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

Bob McDonnell is a self-professed Pinot Grigio and White Zinfandel drinker.

He's also the new Republican governor of Virginia and is taking aim at the commonwealth's oppressive and inefficient state-owned liquor monopoly. More than a dozen states still completely control the sales and distribution of all distilled spirits.

The result? Higher payrolls for state governments (state-workers are public-sector employees after all) and rotten selection and service for customers (state-sanctioned monopolies tend to diminish the shopping experience).

Despite a reputation as a social conservative, McDonnell thinks that state-run liquor stores are a bad idea from both pragmatic and philosophical perspectives. Given budget crises, says McDonnell, "we can't just do things the same old way.... Certainly there's nothing I gleaned from the [Virginia] constitution that would have me think it's better or required to have the government controlling distilled spirits."

States such as West Virginia and Iowa have gained millions of dollars in new tax and license revenues by privatizing liquor sales, says Reason Foundation policy analyst Len Gilroy. And they've also cut government expenditures by millions of dollars as well.

Will Virginia join them? McDonnell invited Reason.tv to come back in a year and check in with him. Sure thing, Mr. Governor. We'll bring the questions. You can bring the White Zinfandel.

Approximately 4.30 minutes. Written and produced by Meredith Bragg and Nick Gillespie, who also hosts. Additional footage: Dan Hayes.

For more downloadable versions of all videos, plus links and articles to related materials, go to http://reason.tv

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News & Politics

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• prohibition
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• dan hayes

[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.

[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.

[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

[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]

@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

[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?