Virginia is For (Liquor) Lovers!: Gov. McDonnell makes the case to privatize booze sales.

[felpaluche]

I don't want to live there.

[GOCookingShow]

wake up and smell the coffee. politicians got money to spend! 17,000 distilled spirits

[ptc9687]

And wait a minute. Did that DC liquor store owner really claim DC stores have better "ambiance" than a VA ABC?

I guess if you like worrying about crack heads, roaches, and untrained ESL clerks...

[ptc9687]

thank god this isn't "All about to change". It got shot down like it should have.

[ptc9687]

If its about govt control of sales, then why is his plan to sell only the resale, not the wholesale (warehouse and prices)?

As for the employment costs, ALL ABC costs are paid for by what the ABC makes.

As for price competition, the state will still control the price. And the plan as it is, is that most licenses will go to superstores like walmart, so no one will be able to make a profit.

As for selection, how does a private owner afford the selection a STATE an afford?

[ptc9687]

@ptc9687

As for customer service, its a joke to think that every average Raul and Sanjay Shmoe with their own profits and motives in mind will be anywhere close to the large, clean, and friendly service at a state store. I'm appalled that point would even be brought up

[nrshaffer21]

@ptc9687 Private business have their own profits in mind, which is the exact reason they would provide better quality products and customer service. Why would a business hire and pay terrible employees and scare away customers? Think before you speak

[CharlesHorman]

If McDonnell wants to reduce costs, privatizing the ABCs is a great way to do it. He can go further even, and reduce the ridiculous penalties for marijuana consumption. I've had two friends already get convicted of possession and they're are spending about a year each going through the criminal justice system. Enforcing these laws costs so much money, police wages, legal wages and probation officers as well.

[roystonlodge]

Wait, what? $17,000 bottle of scotch? Huh?!

[phillipstr07]

Amazing what could happen if you take the government out of our daily lives.

[missmica2u]

Does Gov. McDonnell plan to do anything about the absurd ABC liqueur to food ratio law?

[BryanNC08]

Lower the drinking age too that way you'll make more money! Studies show that texting and driving is more dangerous than drinking and driving and we know teens text and drive at the same time all the time. So what are we gonna do raise the texting age to 21?! Of course not that's fucking retarded. Lower the drinking age America. Stop it with this prohibition puritan bullshit.

[IlPadrone7]

@BryanNC08 Absolutely! These puritanical lawsare built on fear and are disguised as the gov't needing to "protect" its citizens. Freedom first!

[017524062]

Did he really say "something good old fashioned like Miller Lite"? The man's an idiot.

[Twiggy269]

Republican leader Mitch McConnells explanation of his partys approach to a stimulus plan would make Leon Trotsky proud: We should have a simple test: Will the . . . trillion-dollar spending bill really create jobs and grow the economy . . .?

A party that truly understood what is wrong with socialism would recognize the injustice and impossibility of central planners expropriating and dictating citizens into prosperity.

[Twiggy269]

In his floor statement opposing the bill (auto bailout), leading Republican senator Mitch McConnells stinging criticism consisted of finding that the bill does not lay out an effective strategy for securing the long-term viability of these companies, that it did not give the proposed Car Czar enough power, and--the ultimate deal-killer for Republicans--the bill would have adjusted auto worker wage rates at too slow a pace. The fact is, Republicans do not oppose central planning

[accord115]

Nothing but an idiot and dumbass

[hoppinglark]

Who?

[lasertuber]

i had no idea states were that deeply into the Liquor business

[hoppinglark]

Yeah that's the thing about the Union, Some things can vary greatly from state to state.

Utah is supposed to have the toughest liquor laws, you can't order a drink unless you are eating a meal, allegedly.

[diapasonify]

You guys are fucking idiots. Taking advice from corporate shills like Reason TV.

[Twiggy269]

Some more of the anti capitalist agenda of "Conservatives"

The Draft.

Anti-Trust laws

Negative Income Tax

Censorship laws (T.V. and Radio)

Shall I go on Conservatives?

[Twiggy269]

looks like the truth stings aye partisan hacks?

Ron paul voted against Reagans budgets every time he presented one. But go ahead and keep thinking Reagan was such a great President. All you're doing is tarnishing the reputation of Capitalism by claiming Reagan was one! Letting the Socialist Liberals drag the words "Free Market" under the bus because of jerk off Republicans who would fight tooth and nail against a real Capitalist.

