Posted on 12/11/2013 10:53:18 AM PST by MichCapCon
Michigan has the strongest restrictions on branded barware in the nation and the Legislature is considering whether it should turn those administrative rules into law.
When politicians are voting on a bill that would forbid bars and restaurants from receiving products with brand logos on them, it is easy to understand the cynicism of politics. How many people in the state really care whether pint glasses and napkins have promotional items printed on them?
Legislators in Lansing are considering a slew of bills (notably: House Bills 4709, 4710, 4711, 4046 and 4257 and Senate Bills 505, 650 and 651) that would relax some of the laws on breweries, mostly allowing for more flexibility. Since alcohol control rules do not positively affect public health or safety, Michigan should consider curtailing or eliminating the Liquor Control Commission, ending the distributor monopoly and reforming most rules. The current proposals are far from achieving those things, but at least most are a step in the right direction.
But one bill is causing a hang up. Senate Bill 505 would "codify in law an administrative prohibition on alcohol manufacturers, sellers, and distributors of alcohol giving bars and restaurants items that promoted brands and prices of their products, including things like glasses with brand logos, etc."
The bill is tie-barred to several others meaning all or none become law and is said to be the hold up in the state House of Representatives.
Some craft brewers like this Prohibition-era law because it would restrict their competition. But government should not be picking and choosing winners and losers in the marketplace especially on something that has virtually no impact on most Michigan taxpayers and alcohol consumers.
This country has gone mad...........
I’m a prude and I think these people are insane.
Sounds like they've got their priorities in order, as is usual.
We are infested with a vast swarm of “Little Eichmanns” working out solutions to their pet peeves on the rest of us. It is nearly time to apply the Solzhenitsyn Solution.
This is like demanding a prescription for hydrocortisone cream when your doctor tells you that you have cancer and poison ivy.
So it’s against MI law for Anheuser-Busch to distribute coasters to bars with their logo on it?
During the shut down there was a Mn micro brewer that was rolling out a new product. Apparently there is a Federal bureaucracy that has to put their stamp of approval on all new labels or changes to beer labels. So these poor guys just had to sit on their hands till the bureaucrats’ vacation was over.
Beer Logos Bill. What about dealing with some real problems like employment - job creation? Not enough money for rural communities. idiot school districts praising that they receive 100% funding school lunches and now breakfasts in the classroom. I will have a leinenkugels, opps the Michigan government might fine me for having a cap, t-shirt and jacket that has Leinenkugels label on it. Idiots in Charge in Lansing. Wait a minute hey I dont like that the Spartans have a logo and I have to see it in the stores wherever I go in Michigan. The government is stupid!
Because the last time government tried prohibition worked so well...
> This country has gone mad...........
The police state believes all things that exist must either be taxed, regulated, licensed, fee’d, or fined including human behavior (for the paymaster’s coffers of course). I used to kid saying that the Feds would regulate human behavior for profit one day and that if the ever tried to regulate or restrict chocolate there would be a huge uprising. I’m guessing that’s not far off with the 32 ox soda restrictions . Guess I was right but wish i was wrong.
I think they can deliver them but they have to be shipped separately. Basically increases costs for the business significantly.
There's a scene in a ~10 year old documentary about a Greenwich Village hole-in-the-wall restaurant that's forced to change locations.
The name of the film is "I Like Killing Flies". The guy takes care of his business, killing flies in the process, and found the time and money to install a bug zapper near the ceiling to take care of the "high fliers".
It's a family thing, so the guy has a son doing stuff at the new location, including feeding the parking meter.
The guy shows up holding a ticket from their vehicle outside, and proceeds to ream the son out about the ticket, saying that "yes, you may be working and getting stuff done, but your most important task on the list was to feed the meter!"
Even an middle aged hippie knows how to get the important things done compared to practically any solon.
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