[Tim McManus]

If they gave out free beer at the polls, I bet more people would show up....and it'd have to be a good selection of beer...

[Mikey]

If they gave out free beer at the polls, I bet more people would show up....and it'd have to be a good selection of beer...

Didn't they try that once.

[jeffy]

If they gave out free beer at the polls, I bet more people would show up....and it'd have to be a good selection of beer...

Didn't they try that once.

I remember that when I lived in Ohio, on voting day they would not open the bars or the liquor stores until after the polls closed.  I'm not sure if they still do that.

[tumarkin]

If they gave out free beer at the polls, I bet more people would show up....and it'd have to be a good selection of beer...

Didn't they try that once.

I remember that when I lived in Ohio, on voting day they would not open the bars or the liquor stores until after the polls closed.  I'm not sure if they still do that.

Things have changed quite a bit from the early days of our republic. Candidates used to roll out barrels of beer or whiskey at the polling spots to ensure a good turnout. I'm sure the quality of the drink provided was at least an element in the decision making process of the voters.

[Tim McManus]

If they gave out free beer at the polls, I bet more people would show up....and it'd have to be a good selection of beer...

Didn't they try that once.

I remember that when I lived in Ohio, on voting day they would not open the bars or the liquor stores until after the polls closed.  I'm not sure if they still do that.

Things have changed quite a bit from the early days of our republic. Candidates used to roll out barrels of beer or whiskey at the polling spots to ensure a good turnout. I'm sure the quality of the drink provided was at least an element in the decision making process of the voters.

In Ireland back in the day they would give you a pint of Guinness after you gave blood.  It was incentive for the folks to donate.  I'm not sure if they still do that, but beer motivated mankind to create society and such, so I believe it should still be used as a catalyst for great things! 

[Steve]

Three members of the House Small Brewers Caucus were reelected in my state of Massachusetts:

• • 1st District, Rep. John Olver(D)
• • 2nd District, Rep. Richard Neal(D)
• • 9th District, Rep. Stephen Lynch(D)

One member of the casucus, William Delahunt(D) of the 10th District did not seek reelection.  I'm writing his successor Bill Keating(D) to ask him to fill Rep. Deleahunt's position on the caucus as well as asking my Rep. James McGovern(D) to join.

The caucus' website is http://smallbrewers.defazio.house.gov

[denny]

Three members of the House Small Brewers Caucus were reelected in my state of Massachusetts:

The caucus' website is http://smallbrewers.defazio.house.gov

As was my rep, Peter DeFazio, the head of the caucus.[/list]

[Mikey]

While beer is obviously, very important to me, I hope they direct their efforts to more important things.

[dbeechum]

They do. Hell, every Congress critter is a member of a dozen or more caucuses.

The small brewers group is important to us though in the sense of lowering taxes for the smaller brewers.

[Mikey]

Well, I'm all for lower taxes.

[Steve]

Well, I'm all for lower taxes.

Question 1 on our MA ballot was to repeal the sales tax on alcoholic bev's which the Legislature added last year to the existing excise tax we already pay.  Revenue went up as planned, but a large percentage of people were going north to New Hampshire and Vermont where there is NO tax on alcohol because liquor stores in NH & VT are state run where all revenue goes to the state.   http://wwwYesTo1.com
The tax revenue collected was dedicated to fund treatment for those with substance abuse.  http://www.NoOn1MA.com

I voted along with 52% of voters elected Tuesday to repeal the additional sales tax.

[Slowbrew]

Well, I'm all for lower taxes.

Question 1 on our MA ballot was to repeal the sales tax on alcoholic bev's which the Legislature added last year to the existing excise tax we already pay.  Revenue went up as planned, but a large percentage of people were going north to New Hampshire and Vermont where there is NO tax on alcohol because liquor stores in NH & VT are state run where all revenue goes to the state.   http://wwwYesTo1.com
The tax revenue collected was dedicated to fund treatment for those with substance abuse.  http://www.NoOn1MA.com

I voted along with 52% of voters elected Tuesday to repeal the additional sales tax.

Iowa used to have State owned and operated liquor stores.  They had really creative signs on the stores which consisted of 3 foot high navy blue backgrounds and 2.5' white, block letters that said LIQUOR STORE.  8^) 

They also had a poster on the wall by the door that showed a bottle used as a graph to demonstrate how much of each bottle was product and how much was tax.  Under 10% of each bottle was product cost, the rest was various taxes.  At least they were honest about it.  The State still runs the distribution (out of a warehouse in Ankeny) but the stores are all retail now.  Now we can go to various retailers pay anywhere from $16 to $28 for the exact same bottle of BV, from the exact same distributor.

I'm glad the elections are over and look forward to the 2 or 3 weeks before the 2012 races start.

Paul

[rabid_dingo]

...

Heh heh! You said "caucus"!


(can't let this get to political...)

[marty]

At the risk of political blah, a brewer just got elected Governor in CO...I've had his beer, pretty good.

it is good news, no matter what someone's politics are it's good to have a beer friendly guy in high office