rum lovers need a lobby

[saltgrassbear]

While I can't speak for everyone, I myself find it frustrating sometimes being unable to purchase different bottles of rum mail order due to liquor laws. We are at the mercy of, (I'm not sure who) when ordering out of state. Not to mention better prices. What can be done?


SGB

[SeldomSeen]

Current liquor control laws are generally in place to monopolize available liquor products and generate revenue for the state. And the state hates competition. And increased taxes on liquor always seem to be popular at election time with teetotalers who want to punish all us Rummies who imbibe and can therefore avoid more tax burden to themselves. But to repeal a law, you'll need a majority concensus and a populous commited to moving mountains.....(and the state will want to regain the revenue from something).


So I guess our mission on the ministry is to lure the teetotalers over to the dark side and repeal the repressive liquor laws interfering with us having greater access and too much fun :D..... Outside of that, you might have to move to a more liquor lenient state. :(

[Jolipapa]

increased taxes on liquor always seem to be popular at election time with teetotalers who want to punish all us Rummies who imbibe and can therefore avoid more tax burden to themselves
Not always!
Recently in France taxes on alcool have been raised (up to 90 cents of €/Liter for over 40° beverages).
Exceptions are wine and rum (Bordeaux/Burgundy/etc. + French W.I.+Réunion).
Also with an upped tax are all the sodas, but not fruit juices.
So me says to my whisky-vodka/coke pals : time to switch to ti'punch and save moneys! LOL

[djmont]

Here in Virginia, only the state is allowed to sell spirits. Their stores have a decent (not great) selection, but the prices are usually high. Fortunately, we are permitted to order liquor online from some places.

[Edward Hamilton]

Considering the amount of money that big liquor companies spend lobbying on behalf of their interest in keeping taxes low and increasing distribution I think we're lucky to not be paying more and being able to get less than we can now. Sure there are states where you can't buy what you want over the counter but in many of those states you can order online. And then there are states, like Texas, where you can't buy what you want and you can't order online.

There is a trend, however, toward more lenient liquor laws in the US. Several states are considering selling off their liquor monopolies after votes by citizens and some misdeeds by those who control the monopolies. On the other hand, there are plenty of people who don't want more distribution of alcohol, like the ones who are selling to state monopolies and don't want any more competition.

North Carolina is one state where the tide is turning, Washington state is another. Pennsylvania is in limbo at this time on what direction the liquor monopoly is going to go as the state is losing some money due to the inherent high cost of government administration of almost everything they touch.

It's a bit like city government, if you have enough city employees, they don't dare vote you out at the risk of losing their jobs.

[saltgrassbear]

The next White House occupant could well be a Texan. Maybe the rum runners need to be re-commissioned. Sure wish we had a bullet train to New York, California, and Florida.

SGB

[Locksley]

Here in Virginia, only the state is allowed to sell spirits. Their stores have a decent (not great) selection, but the prices are usually high. Fortunately, we are permitted to order liquor online from some places.

After moving to VA from Florida, that has been my largest and most consistent gripe.

...And then there are states, like Texas, where you can't buy what you want and you can't order online....


Sorry Ed, not to take away from your post, but the only bit that I disagree with was the the above. Being in the Air Force, I've spent waay too much time in Texas, and honestly I didnt have much of an issue finding the liquor that I wanted - even rum.

[djmont]

What part of VA? I'm up in the North.