunday. On Sunday, noone can sell beer/wine/spirits. Except restaurants.

Pennsylvania: as outlined above.

We've got the no sales on sunday law here too. Our country has Puritanical roots, which makes that whole separation of church and state thing...blurry?

Hey, if alchohol can't be served cold, can they still serve sake and mulled wine warmed?

 

[Meriadoc]

Here in Pennsylvania, the state itself prevents both interstate AND intrastate commerce. I wanted to subscribe to one of those wine-of-the-month clubs, but the state prohibits direct sales from other states. Hard liquor and wine must be purchased from state-owned stores, comrade.

PitBull,

Have you seen the latest? In the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this week, they detailed the latest that the PLCB has in store for us: wine kiosks at grocery stores!

Here's how it works: you slide your driver's license into a slot, and the info gets transmitted to a worker sitting in an office in Harrisburg, who verifies that the photo on the ID matches the person buying the wine; then, the potential buyer blows into a breathalyzer (max 0.02% BAL only, even though the legal limit in PA is 0.08%!) Finally, the person is allowed to be dispensed their wine choice. The kicker: although the prices will currently be in line with State Store prices, they are considering a "convenience charge" for use of the machines!

(I'm not making this up, really! It's all here !)

The PLCB came up with this ridiculous system two days after a state legislator proposed a selling of liquor licenses to grocery stores (a privatization move which could generate $2 billion for the state). A PLCB worker interviewed stated that she believes the kiosks are simply an improvement on an already adept system. Her advice? "Leave it alone. It works fine just the way it is."

If these ever find their way to Pittsburgh, I'll be easy to spot ... I'll be the one in the Giant Eagle deli department, laughing at any swipe-and-blow idiots who are silly enough to pay a premium (over already overpriced PLCB prices) to use the machines!

Merry

 

[PitBull]

All bad ideas start at the top!

Here's how it works: you slide your driver's license into a slot, and the info gets transmitted to a worker sitting in an office in Harrisburg, who verifies that the photo on the ID matches the person buying the wine; then, the potential buyer blows into a breathalyzer (max 0.02% BAL only, even though the legal limit in PA is 0.08%!) Finally, the person is allowed to be dispensed their wine choice. The kicker: although the prices will currently be in line with State Store prices, they are considering a "convenience charge" for use of the machines!

I saw this story on the local news, but they did not mention the breathalyzer. It just keeps getting worse all the time. I'm wondering how sanitary the breathalyzer is going to be even with disposable tubes (or something similar). And surely there cannot be much of a selection.

They made such a big deal out of it when a handful of stores were permitted to be to open on Sundays.

I'm sure it will not affect me at all since I've got plenty of beer & mead/wine at home. And it's easy to keep the hard liquor stocked because I drink mostly bourbon.

Maybe one day sanity will set in... but probably not in my life time.

 

[ken_schramm]

Historically, "liberals" have always favored "big business." It is easier for "big government" to regulate (and control) a few very large entities than hundreds of small ones.

Aside from being at polar odds with reality, is this straying way too close to the political (methinks)?

 

[AToE]

Aside from being at polar odds with reality, is this straying way too close to the political (methinks)?

Hey Ken, if I, as a Canadian (who's "right wing" is further left than the US's "liberals") was able to hold back from making a comment then you should be able to as well!

I stay out of politics on this forum, but really, we Canadians have many laws in place to help small business a LOT more than big business (except for oil, we love them oil companies!). (Check out Alberta's recently minted meadery laws for example). Liberals traditionally shift more of the burdon onto big business and off of small business, because someone has to pay for all our social goodies, and big business can handle it. (This also allows people to become entrepreneurs without being previously wealthy, which is more capitalist in my opinion (as neither a liberal nor a conservative).

Anyways, I already regret this post, so hopefully this can be my first, last and ONLY post of the like on these fine forums!!! Too many people here that I like to start arguing over all this utterly non-mead business!

 

[jblaschke]

This has little to do with political philosophy and much to do with money. As in, the wholesalers have lots, and the independent boutique wineries/breweries/meaderies have little. Politicians always listen to their "constituents," which in time-honored fashion is defined as "who donated the most during the last campaign." Those rare politicians who buck this trend are often not politicians for long, because the special interests (in this case, wholesalers) will soon find candidates to financially back who are agreeable to their point of view.

Texas had a big knock-down, drag-out over this about 10 years ago. At the time, the laws allowed Texans to mail-order wine from out of state (actually, they didn't, but there was no power to enforce this) while forbidding the same for in-state wineries. Those who opposed changing the law received big contributions for wholesalers, but their arguments focused solely on keeping "Little 13-year-old Johnny from ordering Texas wine via UPS and getting liquored up." Nevermind that Little Johnny was perfectly capable of doing that already with California wine. Logic doesn't enter into it.

There's another long-simmering fight with brewpubs and microbrews going on right now. Under current Texas law, brewpubs can sell to patrons for on-premise consumption, but can't bottle and sell for consumption off-premise. The reverse holds for microbreweries. There are proposals floating around Austin to break down this division, but guess which lobby group has come out strongly opposed, and has successfully killed similar legislation in the past?

 

[Tannin Boy]

This has little to do with political philosophy and much to do with money.

You hit the nail on the head!
Please proceed to pass Go and collect $200 with a complimentary Get Out Of Jail Card....

I have been in small business for over 25 years and I am very tired. PLEASE send a message this fall by voting all incumbents out..PLEASE...

Forgive me, for my rant.