Washhington State Cracks Open Three-Tier Mandates

Yesterday, Washington State voters passed an initiative to privatize spirit sales and facilitate a more open market. It essentially breaks up the state’s mandatory “three-tier system” for alcohol distribution. My colleague Michelle Minton and I have written about it here and here. Now that the initiative has passed, the state can start issuing licenses to [...]

Tied House Rules: Mythical Excuse for Regulation?

My colleague Michelle Minton raises a provocative, yet convincing case that modern-day laws supporting three-tier mandates for alcohol regulation are based more on myth than reality.  These laws mandate that all alcohol must go from wholesaler to distributor before sale to a retailer. Before Prohibition, saloons were often tied to alcohol producers either through contractual [...]

Washington State Initiative Could Send Tremors Across America

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy published my article on the Washington State alcohol policy initiative  (#1183), which would privatize spirit sales and crack open the three-tier system in that state. With any luck, this initiative will become a model for other states looking to enhance consumer choice and private enterprise. Costco has led the [...]

Wacky Wine Regulation Quiz

My colleague Michelle Minton and I presented on  alcohol regulation at the Society of Wine Educators Conference in Providence Rhode Island is past summer. We managed to keep participants awake with a lively presentation that quizzed the audience on the wacky world of alcohol regulation in America. Quiz yourself here. As we presented, participants had [...]

Constitution Never Meant to Serve Beer

Last week, the National Beer Wholesalers Association President Craig Purser, who happens to be a former colleague of mine, had an article in The Washington Times, suggesting that the alcohol bill on Capitol Hill (H.R. 1161) serves constitutional principals. Although we haven’t chatted in years, I like Craig. He’s a super-nice guy, and he surely [...]

Alcohol Wholesalers’ Attack on American Jurisprudence

Beer wholesalers say they are supporting federal alcohol legislation related to shipping of alcohol interstate–the so-called CARE Act–because they are concerned about the uncertainty and bureaucracy associated with legal battles on the topic. The National Beer Wholesalers Association explains this position on its website: Since 2005, more than half of the states have faced challenges [...]

CEI Releases Paper on CARE Act

Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute released my  white paper on the CARE Act. Press release and link follow below. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Lee Doren, 202-331-2259 Nicole Ciandella, 202-331-2773 CARE Act Undermines the Free Market and Constitutional Principles, New Report Finds Wholesalers Lobby to Protect Regulatory Fiefdoms in the Alcoholic Beverage Market Washington, D.C., July [...]

Wholesale Abuse and Costco’s New Initiative

Practical Winery and Vineyard Journal has published my latest perspective on wholesaler attempts to pass anti-competitive federal legislation. A copy of that is available here. Also, a news item worth checking out is Costco’s latest effort to remove regulatory barriers for alcohol retailers in Washington State. The company is advancing a new initiative–#1183–for the ballot [...]

Wholesaler Spending Buys Protection

Terroirist blogger David White has posted a good commentary on the Specialty Wine Retailers Association report on alcohol wholesaler spending: “Toward Liquor Domination.” He highlights some report findings such as: Over the past three election cycles, wholesalers have spent more than $15.4 million dollars on contributions to federal campaigns. At the state level, wholesalers have [...]

Liquor Wholesalers Enlist Mormon Legislator to Lead Quest

Alcohol wholesalers have enlisted Mormon Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) to lead their quest for passage of anti-competitive liquor legislation during the 112th Congress [see a copy of the bill here]. Chaffetz is most likely a well-meaning guy who believes he can promote virtue with policies that make alcohol less accessible and more expensive. Publicly, he [...]

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