Cynicism, Money, Wine and no Conscience
This is a very long post about cynicism, money and a pure lack of conscience.
Below is a list of expenditures made by the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Association made during the 2004 election cycle, sorted by size of the expenditure. This is the organization that represents the wholesalers whose most important mission over the past decade has been to prevent wine lovers from being able to buy wine direct from retailers or wineries.
There is no descrimination in who they give to. They give to Republicans and Democrats alike because the issue of direct shipping has nothing to do with ideology. It is 100% about money. The WSWA is completely unconcerned about fairness, the Constitution, free trade or underage drinking. They are conerned about money. Everything is about making money. As whose expense this money is made is of no concern to them.
The WSWA is gearng up for a state by state fight to stop direct shipping after the U.S. Supreme Court Decision comes down. The list below represents a down payment on their efforts.
Republican Governors Association, Washington, DC $15,000
Republican National Committee, Washington, DC $15,000
Republican National Committee, Washington, DC $15,000
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washingt $10,000
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washingt $7,500
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washingt $7,500
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washingt $7,500
National Republican Congressional Comm., Washingto $7,500
National Republican Congressional Comm., Washingto $7,500
National Republican Congressional Comm., Washingto $7,500
National Republican Congressional Comm., Washingto $7,500
National Republican Senatorial Comm., Washington, $7,500
National Republican Senatorial Comm., Washington, $7,500
National Republican Senatorial Comm., Washington, $7,500
National Republican Senatorial Comm., Washington, $7,500
American Success PAC, Washington, DC $5,000
ARMPAC, Washington, DC $5,000
Bill Thomas Campaign Committee, Bakersfield, CA $5,000
Billy Tauzin Committee, Alexandria, VA $5,000
Blue Dog PAC, Washington, DC $5,000
Bush-Cheney ’04, Inc., Arlington, VA $5,000
Campaign for America’s Future, Salt Lake City, UT $5,000
Chris John For U S Senate Exploratory Committee, C $5,000
Coburn For Senate Committee, Muskogee, OK $5,000
COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE CAPITALISM $5,000
Common Sense Leadership Fund, Washington, DC $5,000
David Vitter For U S Senate, Metairie, LA $5,000
David Vitter For U S Senate, Metairie, LA $5,000
Delahunt For Congress Comm., Quincy, MA $5,000
Delahunt For Congress Comm., Quincy, MA $5,000
Delahunt For Congress Comm., Quincy, MA $5,000
Democratic Congressional Campaign Comm., Washingto $5,000
Democratic Congressional Campaign Comm., Washingto $5,000
Democratic Congressional Campaign Comm., Washingto $5,000
Democratic Congressional Campaign Comm., Washingto $5,000
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washingt $5,000
Evan Bayh Committee, Indianapolis, IN $5,000
Georgians For Isakson, Atlanta, GA $5,000
Glacier PAC, Washington, DC $5,000
Grassley Committee, Des Moines, IA $5,000
HAWKEYE PAC, Des Moines, IA $5,000
Hawkeye PAC, Des Moines, IA $5,000
Mac Collins For Congress, Jonesboro, GA $5,000
Mainstream American PAC, Falls Church, VA $5,000
