Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on November 12, 2008

Click here to view bill details.

What is it you dont want the voters/taxpayers to see???

How does this bill avoid compliance with the court ruling that it is unconstitutional to prevent out-of-state retailers to ship wine to Michigan residents? This bill is asinine and the State of Michigan is totally backward in it's approach to this question, if they think that this will protect and support Michigan winemakers, whose products can mostly be called a sorry lot, unless all you drink are pop and fruit wines, which are a joke to serious wine afficionados.

 what i wonder is, why do they want to control alcohol in the first place?  it seems that they have a WAR going against it.

oh, of course, if you drink in your house, you don't have to DRIVE... if you don't drink and drive, the state can't make MONEY on you... if they can't make money on you, they can't afford to write laws that take your rights away.

alcohol is a LEGAL product, they should treat it as such and not try to regulate it out of existance even though they don't agree with it's use. we already tried to make it illegal, and that didn't work.

 This is more of the same from the socialist legislators in Lansing.  The only possible reason for this is the influence of the alcohol distribitors and retailers lobby.  I live in a rural area where I can't really buy wine so internet shopping is of great value to me as a consumer and resident.  However, very little is done in this state to favor the consumer or the residents.

 it seems that the legislators in lansing feel that it's THEIR duty to control our lives and our habits, and not OURS. i wonder where they got that idea from? obviously they don't believe in PERSONAL FREEDOM, or they would allow the CITIZENS to make up their minds.

just as obviously, if THEY disagree with an act, let's say drinking wine, then they will do whatever they think it takes to ABOLISH THAT ACT. don't they know that George Washington made rye whiskey? in fact, he was once the biggest distiller in the country.

they forget those facts, and that the early history of our country was made in the local pubs and the patriot's homes.

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It's easy to understand why people want to propose a bill like this; because someone is pushing money into people's pockets to do so.  There are far too many things in this state that need addressing well before having the ability for grown men and women to ship wine to their house.  I would be willing to say no to beer and liquor because it may get into the hands of minors, but wine????  Please tell me of an 18 year old kid that would spend $50 for a bottle of wine to get a buzz when they can get 4 cases of beer instead.  The people involved in this are purely in it for the money.  Well, then, here is my retort.  DROP THE PRICES IN THIS STATE!!!  I can find wine on the internet that retails for less than our wholesalers prices!!  That is a shame. This problem has been going on for years and I can prove it.  Don't you representatives get it?  We are telling you NO!  Listen for once.  Just because you don't like wine, doesn't mean that we should suffer.  Just because your friends or relatives or even yourself is tied to the distribution chain, doesn't mean that you should shaft everyone else's chance to buy wine at a good, fair price.

 

I could go on for days but will end with this.  I ran a very high end restaurant wine list for a number of years and do you know what my biggest complaint was?  It was that I couldn’t get most of the great wines in the world because Michigan is so closed up when it comes to allowing business buy from outside sources.  Most other great cities allow their restaurants to buy from auctions, personal cellars and retailers.  That is why this state will never have a real downtown restaurant scene; we have to buy what comes into the state which is mostly grocery store wines.  I’ll be moving out of this state like the rest of the great workers by next year, so have fun ruining Michigan.

 This bill is all about money for the legislators and nothing about the best interests of Michigan consumers.  The beer and wine distributors lobby is pushing this through and we all pay.  I live in a rural area and cannot even buy wine locally.  If this passes I will do everything I can to not buy wine and beer in Michigan.  I travel a fair amount and will purchase out of state whenever possible.

This bill is written to protect the established beer-wine-liquor distributors’ monopoly, and nothing else.  It is 100% anti-consumer, having the effect of limiting product choices and stifling market competition that well might bring lower prices to members of the wine-drinking public.

 

There is no public safety or other general public interest to be served by this legislation. 

 

The argument that direct sales and delivery of wine will place alcoholic beverages in the hands of “underage” Michigan youths is nonsense.  There are no known cases of that happening where direct sale is allowed.  There is no known case of it happening in Michigan under current law, which allows direct sales by in-state retailers and wineries. 

