Archive for the ‘Stop HR 1161’ Category

Nov 26, 2012

Wine Industry Kerfuffle Masks Mighty Political Failure

Press releases are interesting tools. They are, even within the wine industry, almost in every case a matter self-aggrandizement. One rarely sees a company issue a release informing the media that “XYZ Winery Sales Suck” or “Administrative Chaos Reigns at XYZ Wine Company”. Rather, press releases are almost always issued to point the media and readers to a virtual smiley face the company issuing the press release has drawn. What follows is a tale of one such smiley face and…

Oct 15, 2012

Beer Wholesalers Prepared to Bring Back the CARE Act

In its 2001/2012 Annual Report to Members, the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) disclosed that they have lined up Washington lawmakers who are ready to reintroduce the CARE Act in the event anyone attempts to file suit against a state challenging its alcohol regulations. The NBWA Annual Report states: “While litigation challenges have significantly decreased, key leaders on Capitol Hill remain vigilant and stand ready to take legislative action should litigation threats resume” Introduced first in 2010 as H.R. 5034,…

Mar 27, 2012

Healthcare, The Supreme Court and Wine

For the past decade or more, Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution, otherwise known a the "Commerce Clause" has been a key issue in the somewhat obscure realm of wine politics and law. It has been a the center of the wine direct shipping legal and political battles. The question for alcohol beverage attorneys, reporters and other interested parties in the wine industry has been "how can the Commerce Clause, which grants the federal government the power…

Mar 15, 2012

Money, Power and Wine—A Tale of $4.9 Million

Worrying that money might control politics is akin to being concerned that Burgundy is overpriced. That horse has left the barn. But what's true and what matters where money and politics is concerned is that money buys access to the halls of power, that place where policy is enacted and where money buy protection. What's interesting, and what this post is ultimately about is that staggering amounts of money dedicated to politics, while often getting its way, doesn't always get…

Jan 3, 2012

Republican Politics: The Wine Factor

Any wine pundit worth his syrah must at some point make the effort to evaluate the quadrennial crop of presidential candidates for their potential to promote American wine. Who would be most likely to push American-made wine front and center not only with visiting dignitaries, but in front of the American people? I’ll grant you, most presidential candidates don’t exactly make haste to be identified with the elitist, effeminate, non-beer drink that is wine. And it’s likely that the 2012…