Martinez For Senate, Orlando, FL $5,000
Montana/Nevada Victory Fund, Washington, DC $5,000
PAC TO THE FUTURE $5,000
Pete Coors For Senate, Littleton, CO $5,000
Pete Coors For Senate, Littleton, CO $5,000
Pryce For Congress, Columbus, OH $5,000
Pryce Project, Alexandria, VA $5,000
Pryce Project, Alexandria, VA $5,000
RELY ON YOUR BELIEFS FUND, Washington, DC $5,000
Richard Burr Committee, Winston-Salem, NC $5,000
Stenholm For Congress Committee, Stamford, TX $5,000
Superior California Leadership Fund, Sacramento, C $5,000
Texas Freedom Fund, Alexandria, VA $5,000
The Republican Majority Fund, Washington, DC $5,000
Together for Our Majority, Alexandria, VA $5,000
Tom DeLay Congressional Committee, Stafford, TX $5,000
TOMPAC, Arlington, VA $5,000
VOLPAC, Nashville, TN $5,000
VOLPAC, Nashville, TN $5,000
Whitfield For Congress Comm., Hopkinsville, KY $5,000
A Lot Of People Supporting Tom Daschle, Sioux Fall $4,000
A Lot Of People Supporting Tom Daschle, Sioux Fall $4,000
Bill Thomas Campaign Committee, Bakersfield, CA $4,000
Citizens For Bunning, Ft Wright, KY $4,000
Citizens For Bunning, Ft Wright, KY $4,000
Congressman Bill Young Campaign Committee, St. Pet $4,000
Evan Bayh Committee, Indianapolis, IN $4,000
Freedom Project, Washington, DC $4,000
Friends Of Blanche Lincoln, Little Rock, AR $4,000
Mac Collins For Congress, Jonesboro, GA $4,000
Missourians For Kit Bond, Mexico, MO $4,000
Neugebauer Congressional Committee, Lubbock, TX $4,000
Nunes for Congress, Pixley, CA $4,000
Alexander for Senate, Nashville, TN $3,000
Anne Northup For Congress, Louisville, KY $3,000
ARMPAC, Washington, DC $3,000
Burr For Congress Committee, Winston-Salem, NC $3,000
Chris John For Congress Comm. Inc, Crowley, LA $3,000
Committee To Reelect Ed Towns, Bklyn, NY $3,000
Demint For Senate Committee Inc, Greenville, SC $3,000
Freedom Project, Washington, DC $3,000
Grassley Committee, Des Moines, IA $3,000
HALPAC (Help America’s Leaders PAC), Washington, D $3,000
Mary Bono Committee, Palm Springs, CA $3,000
McCrery for Congress, Shreveport, LA $3,000
PAC to the Future, San Fransisco, CA $3,000
People For Patty Murray U S Senate Campaign, Seatt $3,000
Pete Sessions For Congress, Dallas, TX $3,000
RELY ON YOUR BELIEFS FUND, Washington, DC $3,000
Sensenbrenner Committee, Menomonee Falls, WI $3,000
The MikeR Fund, Arlington, VA $3,000
Tom DeLay Congressional Committee, Stafford, TX $3,000
13th Colony PAC, Savannah, GA $2,500
Bob Matsui For Congress Comm., Sacramento, CA $2,500
CAMPAC, Midland, MI $2,500
Comm. To Elect William J Jefferson, New Orleans, L $2,500
Eric PAC, Richmond, VA $2,500
Eric PAC, Richmond, VA $2,500
Friends Of John Boehner, West Chester, OH $2,500
Friends Of Katherine Harris, Sarasota, FL $2,500
Friends Of Roy Blunt, Strafford, MO $2,500
Friends Of Roy Blunt, Strafford, MO $2,500
Friends Of Roy Blunt, Strafford, MO $2,500
Friends Of Roy Blunt, Strafford, MO $2,500
Friends Of Scott McInnis, Grand Junction, CO $2,500
Great Plains Leadership PAC, Washington, DC $2,500
J D Hayworth For Congress, Scottsdale, AZ $2,500
JAZZPAC, Washington, DC $2,500
KOMPAC, Washington, DC $2,500
KOMPAC, Washington, DC $2,500
KOMPAC, Washington, DC $2,500
Phil Crane Campaign Committee, Arlington, VA $2,500
Reform PAC, Washington, DC $2,500
Schultz Debbie Wasserman, Weston, FL $2,500
Victory In November Elections PAC, Washington, DC $2,500