 

HB 6644 never should have been passed in the House. 

 

The Senate should reject it outright.

 this bill APPEARS to reject the will of the people in order to enforce more government control over them. what possible harm could alcohol being delivered  to a private residence cause the state?

oh yeah, MINORS COULD GET ALCOHOL. well, if they took the time to look, MINORS ALREADY GET ALCOHOL by other means, but NONE have gotten any by mail.. this is not a NEW thing, it's been happening for hundreds of years. they haven't found a way to stop it yet.

let's see... OH YEAH... the state MIGHT lose out on some of the TAX MONEY they are raking in. that certainly seems to be a good reason to deprive citizens of their rights.

or maybe, just maybe... they fear losing the CONTROL OVER THE PEOPLE that comes from only being able to go to a LIMITED AMOUNT OF TAX COLLECTING STATIONS to buy your alcohol. perhaps we should photograph every alcohol transaction in every state licensed alcohol outlet, perhaps THAT would stem the flow of ILLEGAL ALCOHOL that this bill seeks to staunch.

 

Contact  your district's state senator if you want to try and stop this bill!  It has already passed in the state house.

The below URL has a form to make it easier to find your senator and sending a message quicker/easier.

http://capwiz.com/freegrapes/issues/alert/?alertid=12242896

This video is from the Cato Institute (via Fora.tv) and the presenter does a great job of describing the errors in the 3-tier distribution system and who it really protects.

Video: Is the Alcohol Distribution System in the US flawed?

hi

This is jamesbrosnan

I am studying M.B.A. I have completed degree. Now I am pursuing M.B.A. My Hobbies are playing cricket, listening music and reading books. I am a fan of cricket. I love to watch cricket. My family consists of four members. MY brother is studying degree. My mother is home maker. My father is lorry owner.

===============================================

jamesbrosnan

Alcoholism Information

 all together now...

HI JAAAAMMMMESSS....

 this bill has passed, and been signed. this is an excerpt from the analysis.

"The bill is a means to avoid complying with a federal court ruling that state restrictions on such shipments from out-of-state retailers are a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s commerce clause."

i have been here long enough to not be surprised that michigan would attempt to legislatively bypass our rights and freedoms as enumerated in the united states constitution.

i'm also not surprised that the state would foist upon us, and the governor would sign a piece of legislation to lessen the rights and freeedoms of michigan citizens.

 

Me thinks you have been here too long. You need to get back to your paradise, Louisiana. I'm sure they need you.

 no, jman... that's the problem... YOU DON'T THINK.

i have been here too long. i was here too long the moment i stepped off the plane. but i'm not leaving till my work is finished.you wouldn't know anything about that, as your work is already finished. your job is kaput. your future is in shambles unless people like me come along and help you.

but you don't realize that, you just sit there with your hand out, waiting for the BIGGER government to come and bail out the BIG government.

 

 i agree, changeagent. it shouldn't matter if you live out in the hinterlands, or upstairs from the local walmart, you should be able to buy legal products from whom you choose. i believe that the amount of rules and regulations currently attached to alcohol sales and consumption, including 'blue laws', are all an attempt to control, and eventually eliminate the drinking habits of the citizens of this state.

i understand that some religions have proscriptions against alcohol consumption, and i respect their right to choose not to drink. this law disrespects every other citizen's right to choose to drink, and to choose where and how he gets that drink. i am quite concerned with what appears to be religious fanatics writing their religious views into law. what concerns me even more is the possibility that those fanatics attempting to wipe out alcohol consumption in michigan are not religious at all, but political. that makes the disrespect of citizen's rights that much more heinous.

a representative's oath of office precludes him from attempting to take citizen's rights away. it is a solemn oath, to be taken seriously by all who take it, because all the citizens it covers take it seriously. the oath to protect and defend the constitution is an oath to protect the rights enumerated therein, and the holders of those rights. to do any less is tyranny.