[tebinthehouse]

With so much trouble in the LBC, it's kinda hard to be Snoop D-O-double-G, but I- Somehow some way....

[zoarmonkey]

Twiggy---You are NOT paying attention to the world economy, that is clear, yes EVERY government has been spending to halt the collapse. Wake up.

[TheLegalImmigrant05]

"Spending to halt the collapse". Right.

If spending and borrowing makes you richer (and it must, because how else would it prevent the economic collapse?!?), why not do it A LOT and ALL THE TIME? Or does it only work during a recession???

You would do well to question these assumptions. They tell you that spending leads to wealth. Why do you believe them? If you tried that on a personal or household level, you would go broke. Why do you not question the wisdom of keynesianism?? Puzzling...

[zoarmonkey]

Your illogic is astonishing, your conclusions bizarre and your form of "argument" preposterous. I cannot imagine how you could put government spending to prevent a collapse in the me sentence as creating wealth or why you would even try to draw analogies. Please, go away. Your comments are worthless.

[TheLegalImmigrant05]

Well, since I am so illogical, why don't you educate me. Explain to us why gov't spending cannot be compared with any other economic actors' spending, and how gov't spending prevents collapse (no matter what it spends the $ on, acc. to Keynes), while if anyone else did it, they would go broke. Where is the error of my analogy?

Less emotion and personal attack, more substance and proof. Everyone will benefit, especially you, because you will be able to bring people over to you way of thinking.

[Twiggy269]

@zoarmonkey

So if everyone does something, that means it "Right" ...?

Such a populist you are.

Hopefully in your next life you come back as a Lemming. It suits your personality well.

[zoarmonkey]

McDonnell actually uses the term "fornicators" to describe people HE THINKS are lower to him on the human species scale!!! wow this McDonnell Clown is a real xenophobic piece of poop!

[whiff1962]

Well, the gubbernor certainly has vouchsafed the consumption of a culturally acceptable drug. I, myself, would go for something with G-13, or Sourdiesel LOL.

[freebob3]

Even I could start businesses to do whatever government does and do it cheaper and better. I never used to feel that way, but I even see it locally now.

[Twiggy269]

I'm a bit confused by the map at the beginning of the video. The title says "States with controlled retail liquor operations"

I'm assuming that the Yellow states are the states that have state run liquor stores and bans private stores from selling hard liquor.

But this makes no sense whatsoever.

It doesn't have Ohio as a Yellow State, (the state I live in) and I know FULL WELL that you can ONLY buy liquor AT state stores, and not at wal mart ect.

Continued...

[Twiggy269]

also, It has Michigan as a Yellow state (i.e. state controlled) and I know that you CAN buy liquor in just about any store you want in Michigan. (i.e. NOT state controlled) WTF?

While I know this doesn't make any of the contents of this video wrong....

The map is totally fucked up. Anyone else notice this?

[Christoppher1994]

@Twiggy269 no, I live in Oregon, and we don't have state owned breweries, however you must buy a liquor license to sell or produce alcohol

[Twiggy269]

@Christoppher1994 The video was not talking about being able to produce alcohol, it was talking about being able to SELL alcohol.

Btw, you have to have a liquor liscense to produce or sell alcohol in every state in America.

There is a big difference between having to have a liscense to sell alcohol and not being able to sell it at all. The video was talking about the store itself being state OWNED. Not a person opening a (private) store and obtaining a liscense to sell.

[Twiggy269]

The map is just flat out wrong. All stores that sell hard liquor in Ohio are state owned (i.e. wal mart or any private store can't sell liquor that is over 35 proof). It was not colored Yellow on the map when it should have been.

In Michigan on the other hand, you can walk into any grocery store and buy hard liquor (as long as they have a liquor liscense) i.e. any private store with a liscense can sell hard liquor, meaning, NOT state owned stores only. Yet, Michigan WAS colored Yellow.

[xerochi]

Great Stuff! I love Reason TV!!! Common Sense Forever!!!

[VictoryCough]

I live in Memphis TN half the time, other half in St. Louis.

Alcohol sales stop in St. Louis Co. at 1:30am-3AM in the City, Memphis 3 AM.

However, in Memphis one cannot buy liquor or wine at a grocery store! You'd have to go a speciality liquor store and they are all in the hood.

[oneofonex1]

with this plan bob is going to bankrupt virginia, good luck bob!

[abarzilai664]

And how will that bankrupt VA?