Alexander for Senate, Nashville, TN $2,000
America’s Foundation, Washington, DC $2,000
ARMPAC, Washington, DC $2,000
Blue Dog PAC, Washington, DC $2,000
Boucher For Congress Committee, Abingdon, VA $2,000
Campbell Victory Fund, Ignacio, CO $2,000
Chandler For Congress, Versailles, KY $2,000
Chet Edwards For Congress, Waco, TX $2,000
Cleaver For Congress, Kansas City, MO $2,000
Common Sense Leadership Fund, Washington, DC $2,000
Demint For Senate Committee Inc, Greenville, SC $2,000
Freedom Project, Washington, DC $2,000
Friends For Baron Hill, Seymour, IN $2,000
Hall For Congress Committee (Ralph Hall – Rockwall $2,000
Honorable Tom DeLay, Stafford, TX $2,000
Hoosiers Supporting Buyer For Congress, Monticello $2,000
Judd Gregg Committee, Rye, NH $2,000
Ken Calvert For Congress, Riverside, CA $2,000
Kenny Marchant For Congress, Carrollton, TX $2,000
Missourians For Kit Bond, Mexico, MO $2,000
National Leadership PAC, New York, NY $2,000
Pete Sessions For Congress, Dallas, TX $2,000
Phil Crane Campaign Committee, Arlington, VA $2,000
RELY ON YOUR BELIEFS FUND, Washington, DC $2,000
Reynolds For Congress, Victor, NY $2,000
The MikeR Fund, Arlington, VA $2,000
Tom Reilly Committee, Watertown, MA $2,000
Whitfield For Congress Comm., Hopkinsville, KY $2,000
Wyden For Senate, Portland, OR $2,000
Cantor For Congress, Richmond, VA $1,500
Charles Boustany Jr For Congress, Lafayette, LA $1,500
Comm. To Elect William J Jefferson, New Orleans, L $1,500
Eric PAC, Richmond, VA $1,500
Friends Of Byron Dorgan, Bismarck, ND $1,500
Friends Of Mark Foley For Congress, Chantilly, VA $1,500
Leadership PAC, Alexandria, VA $1,500
Leadership PAC, Alexandria, VA $1,500
Tauzin For Congress, Thibodaux, LA $1,500
The Congressman Joe Barton Committee, Ennis, TX $1,500
Walden For Congress, Hood River, OR $1,500
A Lot Of People Supporting Tom Daschle, Sioux Fall $1,000
Alaskans For Don Young, Anchorage, AK $1,000
Alice Forgy Kerr For Congress, Lexington, KY $1,000
America Forward PAC, Fredericksburg, VA $1,000
America’s Majority Trust, Washington, DC $1,000
America’s Majority Trust, Washington, DC $1,000
Anne Northup For Congress, Louisville, KY $1,000
Anne Northup For Congress, Louisville, KY $1,000
Bachus For Congress, Birmingham, AL $1,000
Bachus For Congress, Birmingham, AL $1,000
Bartlett For Congress Committee, Buckeystown, MD $1,000
Becerra For Congress, Los Angeles, CA $1,000
Becerra For Congress, Los Angeles, CA $1,000
Ben Cardin For Congress, Baltimore, MD $1,000
Bennett Election Committee Inc, Salt Lake City, UT $1,000
Berkley 2002, Las Vegas, NV $1,000
Berkley 2004, Las Vegas, NV $1,000
Berkley 2004, Las Vegas, NV $1,000
Bill Mccollum For Us Senate, Orlando, FL $1,000
Bill Shuster For Congress, Hollidaysburg, PA $1,000
Bill Thomas Campaign Committee, Bakersfield, CA $1,000
Blackburn for Congress, Franklin, TN $1,000
Blue Dog PAC, Washington, DC $1,000
Bob Ney For Congress, St Clairsville, OH $1,000
Boren, Dan (Boren for Congress) $1,000
Boren, Dan (Boren for Congress) $1,000
Boyd For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000
Boyd For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000
Boyd For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000
Brady For Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000
Brady For Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000
Brown-Waite For Congress, Brooksville, FL $1,000
