MUST READ! !! Meet Privatization Anonymous. LOL

[Joanne98]

I’m concerned about Gov. Bob McDonnell. He seems to be embarking on a white-whale situation involving his obsession with privatizing the Depart­ment of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). This un­natural focus is a damaging, negative influence on his administration.

McDonnell wants to sell all 332 retail ABC stores to private owners and allow another 668 to open, bring­ing the total retail outlets to an even 1,000.

It goes without saying that government has no business selling booze and any con­servative worth the name supports the governor in the abstract. But in Virginia, reality gets in the way.

The commonwealth makes $220 million a year in taxes and profits off De­mon Rum and none of the governor’s many privatiza­tion proposals will replace the revenue.

Continued>>>>

http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/jan/27/shannon-gov-meet-privatization-anonymous-ar-803351/


:applause: :applause: :applause:
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Drale]

1. Wait so the state of Virgina owns a bunch of liquor stores?

That seems kind of weird.

[ladywnch]

2. so does PA. They used to be called "state stores" I don't think they

are anymore, but I'm not sure. PA has put this biscuit out there too (privatizing) and come to the same "reality" of revenue. It never advances.

the state took control of selling alcohol after prohibition was repealed. It was a way to pacify the public. It was like saying well, we'll allow it to be sold, but we're going to tightly regulate it so kids can't get to it and we'll tax it like we do tobacco.

All liquor and wine are sold only in 'state stores'. beer can be bought from licensed beer distributors or state store.

Having grown up in PA it was totally weird for me to not have 'state stores' and being able to by booze at the grocery store.

[underpants]

3. Yep ABC Stores

Open 10-9 some, now, on Sunday- but they don't open until the Redskins game has started.

the whole idea was a ridiculous show typical of the bobblehead McDonnell. Getting out of shipping contracts would have cost over a $1million a year. The leases would have been huge. The separation pay would have been big. And, of course, the whole issue of liquor store robberies (which do NOT happen now) and underage drinking (gots to increase revenue you know) was not accounted for.

The other side is that in Virginia distributors are entrenched in an oligarchy as it is by law. They will never let the liquor market out of their hands which blows the "competition" element out of the water and leaves individual stores to fight it out amongst themselves (selling to kids).

A horrible idea that even the Republicans in this state threw back in the bobblehead's face.