The Sheriff’s department opening an investigation at the request of the Capitol Police can mean one of two things or both:
- The Capitol Police feel there is enough evidence of criminal wrongdoing to turn it over to the Sheriff.
or
- The Capitol Police force, which is charged with protecting the members of the Supreme Court, felt it had a potential conflict of interest.
Walker didn’t veto the anti-craft beer provision that got snuck into the budget. Alienating beer fans in Wisconsin doesn’t seem like a smart choice.
Raife
1823
There are 35 Craft breweries in Wisconsin. Basically, the provision in the budget says that craft breweries can no longer be both a brewer and a distributor. The system used to be tiered depending on output, but this got rid of that. Now craft breweries will have to go through one of the big distributors like Miller or Budweiser to expand, and they’re not going to want to because they’re pushing their own fake microbrews. What does this have to do with the state budget? Nothing.
Who supported the provision? Miller Brewing Co. (big surprise), the Tavern League and the Wisconsin Grocers Association.
Here’s an article on it.
Scuzz
1824
Why should the government care how a brewery distributes it’s product? Do they care how cheese is sold in the state by it’s cheese makers?
Is there any reasoning behind that other than a flat out attempt to stifle the little guy?
ShivaX
1826
Cause they’re getting paid by people (Miller Brewing Co) who do care?
One, legacy of prohibition. Two, uh, the government does tend to keep a close watch on how mind-altering substances are handled.
Not that the proposed changes makes any sense.
And remember, this law was created by people who believe that we should avoid regulation that stifles business growth. The law itself does not fit with anything the administration has done or said about anything, at all, ever. It is a perfect example of regulatory capture on an offensive scale. It is not only an industry that has gained control of the powers that regulate it, but a specific corporation, and it is using the Wisconsin State government as a weapon.
And it’s happening at the same time that Minnesota is (thankfully!) moving in the opposite direction.
Of course, we still can’t buy off-sale on Sundays, but hey. At least we’re not run by fucking Miller.
Amazingly cynical…even for this corrupt band of toolsheds.
Scuzz
1831
I understand the no sales to minors type stuff…but other than that it is a legal product that should be able to choose the best option to sell said product.
I can understand distributing through a larger company as a cost cutting measure but if they limit your ability to market your product then the advantage is lost.
This is just bad law.
Miller beer fucking sucks. Being run by Miller is like being run by K Mart or Woolworth’s or something. In the 90s faux-working class hipsters gave me so much shit for drinking good beer instead of Miller High Life — I’d say, Fuck you, I’m not homeless.
Now that’s living the high life.
Georgia also had some arcane distribution law that helped kill one of my college stomping grounds, Dogwood Brewing Company. Fuckers.
It’s hard to beat the South for arcane liquor laws and weird distribution networks of said firewater. Due to this (at least in Arkansas) when a county holds a vote to go wet, the main contributers to the ‘Vote NO’ campaign usually are liquor store owners in surrounding counties that will lose out on sales. Hell, I’m not that old (early 30’s) and I remember the old Blue Law days where you couldn’t buy a TV on Sunday.
mystery
1835
Well, it looks like we head to the polls in a few weeks to recall 6 Republican senators, and Ohio just turned ina petition to vote to overturn their anti-union law in November. They needed 231,000 signatures to create a referendum on the ballot, and they got over a million more than they needed.
I think this makes Alabama more progressive than Wisconsin in matters of beer.
HA! I seriously just came into this thread with similar thoughts in my head as an Alabamian.
It would be nice if the work done by “Free the Hops” helps pave the way for more modernization :)
As horrible as the anti-union law is, let’s not delude ourselves that all 6 Republicans are actually going to be recalled. One pretty much for sure, two perhaps, but anything more than that will be a major surprise.
It’s also possible that one of the Dems will be recalled the following week. Unlikely, but possible.