Burgess for Congress, HIGHLAND VILLAGE, TX $1,000
Burns For Congress, Sylvania, GA $1,000
Burns For Congress, Sylvania, GA $1,000
Burr For Congress Committee, Winston-Salem, NC $1,000
Burr Victory ’04, Raleigh, NC $1,000
Campbell Victory Fund, Ignacio, CO $1,000
Carter for Congress, Round Rock, TX $1,000
Cathy Mcmorris For Congress, Spokane, WA $1,000
Chandler For Congress, Versailles, KY $1,000
Charles Boustany Jr For Congress, Lafayette, LA $1,000
Charlie Dent For Congress, Allentown, PA $1,000
Chris Chocola For Congress Inc, South Bend, IN $1,000
Chris John For Congress Comm. Inc, Crowley, LA $1,000
Chris John For U S Senate Exploratory Committee, C $1,000
Citizens For Arlen Specter, Washington, DC $1,000
Citizens For Arlen Specter, Washington, DC $1,000
Citizens For Bunning, Ft Wright, KY $1,000
Coble For Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000
Coble For Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000
Comm. To Elect William J Jefferson, New Orleans, L $1,000
Comm. To Re-Elect Vito Fossella, Staten Island, NY $1,000
Comm. To Re-Elect Vito Fossella, Staten Island, NY $1,000
Comm. To Re-Elect Vito Fossella, Staten Island, NY $1,000
Committee For Loretta Sanchez, Los Angeles, CA $1,000
Committee To Elect Lincoln Davis, Jamestown, TN $1,000
Committee to Preserve Capitalism, Alexandria, VA $1,000
Committee To Reelect Ed Towns, Bklyn, NY $1,000
Conaway For Congress, Midland, TX $1,000
Congressman Bill Young Campaign Committee, St. Pet $1,000
Cooper for Congress, Nashville, TN $1,000
Crapo for U.S. Senate, Washington, DC $1,000
Crapo for U.S. Senate, Washington, DC $1,000
Crowley For Congress, Elmhurst, NY $1,000
DAKPAC, Washington, DC $1,000
Dan Burton For Congress Comm., Indianapolis, IN $1,000
Daniel K Inouye In 2004, Honolulu, HI $1,000
Daniel Webster PAC, Rye, NH $1,000
DASH-PAC, Washington, DC $1,000
Dave Camp For Congress, Midland, MI $1,000
Dave Camp For Congress, Midland, MI $1,000
David Scott for Congress, Atlanta, GA $1,000
Defend America PAC, Tuscaloosa, AL $1,000
Diedrich For Congress, Elkton, SD $1,000
Doyle For Congress Committee, Pittsburgh, PA $1,000
Earl Pomeroy For Congress, Bismarck, ND $1,000
Earl Pomeroy For Congress, Bismarck, ND $1,000
Earl Pomeroy For Congress, Bismarck, ND $1,000
Emerson 2002, Washington, DC $1,000
Engel For Congress, Bronxville, NY $1,000
Eric PAC, Richmond, VA $1,000
Evan Bayh Committee, Indianapolis, IN $1,000
Federalist PAC $1,000
Fitzpatrick for Congress, Doylestown, PA $1,000
Freedom Project, Washington, DC $1,000
Friends For Cliff Stearns, Ocala, FL $1,000
Friends For Harry Reid, Las Vegas, NV $1,000
Friends For Harry Reid, Las Vegas, NV $1,000
Friends For Harry Reid, Las Vegas, NV $1,000
Friends For Harry Reid, Las Vegas, NV $1,000
Friends Of Bud Cramer, Washington, DC $1,000
Friends Of Bud Cramer, Washington, DC $1,000
Friends Of Byron Dorgan, Bismarck, ND $1,000
Friends Of Byron Dorgan, Bismarck, ND $1,000
Friends Of Chris Dodd, West Hartford, CT $1,000
Friends Of Chris Dodd, West Hartford, CT $1,000
Friends Of Chris Dodd, West Hartford, CT $1,000
Friends Of Clay Shaw, Fort Lauderdale, FL $1,000
Friends Of Clay Shaw, Fort Lauderdale, FL $1,000
Friends Of Clay Shaw, Fort Lauderdale, FL $1,000
Friends Of Clay Shaw, Fort Lauderdale, FL $1,000
Friends Of Clay Shaw, Fort Lauderdale, FL $1,000
Friends Of Congressman Tim Holden, Saint Clair, PA $1,000
Friends Of Connie Mack, Fort Myers, FL $1,000
