Pennsylvania Closes The Liquor Cabinet
When government runs the liquor stores, it doesn't have the incentive that private businesses do to stay open. (No need to earn money, really -- they can just tax the skin off the citizenry.)
Consumerist reports that Pennsylvania has closed all of their 600 state-run liquor stores in the wake of Sandy to assess the damage.
How precious and prissy -- and how different things would be in a free market.
Of course, they make it illegal to bring liquor over state lines, but from Philly.com, from a story by William Bender, here's how they answered the phone in Delaware:
"Tri-State Liquors, open all day," was how an employee at the Claymont, Del., store answered the phone Tuesday morning....Gov. Corbett - and other Republicans before him - have sought to bust the state's liquor monopoly, to no avail.
The same thing is true of the electricity monopolies.
If the Long Island Power Authority had a competitor, they wouldn't be spending the first 48 hrs after the storm on "damage assessment".
Engineer at November 1, 2012 2:29 AM
Pennsylvania's state monopoly is one of the most aggravating things about this state. They continue to ban intrastate wine-shipping in blatant violation of Granholm. Their attempt at "wine kiosks" -- where you could get a limited selection off hours if you showed ID and blew into a breathalyzer (maybe) -- was a disaster. They even spent some money a while back trying to teach their employees not to be so nasty. Absolute disgrace.
Hal 10000 at November 1, 2012 8:25 AM
Illegal, schmegal. I'm from Delaware County PA, which borders Philadelphia and Delaware. I don't know anyone who doesn't drive the half-hour or so to Claymont or Wilmington to buy liquor. It's cheaper, open later (though still closed on Sundays), and since the employees aren't union-protected, surly government drones, much more pleasant.
Boldly Beth at November 1, 2012 9:59 AM
Well the if you aren't a member of IBEW you can't restore power in NJ or NY.
But of course that is my interpretation and reading between the lines.
Jim P. at November 2, 2012 8:31 PM
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