Archive for the ‘Wine Legal Battles’ Category
As promised, America's beer and wine wholesalers have again convinced a congressman to introduce what can only be called the "Wholesaler Protection Act". What was hr 5034 last year is now HR 1161. Representative Jason Chaffetz (R) from Utah is the main sponsor. HR 1161 is identical to the second version of last year's bill. If passed, HR 1161 would give states complete protection from legal challenges if they pass laws that: -Discriminate against out-of-state retailers from shipping wine into…
I've watched a lot of legislatures debate direct shipping policy and watched many lawmakers give in to special interests over and over. However, I've never seen lawmakers so blatantly be bought off by local special interests at the expense of consumers, state tax revenue and free trade like has recently happened in Maryland. I listened to Senator Joan Carter Conway— who chaired the Maryland committee that gets to hear testimony on alcohol policy—in both a private meeting with stakeholders that…
On more than one occasion, when I've pitched stories to a member of the media concerning direct shipping or wine politics, I've found myself spending the majority of the time with a writer explaining to them what the "three tier system" is. That the writer understand this contraption built of early 20th Century concerns is crucial to any discussion of the politics of wine. What confuses and gets the writer stuck is the notion of mandated relationships between the tiers….
If all goes according to plan, tomorrow Maryland wine lovers will finally be heard when they head to Annapolis to explain to legislators why it's finally time to to pass a law allowing wine to be shipped to them. Then, also according to plan, Committees in the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates will pass out legislation that allows Marylanders to have wine shipped to their home…except for wines that are of French, Spanish, German, Italian, Austrian, Canadian, Chilean, Argentinean,…
In this blog post you will learn: 1. How Money Can Create Visions 2. Why Marylanders are likely to no direct shipping access to any foreign wines 3. Why the coming Maryland Wine Shipping law may be unconstitutional 4. An estimate of the size of the shaft being prepared to be inserted into Maryland Wine Lovers bottoms. The recent introduction of a direct wine shipping bill in Maryland that many wine lovers have been waiting for and anticipating for many…