Friends Of Conrad Burns, Billings, MT $1,000
Friends Of Dave Reichert, Bellevue, WA $1,000
Friends Of Dave Reichert, Bellevue, WA $1,000
Friends Of Don Sherwood, Tunkhannock, PA $1,000
Friends Of Ernest Istook, Oklahoma City, OK $1,000
Friends Of Houghton, Corning, NY $1,000
Friends of Jack Kingston, Savannah, GA $1,000
Friends Of Jennifer B Dunn, Bellevue, WA $1,000
Friends Of Jennifer B Dunn, Bellevue, WA $1,000
Friends Of Jennifer B Dunn, Bellevue, WA $1,000
Friends Of Jerry Kleczka, Milwaukee, WI $1,000
Friends Of Jim Inhofe Committee, Oklahoma City, OK $1,000
Friends Of Jim Saxton, Mount Holly, NJ $1,000
Friends Of Joe Pitts, Arlington, VA $1,000
Friends Of John Conyers, Alexandria, VA $1,000
Friends Of John Conyers, Alexandria, VA $1,000
Friends Of John Tanner, Union City, TN $1,000
Friends Of John Tanner, Union City, TN $1,000
Friends Of Mark Foley For Congress, Chantilly, VA $1,000
Friends Of Rahm Emanuel, Chicago, IL $1,000
Friends Of Sam Johnson, Plano, TX $1,000
Friends Of Senator Nickles, Ponca City, OK $1,000
Gene Green Congressional Campaign, Houston, TX $1,000
Hal Rogers For Congress, Somerset, KY $1,000
Hastert For Congress Committee, Yorkville, IL $1,000
Herseth For Congress, Brookings, SD $1,000
Herseth For Congress, Brookings, SD $1,000
Hobson For Congress Committee, Springfield, OH $1,000
Hobson For Congress Committee, Springfield, OH $1,000
Hoyer For Congress, Mechanicsville, MD $1,000
Hoyer For Congress, Mechanicsville, MD $1,000
Hulshof For Congress, Columbia, MO $1,000
Humphreys For Senate Inc, Oklahoma City, OK $1,000
J D Hayworth For Congress, Scottsdale, AZ $1,000
J D Hayworth For Congress, Scottsdale, AZ $1,000
J D Hayworth For Congress, Scottsdale, AZ $1,000
Jack Ryan For Us Senate, Chicago, IL $1,000
Jim Davis For Congress, Tampa, FL $1,000
Jim Gerlach for Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000
Jim Gerlach for Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000
Jim Gerlach for Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000
Jim Gerlach for Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000
Jim Ramstad Volunteer Comm., Minnetonka, MN $1,000
John D Dingell For Congress Comm., Washington, DC $1,000
John D Dingell For Congress Comm., Washington, DC $1,000
John D Dingell For Congress Comm., Washington, DC $1,000
John Lewis For Congress, Atlanta, GA $1,000
Judd Gregg Committee, Rye, NH $1,000
Kay Granger Campaign Fund, Fort Worth, TX $1,000
Keller For Congress, Orlando, FL $1,000
Ken Calvert For Congress, Riverside, CA $1,000
Kind For Congress Committee, Lacrosse, WI $1,000
Kind For Congress Committee, Lacrosse, WI $1,000
Knollenberg For Congress Committee, Farmington Hil $1,000
Kuhl For Congress, Bath, NY $1,000
Latham For Congress, Alexander, IA $1,000
Latham For Congress, Alexander, IA $1,000
Leadership PAC, Alexandria, VA $1,000
Lewis For Congress Committee, Redlands, CA $1,000
Lincoln Diaz-Balart For Congress Committee, Coral $1,000
Lot Of People For Dave Obey, Wausau, WI $1,000
Lot Of People For Dave Obey, Wausau, WI $1,000
Lungren For Congress, Elk Grove, CA $1,000
Mac Collins For Congress, Jonesboro, GA $1,000
Mario Diaz-Balart For Congress, Miami, FL $1,000
Mario Diaz-Balart For Congress, Miami, FL $1,000
Marion Berry For Congress, Jonesboro, AR $1,000
Mark Kennedy for Congress, Blaine, MN $1,000
Markey Committee, The, Medford, MA $1,000