[caltrop69]

3:07

A $17,000.00 bottle of scotch!!??

I couldn't bring myself to drink it.

[pudodrewculous]

nice music choice lmao!

[yakyakyak69]

I've been working with the Va Restaurant Assoc and the Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association for YEARS trying to rid Virginian of this State Monopoly!

Go McDonnell! Give us TRUE competition!!!

[RandomWad]

Does this mean he supports an end to Marijuana prohibition?

[XRayden]

Here in quebec, counter girl in a state monopole called "Société des alcools" just got raised to 24$/h ...(about 22.50$USD)

and a wine you pay 4.99$, we pay 21.89$! :)

[humanman65]

This is a good idea because a private owner can avoid Health benefits while raising the cost of products to pay for new fees and the new owners race to be out of debit.

Booze money is plentiful so everybody wants in.

[joelsmades6]

Whats with all the booze videos?

[Silvsilvchan]

I love how in these kind of videos we keep hearing statists who disagree with government being in one thing go "Government runs everything else fine! Just not" Air lines/Post office/Liquor distribution/banks/medicine/wh­atever. Its almost surreal.

[bittergunowner12]

An interesting way to cut spending

[illidan333]

I don't understand why the gouvernment is bad for running liquor store? And I don't understand how the state can make less money when they have the monopoly?

[AshillaBeige]

you just answered your own question...

[illidan333]

I don't see your point.

[AshillaBeige]

The government is bad for running a liquor store because the state is so inefficient, it can make less when it has a monopoly... It does that all the time.

Do I need to spell it out further?

[mobboss45studios]

@AshillaBeige - you only need to spell it out to a Socialist

[macatron]

Mmm. That Chimay ale in the background is great.

[whoo689]

$17,000 bottle of scotch? DAMN!

[whoo689]

These alcohol monopolies are sooo outdated.  It's a crying shame that not even the pro-business or free-market Republicans in these states have managed to end this crap, even over a generation after guys like Milton Friedman came on the scene. 30 years after Ronald Reagan. You'd think heavily conservative states would realize the benefits of competition and see the failures of monopolies, but I guess emotion and weird personal moral issues with alcohol trump that for them.

[FlailingJunk]

You mean the massive increases in federal spending and deficits Regan?

[Twiggy269]

I can't stand when Conservatives go on and on about how great Reagan was.

Hello? What universe do they live in? Reagan triped the debt from 81 to 89 even with more revenue coming in (a lot more)

Ever heard of the War on Drugs Conservatives?  That shit costs a ton of money!

Conservatives are just as big of hypocrites as Liberals. They do not care about Government spending.

They just want the Government to spend money on what THEY want, not what the Libs want.

[HoosierMP]

@Twiggy269 actually, Reagan was helluva Conservative when it came to tax cuts...that's what increased the federal income by over 40% (also see the "Laffer Curve")...He did fuck up when it came to spending tho...However, it's Reagan economic models that we should be following...Reagan said Gov't was the problem, NOT the solution...Obama says Gov't is the solution, NOT the problem...Considering how well Reagan did as Prez and for as poor as Obama is doing, i think we see who's policies are better.

[shalcall]

@HoosierMP I love how conservatives love to tell the tale about how Reagan reduced taxes and we had a tax receipt boom. They forget to mention that the top tax rate was 70% (which everyone thought was crazy) and they forget the other half of the story which is that Reagan also raised taxes on Social Security by 2% which disproportionately fell on the middle class.

More over, the United States Department of the Treasury stated that his cuts "significantly reduced tax receipts."

[shalcall]

@HoosierMP Another thing, no one knows where we are on the Laffer curve. It might be that at this point we're taxing too little and could increase revenues by raising taxes.

[Twiggy269]

@HoosierMP

So, Reagan "did fuck up when it came to spending"

But "it's Reagan economic models that we should be following"

How does that work again?

Typical Conservative.

You want your cake (i.e. no taxes)

But you want to eat it too (i.e. you want the Government to spend like drunken sailors)

[Twiggy269]

as far as I can see, Obama IS using the Reagan economic model.  Spend Spend Spend, triple the debt.

He is even more efficent than Reagan.

Took Reagan 8 years to triple the debt.

Obama did it in 1.

[zoarmonkey]

Twiggy----The World economy has been in an economic collapse! Every government has had to spend to stop a world depression. will you please wake up!

