Kill outdated liquor laws
Small rant: Another example of Indiana's backwards laws and the power of lobbyists are our liquor laws. Indiana is one of 24 states that do not allow out of state alcohol to be shipped directly to customers here in Indiana. This near prohibition era arrangement forces all interstate alcohol sales to go through in state wholesalers who add another layer of price markup to the product. It also means that any brewery, winery, or distiller that does not have a sales agreement with an Indiana wholesaler cannot sell their product in this state. That means there are countless products we can't buy here, as any wine connoisseur could tell you.
Why do we still have this law? It's very simple. State liquor wholesalers don't want to lose any profits. They have big money and they have lobbyists, so the law doesn't change. It's all about the money. They give other bogus excuses, such as claiming that interstate sales to customers would make it too easy for kids to get alcohol. Given the shipping costs involved, that's garbage. Kids have much easier ways of getting alcohol than paying high prices on the internet to have it shipped to them. No one's going to be ordering Natural Lite or Mad Dog 20/20 by mail. The wholesalers' other pathetic excuse is that changing the law would make it so the state couldn't collect taxes on the alcohol. The truth is that numerous producers are eager to work with states on this problem and ensure that tax money is collected when they ship their products out of state. Getting it all set up is a challenge of the business, but one that can certainly be met. No, again, it's really all about the money and the lobbyists.
While I'm at it, here in Fort Wayne we still have a bizarre Sunday liquor prohibition. You can't go to the store and buy alcohol on Sunday. That's an old blue law that's still on the books. However, you can go to a bar and chug all you want. That's idiotic. All they're doing is encouraging drunk driving. You're sitting at home and want some booze. You don't have the booze you want in the house, so you go out to get some. Which is safer? Go to the store, buy what you want, and take it home to enjoy, or go to the bar and drink up because you can't buy it at the store, then drive home? Gee, that's a tough one. Nevermind how hypocritical it is to allow alcohol sales at the bar but not at the store on the same day. There's also a separation of church and state issue involved. Sales were originally banned on Sunday because we're all supposed to be in church and whatnot.
p.s. Rant partially inspired by snobby beer I recently purchased in California and can't get here. Also the airline lost my luggage, still hasn't found it, and some of my purchases were there. I won't be able to replace them. Bah!
Why do we still have this law? It's very simple. State liquor wholesalers don't want to lose any profits. They have big money and they have lobbyists, so the law doesn't change. It's all about the money. They give other bogus excuses, such as claiming that interstate sales to customers would make it too easy for kids to get alcohol. Given the shipping costs involved, that's garbage. Kids have much easier ways of getting alcohol than paying high prices on the internet to have it shipped to them. No one's going to be ordering Natural Lite or Mad Dog 20/20 by mail. The wholesalers' other pathetic excuse is that changing the law would make it so the state couldn't collect taxes on the alcohol. The truth is that numerous producers are eager to work with states on this problem and ensure that tax money is collected when they ship their products out of state. Getting it all set up is a challenge of the business, but one that can certainly be met. No, again, it's really all about the money and the lobbyists.
While I'm at it, here in Fort Wayne we still have a bizarre Sunday liquor prohibition. You can't go to the store and buy alcohol on Sunday. That's an old blue law that's still on the books. However, you can go to a bar and chug all you want. That's idiotic. All they're doing is encouraging drunk driving. You're sitting at home and want some booze. You don't have the booze you want in the house, so you go out to get some. Which is safer? Go to the store, buy what you want, and take it home to enjoy, or go to the bar and drink up because you can't buy it at the store, then drive home? Gee, that's a tough one. Nevermind how hypocritical it is to allow alcohol sales at the bar but not at the store on the same day. There's also a separation of church and state issue involved. Sales were originally banned on Sunday because we're all supposed to be in church and whatnot.
p.s. Rant partially inspired by snobby beer I recently purchased in California and can't get here. Also the airline lost my luggage, still hasn't found it, and some of my purchases were there. I won't be able to replace them. Bah!
posted by Patrick at
2:25 PM
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