Martin Frost Campaign Committee, Washington, DC $1,000
Martin Frost Campaign Committee, Washington, DC $1,000
Martin Frost Campaign Committee, Washington, DC $1,000
Martin Frost Campaign Committee, Washington, DC $1,000
Martin Frost Campaign Committee, Washington, DC $1,000
Martinez For Senate, Orlando, FL $1,000
Mary Bono Committee, Palm Springs, CA $1,000
Max Sandlin For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000
Max Sandlin For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000
Max Sandlin For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000
Max Sandlin For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000
Mccaul For Congress Inc, Austin, TX $1,000
Mccotter Congressional Committee, Livonia, MI $1,000
Mchenry For Congress, Cherryville, NC $1,000
McNulty For Congress, Green Island, NY $1,000
Michaud For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000
Michaud For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000
Michaud For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000
Mike Ferguson For Congress, Red Bank, NJ $1,000
Mike Rogers For Congress, Anniston, AL $1,000
Mike Rogers For Congress, Anniston, AL $1,000
Mike Thompson For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000
Mike Thompson For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000
Missourians For Kit Bond, Mexico, MO $1,000
Missourians For Kit Bond, Mexico, MO $1,000
Missourians For Kit Bond, Mexico, MO $1,000
Missourians For Kit Bond, Mexico, MO $1,000
Moore For Congress, Lenexa, KS $1,000
Nancy Pelosi For Congress, San Francisco, CA $1,000
Naples for Congress, Buffalo, NY $1,000
National Leadership PAC, New York, NY $1,000 0
Neugebauer Congressional Committee, Lubbock, TX $1,000
New Republican Majority Fund, Alexandria, VA $1,000
Norwood For Congress, Augusta, GA $1,000
Norwood For Congress, Augusta, GA $1,000
Nunes for Congress, Pixley, CA $1,000
Nunes for Congress, Pixley, CA $1,000
Nussle For Congress, Manchester, IA $1,000
Nussle For Congress, Manchester, IA $1,000
Nussle For Congress, Manchester, IA $1,000
Nussle For Congress, Manchester, IA $1,000
Otter For Idaho, Boise, ID $1,000
Oxley For Congress, Findlay, OH $1,000
Oxley For Congress, Findlay, OH $1,000
PAC to the Future, San Fransisco, CA $1,000
Pastor For Arizona, Phoenix, AZ $1,000
Pastor For Arizona, Phoenix, AZ $1,000
People For English, Erie, PA $1,000
People For English, Erie, PA $1,000
People With Hart Inc, Wexford, PA $1,000
Pete Stark Re-Election Comm., Fremont, CA $1,000
Phil Crane Campaign Committee, Arlington, VA $1,000
Phil Crane Campaign Committee, Arlington, VA $1,000
Porter For Congress, Las Vegas, NV $1,000
Porter For Congress, Las Vegas, NV $1,000
Price For Congress, Roswell, GA $1,000
Radanovich For Congress, fresno, CA $1,000
Re-Elect Harold Ford Jr, Memphis, TN $1,000
Re-Elect Nancy Johnson To Congress Com, New Britai $1,000
Re-Elect Nancy Johnson To Congress Com, New Britai $1,000
Regula For Congress Committee, Canton, OH $1,000
Renzi for Congress, Flagstaff, AZ $1,000
Renzi for Congress, Flagstaff, AZ $1,000
Reynolds For Congress, Victor, NY $1,000
Reynolds For Congress, Victor, NY $1,000
Reynolds For Congress, Victor, NY $1,000
Richard E Neal For Congress Comm., Chevy Chase, MD $1,000
Richard E Neal For Congress Comm., Chevy Chase, MD $1,000
Richard E Neal For Congress Comm., Chevy Chase, MD $1,000
Robert Wexler For Congress Committee, Boca Raton, $1,000
