Shades of Carrie Nation
Back in the days when prohibition was repealed, the state of Kentucky decided to allow each county to set their own liquor laws. As the result there are many "dry" counties around this area where it is illegal to buy or sell alcoholic beverages. We were in Glasgow the other day, the county seat for Barren county, and there are signs all over the place saying "Vote NO to legalizing alcohol". A sign in front of a church said "We don't want liquor in Barren County". Evidently residents of Barren county were able to submit enough signatures to get the wet or dry vote on the ballot once again. This is generally the case in every dry county in every election, then comes the hysteria, the signs, editorials in the papers and ads on radio and television all asking you to vote no. I never see signs, ads or editorials in favor of legalized alcohol.The wet/dry county question is a classic example where emotion wins out over reason every time. There is the huge emotional outpouring against allowing liquor in the county, but simple reasoning will tell you there is already liquor in the county via the bootleggers. Now bootleggers today aren't like in the days of prohibition with stills cranking out white lightning. Though that is still done in limited supply, your main bootleggers in dry counties simply truck liquor in from the nearest legal source, mark it up and sell it to locals. All you want, any time of day. The thing they never consider when talking about such a vote is, if they had legal liquor the county would be drawing taxes from these stores, the store owner would have a license to protect so wouldn't sell to minors. Bootleggers don't care if your 21 or 12, if you have the money you can have the liquor. Many of them also sell drugs which a legal liquor store owner wouldn't do. Most bootleggers will also take stolen merchandise in trade, which again a legal store would not do.
In other words, the emotional votes against legalizing liquor sales encourages the availability of alcohol to minors, makes drugs easily available, and offers a fencing operation for stolen merchandise. Emotion trumps common sense because their slogans sound better to the uneducated. Obviously we still have an abundance of people in that category that go out and vote their ill informed emotions.
posted by Fish-2 at 7:59 PM
8 Comments:
I'm still amazed to hear about "dry" counties. It's so 19th century to me. I was also surprised to find when I moved to Oregon that the State controls all liquor sales. By "control" I mean that licensed liquor stores have to buy all their booze from the State. But of course Oregon is a socialist state.
washington has state liquor stores, too.
Patrick, each state has it's own peculiar liquor laws, and some are downright silly. About 25 years ago I spent a couple of nights in Tulsa Oklahoma. Wandering around the town I entered a bar and asked what I could get to drink. The bartender said I had to show a driver's license and proof of employment then he could sell me 3/2 beer. I told him I didn't have proof of employment, but I had an Arizona driver's license. He said, "If you live out of state then you can order anything you want, the other restrictions are for Oklahoma residents." I ordered Scotch and Soda.
Pamela, your's and Patricks comments are the first I've heard of State Liquor stores. Any wet county I've ever lived in had private liquor distributors.
We're dry up here in Greenup Co. but since we're right on the Ohio River and there's a bridge just up the road I don't believe those who choose to indulge have too much problem getting 'em a drink over in the Buckeye State or even hauling a case or two back with 'em.
I don't partake anymore, but have no problem with folks who do, as long as you don't get behind the wheel. And to be honest, I do kind of like being in a dry county. Don't know why really but I'd probably vote to stay dry if it was ever on the ballot.
Ohio also had state stores until about 10-15 years ago.
Well, I got curious. It seems the stores in Ohio are still "State Stores", but run by private concerns. You can only have so many in a county and they must be designated as "State Stores" by the State of Ohio.
In the past these were run by state employees and were in their own State Liquor Store building. Now you can find a "State Store" located in your local CVS Pharmacy.
Here's a good link that sorta breaks down the hodge-podge of liquor laws in this country.
AGT, it's not a big thing with me. Back in the summer when we were in Indiana I picked up an 18 pack of beer because I like a cold one some hot evenings. So far in the couple of months we've managed to consume eight of them. They won't let me join AA with that kind of record.
I'll read through that link just to see what some of the various states liquor laws are like. I know in Vegas liquor is available 24/7
Yeah, don't get me wrong, I'm no prohibitionist or such. I know that hot day / cold beer feeling. I do like beer and gin and vodka and a nice Merlot. That's the problem. I grew to like it a bit too much. So a few years back I decided just to leave it alone. :-)
If you want to join AA, Fish, you could always lie! LOL!
In some restaurants here they ask you if you're a member when you order alcohol. The first time that happened I asked "A member of what?" "This restaurant's club" was the answer. When I said "no" I was given a card and told to sign it. Then I could order a drink. "But I'm not coming back" said I. "How can I be a member if I'm not coming back?" I was informed it didn't matter, as long as they had a card with my signature on it.
There are many restaurants like that here. Go figure!
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