[Twiggy269]

@zoarmonkey

Your level of economic ignorance is astounding.

Go preech your keynesian garbage to the lemmings watching The Young Turks videos.

They might buy the crap you're selling.

[HoosierMP]

@Twiggy269 As for reagan....Reagan's economic models were great; the nation was thriving under them...the only mistake he made was how the income was spent...other than that, it was perfect...We should be following Reagans blueprints at this point, but Dems (specifically Obama) refuse to do so...even tho it's a proven model to prosperity and success...

[Darkwizzrobe]

The spending is only prolonging the recession not preventing a depression.

[ForTehNguyen]

also we werent fighting a Cold War either, Reagan was justified at least.

[Twiggy269]

@ForTehNguyen

Why make excuses for the Government spending more money than it steals from the citizens?

If you give Reagan a free pass, I don't want to see you complain about Obama, hypocrite.

Obama is fighting a war too ya know.

[HoosierMP]

@Twiggy269 It's quite apparent from your comments that you don't know jack about Conservatism...Conservatives do NOT want Big Gov't...Conservatives do NOT want reckless spending...Why don't you actually learn what Conservatism is all about before trashing it?? It's about SMALL Gov't that is fiscally responsible...One that likes lower taxes and less Gov't run programs...Which is why ppl like Bush and McCain are *progressive* Republicans; NOT Conservates...

[Twiggy269]

@HoosierMP

Show me a Conservative in Govt that didn't claim it was the Governments responsibility to "Create Jobs" or "Grow the Economy"

Show me a Conservative that didn't want to dictate their religous beliefs through social policy. (which costs money BTW)

Yeah, Reagan wanted less Govt. Programs, unless they were the Govt programs HE created. 1.7 billion for the "war on drugs" for example

Not to mention Reagan was the first to "Bailout" banks. (S&L ring a bell?)

[copenhagen1221]

Ron Paul anyone?

[yakyakyak69]

Only a New-Conservative (NeoCon) would claim it was the Governments responsibility to "Create Jobs" or "Grow the Economy" UNLESS they are referring to Gov't getting out of the way with LESS redistribution, regulation and Keynesian Central Planning.

A NeoCon is a Progressive RINO and NOT a Constitutional Conservative.

A Crony Corporatist is NOT a Free Market Capitalist.

Yes, I am positive that you have NO idea what the differences are.

Perhaps you should research the subjects.

[Twiggy269]

yak -

are you suggesting that Reagan was a "Constitutional Conservative" ?

Reagan was to the left of Alexander Hamilton (if you even know who that is) and he was the big government control freak of his time.

I stand by my statement that Conservatives are NOT Captialists. Libertarians may slide into the title of "Capitalists" but they fall apart when trying to pose logical arguments for WHY capitalism is the ONLY moral system of government.

[yakyakyak69]

Twiggy269,

I looked, but I could not find the word "Reagan" in my post.

Perhaps you can't read?

[Twiggy269]

Forgive me for thinking your reply had anything to do with my post.

I don't necessarily disagree with your post describing different breeds of Conservatives, unless you're trying to equate "Constitutional Conservatives" with "Free Market Capitalists"

Words have meaning yak.

A "Free Market Capitalist" is a very tight platform of ideas.  You're talking about a literal separation of State and Economics when you say "Free Market Capitalist".

[yakyakyak69]

Twiggy269 said:

"You're talking about a literal separation of State and Economics when you say "Free Market Capitalist".

Correct. Read the 10th AMENDMENT to the Commerce Clause and the term "Necessary and Proper"

You do know what the word "Amendment" means, right?

The 10th Amendment means that the FEDERAL gov't SHALL NOT interfere with commerce because that leaves the States and the People to FREELY compete WITHOUT a FEDERAL MONOPOLY!

Read the 10th after EACH section of the law!

[Twiggy269]

as I suspected, you have no clue what the term Free Market Capitalist even means.

Not even our founding fathers, our bill of rights, or our constitution set up a separation between state and economics.

When I say Capitalism, I mean a full, pure, uncontrolled, unregulated laissez faire capitalism, with a separation of state and economics, in the same way and for the same reasons as the separation of state and church.

[yakyakyak69]

Twiggy269,

I guess either we speak a different english language or you can't or don't read well.

I'll try to be more clear:

The Gov't should NOT regulate or compete with business except to keep monopolies from forming... PERIOD!