Rogers For Congress, Brighton, MI $1,000
Rolle For Congress, Frederick, MD $1,000
Ron Lewis For Congress, Elizabethtown, KY $1,000
Ron Lewis For Congress, Elizabethtown, KY $1,000
Ros-Lehtinen For Congress, Miami, FL $1,000
Russ Carnahan For Congress Committee, St. Louis, M $1,000
Ryan For Congress, Janesvile, WI $1,000
Ryan For Congress, Janesvile, WI $1,000
Sam Brownback For U S Senate, Topeka, KS $1,000
Sam Brownback For U S Senate, Topeka, KS $1,000
Sam Brownback For U S Senate, Topeka, KS $1,000
Sam Brownback For U S Senate, Topeka, KS $1,000
Sam Brownback For U S Senate, Topeka, KS $1,000
SAMPAC $1,000
Schakowsky For Congress, Evanston, IL $1,000
Sensenbrenner Committee, Menomonee Falls, WI $1,000
Sensenbrenner Committee, Menomonee Falls, WI $1,000
Shelby For U S Senate, Tuscaloosa, AL $1,000
Simmons For Congress, Stonington, CT $1,000
Simpson For Congress, Blackfoot, ID $1,000
Spratt For Congress Committee, Annandale, VA $1,000
Stephanie Tubbs Jones For Us Congress, University $1,000
Sue Kelly For Congress, Scarsdale, NY $1,000
Sue Kelly For Congress, Scarsdale, NY $1,000
Sue Myrick For Congress, Charlotte, NC $1,000
Superior California Leadership Fund, Sacramento, C $1,000
Team Emerson, Cape Girardeau, MO $1,000
Texans For Henry Bonilla, San Antonio, TX $1,000
Texans For Henry Bonilla, San Antonio, TX $1,000
Texans For Henry Bonilla, San Antonio, TX $1,000
The Republican Majority Fund, Washington, DC $1,000
Thelma Drake for Congress, Virginia Beach, VA $1,000
Tiahrt For Congress, Wichita, KS $1,000
Tom Feeney For Congress, Oviedo, FL $1,000
View PAC, Washington, DC $1,000
Virginia Foxx For Congress, Banner Elk, NC $1,000
Voinovich For Senate Committee, Columbus, OH $1,000
Voinovich For Senate Committee, Columbus, OH $1,000
Volunteers For Shimkus, Springfield, IL $1,000
Volunteers For Shimkus, Springfield, IL $1,000
Walcher For Congress Committee, Grand Junction, CO $1,000
Weller for Congress, Washington, DC $1,000
Weller for Congress, Washington, DC $1,000
Westmoreland For Congress, Sharpsburg, GA $1,000
Whitfield For Congress Comm., Hopkinsville, KY $1,000
Whitfield For Congress Comm., Hopkinsville, KY $1,000
Whitfield For Congress Comm., Hopkinsville, KY $1,000
WISHLIST, Washington, DC $1,000
Woolsey For Congress, Petaluma, CA $1,000
Woolsey For Congress, Petaluma, CA $1,000
Wachovia Bank, Washington, DC $552
Alaskans For Don Young, Anchorage, AK $500
Bill Shuster For Congress, Hollidaysburg, PA $500
Bill Shuster For Congress, Hollidaysburg, PA $500
Bill Shuster for Congress, Hollidaysburg, PA $500
Blackburn for Congress, Franklin, TN $500
Committee To Elect Lincoln Davis, Jamestown, TN $500
Friends Of Katherine Harris, Sarasota, FL $500
Mccaul For Congress Inc, Austin, TX $500
Michaud For Congress, Bangor, ME $500
Mike Pence Committee, Anderson, IN $500
Norm Coleman For U S Senate, Saint Paul, MN $500
Talent For Senate Exploratory Committee, St Louis, $500
Tom Davis For Congress, Dunn Loring, VA $500
So they are trying to buy everyone off? Quite a job they have there. They are trying to stop people from buying wine directly from wineries, correct? They want to keep distributors and liquor stores making their cut too right? I understand why they are doing it, because at some point the internet could erode their business. I wouldn’t want to buy a wine online without having tried it first though. This is a tough one.
