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I was born and I live in Washington State. I really don't care how much money Costco makes selling booze as long as it is a lagitamate business, -I might even buy some Costco stock if they succeed in their campaign to get the State of Washington out of the liquire business. Merchantising belongs in the private sector, not the government sector.
This is a throwback of the probation era. The State government has no business treating it's citizens like children, and no business being a nanny to it's citizens. I am 100% behind Costco.
It's really hard to disagree with you.
The government can regulate it but why should the government be in the business of selling booze?
Update: right now the initiative to eliminate state-run liquor stores by Costco is passing overwhelmingly about 60-40. We have gone to an all mail voting system here, so it will take a week or so to know for sure. (ballots only need to be postmarked by Nov 8 to count). But the consensus from local media seems to be that it's a done deal. No more antiquated, relic-of-prohibition, state-run booze shops in WA! Local News | Voters kick state out of liquor business | Seattle Times Newspaper
Yeah, I couldn't seem to come up with a great thread title. But strictly speaking, my title is correct. They had to shell out $22 million to be able to sell booze. That's what I said, and it is true.
I'm open to suggestions for a better title (not sure whether I can edit the title, but I'll try if I get a good suggestion).
If they weren't going to make a profit, they wouldn't spend that much money to campaign.
Why do we have state regulated liquor stores anyway?
Why do I have to go to a special store?
The election is now a lock and barring a statistical miracle, the state liquor stores are history. Thought I'd post this one last thing. A lot of posters presumed the narrative of self-interested corporation looking for profits--that was wrong. Seattle Times columnist has an excellent column today about it. Ramsey is the lone conservative (libertarian) on the Seattle Times--even the sports columnists are avowed liberals.
It turns out that this was personal for Costco founder & CEO Jim Sinegal. He is retiring on Jan 1, 2012, his 76th birthday. According Ramsey's back-of-envelope calculation the ROI on the $22 million was not good, but Sinegal WON. He's been fighting this fight with the state at least since the mid-90's.
Everyone & his brother & sister assumed the self-interested narrative, and everyone was wrong. Excellent column by Ramsey that should remind us what happens when we ASSUME.
This is what made Costco so successful. I hope they don't screw up this great company when the leader retires. As has happen with so many other great American Companies.
This is a state issue here in Washington state, but it is highly instructive about how our system of government works.
In WA we still have the antiquated state liquor store system, a relic from the post-prohibition era of 80 years ago. WA-based Costco would like to be able to sell liquor, and has had to spend over $22 million trying to get a law passed just for the opportunity to do business. Local News | Costco's $22M for liquor initiative sets record | Seattle Times Newspaper
In WA we have the initiative process, whereby anyone can propose a law and get it on the ballot. If voters approve, it becomes law just as if the state legislature had passed it. This is what Costco has done in their quest to sell liqour.
So why do they have to spend $22 million to bring WA into modernity like the rest of the states, with privatized liquor sales? An unholy alliance of interests that benefits from the status quo mounted a 'No' campaign. Opponents are mostly beer & wine sellers that do not want to have to compete with whiskey and vodka, along with the state liquor store employees. So naturally they've enlisted their fellow public unionists, police and firefighters, to portray privatized liquor sales as the potential calamity of the century. Here's an example:
Local newspaper columnist Danny Westneat did a column on just how absurd the ad war over this initative has become. You've got big beer distributors funding ads that sound like something out of the Anti-Saloon League. And people making 180 degree reversals from what they argued only a year ago, when a previous liquor initiative ran. The previous initiiative failed in part because it would have meant a loss in revenue to the state, so it was rewritten to ensure more revenue for the state. But some of the 'no' ads now say that sending more revenue to the state translates to more waste:
This is a microcosm of what happens when we give government so much power to intrude into our lives. Truth and sound policy go out the window. Arguments are made on the basis of where interests lie, not on the basis of logic. We enter an Alice-in-Wonderland-like world. The decision goes to whomever can write the biggest check, not who has the best ideas.
And who pays for this absurd charade? Why Joe Sixpack gets to pay for both sides. Much of the 'No' money is ultimately tax dollars, by way of the public sector unions. And on the yes side is Costco money, which comes by way of struggling folk trying to save a few bucks by buying in bulk. It's enough to drive a teetotaler like me to drink.
!!!!!NEWS UPDATE!!!! COSTCO WON!!!!. Washington State is now finally free from Probation!!!! -it took a while.
!!!!!NEWS UPDATE!!!! COSTCO WON!!!!. Washington State is now finally free from Probation!!!! -it took a while.
I think it's good news for the tax payers and the state in general.
900 state employees will be let go. It'll generate $80M more annual revenue for the state government.
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