All gov't "services" like fire, police, road maintenance etc should be handled by PRIVATE companies on COMPETITIVE bids.

[Twiggy269]

yak, I applaud you on this post (almost)

Though, it doesn't seem like you would get along well with conservatives, you're quite the radical.

I take exception to the following : "The Gov't should NOT regulate or compete with business except to keep monopolies from forming... PERIOD!"

Can you tell me what a monopoly is?

Can you tell me the difference between a coercive monopoly and a non coercive monopoly?

Can you tell me HOW a coercive monopoly can be established?

[Joemantler]

How old is this? Alabama does not own all liqueur stores any more.

[averagejoe040]

ReasonTV seems to focus on Booze and Pot quite a bit.

Is this part of the libertarian creed?

[averagejoe040]

"If we put the government in charge of something like the Sahara Desert, in five years there would be a sand shortage"

-Milton Friedman

[ND066]

M Night Shyamalan owns a liquour store in Washington DC? ReasonTV blows me away again.

[MagnusIan]

The twist at the end is that he's secretly a humanoid reptilian that owns a liquor store.

Silly M Night and those endings lol

[elsquibbs]

I live in MA. Even though the NH govt has monopolized state liquor sales, it's still cheaper than here. That's Taxachussetts for you.

[whoo689]

New Hampshire??? The free state still has a gov't-run monopoly on liquor?? WTF

[Mastikator]

I hope we get something like this in Sweden. Sadly, probably no such luck. People praise our government monopoly on alcohol, then make their own in tubs or go to Denmark and Germany to buy it there.

[LLORT3]

governor just told the religious right to get bent. love it.

[soundmoneyfan]

White Zinfandel is gross. Pinot Noir rules the day!

[jvittetoe]

Why? Why is the answer always tax and regulate? Why not just let free people be free?

[FlailingJunk]

You cant pay off your buddies by letting people be free.

[pantadon]

Very cool!, props to that Governor.

[Dannyboy70]

This has my support!

[Vitaminous]

The DC store owner's point about ambiance doesn't necessarly apply in every state-operated liquor business. The Canadian LCBO and SAQ are two good examples of that. I guess the choice point does apply, but in the case of the SAQ that's because they've got a bunch of different branches and private-public partnerships, similar to the highway stuff Reason was advocating.

[Dreadmore]

VIVA La Republicanism!

[Infantry9]

I agree they should privatize the liquor stores. I hope my state, Pennsylvania, does the same thing in the future. Great video!

[sniper6081]

Hold up. New Hampshire has a monopoly on liquor sales? Of all the states New Hampshire is guilty of this? Where are the free staters. They have to get on this.

[jsh78mang]

agreed . This is fucked up.

[pantadon]

I'm one of the porcupine free-staters (Free State Project), haven't yet made the move yet though and actually considering doing the secondary option, Wyoming. Which by the way is ALSO government controlled liquor. It needs to be corrected, yes.

[sniper6081]

Wyoming is another candidate for the free state project?

[pantadon]

@sniper6081, Wyoming came in a close second during the vote for which state to move to. Because of some people really not wanting to be on the east seaboard, Free State Wyoming was started. I never joined Free State Wyoming, but am thinking that is more the state I want to move to then NH. Course, since then I had a child, so things are much more complex as far as moving out of the People's Democratic Republic of Kalifornia.

[sniper6081]

Your part of the NH free state project, but you live in California?

[Silvsilvchan]

NH free state project just means that you plan to move there. There are lots of people who live outside of the state who signed up for it.

[FatherTime89]

You know the original slogan for Virginia was "Virginia is for history lovers" (or maybe it was lovers of history I can't remember).

[QuartuvLarry]

I'd love me some soju!

[Apptendo]

Chris-chan won't like this

[LeGioNoFZioN]

you guys are the best

[onvogmasaj]

uuuuuuuuuuuuuuungh 420

[abarzilai664]

That is a good direction.

[enotdetcelfer]

NICE

[brewersrule1978]

And that's REAL change you CAN believe in. Way to go Bob!

[bracomadar]

$17,000!!!! O_o That must be some gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­ood scotch!

[ghpatriot]

Just rare

[return135]

the only thing i hate about this is that it will increase the revenue going to the government :S

[WhitereddoG]

thats good if they can reduce taxes in other areas.

[return135]

@whiter, i doubt they will do that though.

[WhitereddoG]

agreeded. but it is a hope for change...next election we can vote for someone to do that,