Ryan,
The wholesalers and the WSWA have spent a decade making outrageous claims and using every tool at their disposal to stop direct shipping for the simple reason it would hurt their business. They dress up their opposition by using “harm to children” as their motivating factor.
Thanks for doing the research, Tom, and for turning over the rock to show what crawls out. A fine demonstration of the one thing on which opposites like Nancy Pelosi and Tom Delay can agree: their desire to accumulate as many as possible of those mighty, mighty dollars. What a sorry, mercenary spectacle.
Particularly sad to see how many Californians (starting with Ms. Pelosi) are seemingly happy to sell out the interests of their own state’s small and mid-size wine producers.
For what it’s worth, the list is bipartisan but tilted heavily to the right. The $7,500 and up category went heavily GOP ($105,000 vs. $32,500) and the lower down categories also seem heavily dominated by Republicans (though I haven’t done the math). Note also that many of the Dems. on the list are among the party’s most conservative, e.g., Blue Dog, Bayh, Chandler, Ford. There are a few liberals as well (Pelosi and Dodd and, some would argue, Daschle).
For those like me that just feel compelled to total things up, the copy/paste into excel yields a total of $924,552. Amazing. Buying direct is the only thing that makes sense in today’s ecommerce world. Surely, despite the payoffs, common sense will win the day at some point.
Coming from a winery’s business side, I have never held a meeting at a wholesaler where we discussed keeping our products from minors. We discussed sales volume and profitability. A little honesty from the WSWA would be nice.
On the other side, I have seen the value a wholesaler can add to the marketplace by having knowledgable salespeople servicing far more accounts more economically than I could as a direct representative of a winery. That value added concept (among many others), properly executed, should be enough to keep them in business despite direct shipping.
Finally, there is a darker element to block small wineries from the greater consumer base: the monolithic wine companies. Do you think for one second that any large winery that has a well-developed wholesale and retail account base wants to see their customer buying a wine direct? Hell no. So in fairness, start pointing a finger at any winery over 100,000 cases sold in the US because they are financially strapped to the wholesalers they sell to.
Comfort,
Two things. No question about it. Wholesalers are absolutely key to a good business plan. They do a great job of helping to market wine and get it in front of the right people. Direct Shipping will be a drop in the bucket in the near and mid term. As for the Big wineries, I recall when the direct shipping battle came to Indiana, Gallo actually came in on the side of the wholesalers. Point taken.
Tom
Glad to see this post made onto WINE BUSINESS ONLINE today (http://www.winebusiness.com/). Well done!
Mike
Posts Of The Year: The Nominees (4-6)
Continuing with the Top 5 Wine Blog Posts of ’05, I present Nominees 4-6 (see nominees 1-3 here). There is still time to nominate your top post…so just do it.Nominees 4-6 4. “Cynicism, Money, Wine and no Conscience” by Tom