F***ing Puritans
Offline Warning: Anti-government rant ahead.
Yesterday, those great "freedom loving" republicans in my state assembly passed a budget. The craft brewing industry here in Ohio worked really hard to get an increase in the maximum alcohol limit allowed in beer from 12% to 18%, it was in the bill, looked like it would pass....and then the damn puritans got at it. Yesterday, it was quietly removed from the bill and the state maximum will remain at 12%. WTF, who cares if you drink a beer with 18% alcohol? Or even 32%?
Not only are some high alcohol beers and barley wines quite tasty, they also are extremely profitable, which means more money for wine and liquor stores, more money paid in state taxes and more jobs here in Ohio. Instead, people here in Ohio have to continue to drive across the border to Kentucky or Indiana to buy strong beers, smoke or gamble. Get the fuck out of my life puritans. 
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
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I usually stay out of politics.
Warning: Anti-conservative/liberal government interference and freedom suppression rant ahead.
You just pointed out what I don't understand about Republicans today. Supposedly they want government out of your life but wait, that only involves money. They want to dictate your morals, what you drink, when you can buy it, drugs, gambling and prostitution not to mention gay marriage. I was a Republican once in the spirit of Barry Goldwater. I have since left them and became independent because of their hypocrisy. It's not just about taxes, get the government out of morality. So what if 2 guys want to have the pain of marriage, it's not like they asking you. So what if someone ODs and dies from crack. So what if someone wants to smoke a joint now and then.
My grandparents were clearly drug addicts as they had bottles of Dr Feelgood's Patent medicine with cocaine and heroin. They must have had short lives. But wait, they lived to be about 90.
And then, what of all the hippies smoking pot in the 60s and early 70s. They must all be complete losers today.
My father in law spent WW2 in Hawaii, banging hookers.
One of my uncles worked on Hoover Dam, banging hookers on his days off and gambling.
Why is it you get prosecuted for doing things to yourself?
Why is it that you can't sell what you can give away for free?
My view is like Dennis Leary from Demolition Man - from IMDB - "Edgar Friendly: You see, according to Cocteau's plan, I'm the enemy, 'cause I like to think; I like to read. I'm into freedom of speech and freedom of choice. I'm the kind of guy who likes to sit in a greasy spoon and wonder, "Gee, should I have the T-bone steak or the jumbo rack of barbecued ribs with the side order of gravy fries?" I WANT high cholesterol. I wanna eat bacon and butter and BUCKETS of cheese, okay? I want to smoke a Cuban cigar the size of Cincinnati in the non-smoking section. I want to run through the streets naked with green Jell-o all over my body reading Playboy magazine. Why? Because I suddenly might feel the need to, okay, pal? I've SEEN the future. Do you know what it is? It's a 47-year-old virgin sitting around in his beige pajamas, drinking a banana-broccoli shake, singing "I'm an Oscar Meyer Wiener"."
See also this Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JizGkM6gbvQ
The problem today is who takes more of your freedoms? Demoidiots or Rethugs.
The Tea party started in the wrong place with money. It's the rest of the government interference in your life that is much worse.
Ron Paul has taken some interesting positions though he has as much chance of winning and implementing them as we have of developing an anti-matter car next year.
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"I guess it's time to ask if you live under high voltage power transmission lines which have been shown to cause stimulation of the fantasy centers of the brain due to electromagnetic waves?" - Me
"God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent, - it says so right here on the label. If you have a mind capable of believing all three of these divine attributes simultaneously, I have a wonderful bargain for you. No checks please. Cash and in small bills." - Robert A Heinlein.
Do you know how Jerry Falwell's family made their fortune? He was such a puritan that he did NOT turn down the inheritance his ancestors made off of MOON SHINE!
I really am sick of your no regulation no limits bullshit. Anytime someone suggests a speed limit in a school zone you bitch about "you are anti car"!
NO RULES, EVERY MAN FOR THEMSELVES!
The Autobaun is fine until someone kills someone.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
The "anti-government" overtones in this post were actually pretty weak, considering.
Why not 75%? I drank a few ounces of 75%, once, and I'm a diabetic. The worst thing it did was cause me to laugh myself into a stupor, so that I could barely stand up straight from laughing so hard.
Seconded
“A meritocratic society is one in which inequalities of wealth and social position solely reflect the unequal distribution of merit or skills amongst human beings, or are based upon factors beyond human control, for example luck or chance. Such a society is socially just because individuals are judged not by their gender, the colour of their skin or their religion, but according to their talents and willingness to work, or on what Martin Luther King called 'the content of their character'. By extension, social equality is unjust because it treats unequal individuals equally.” "Political Ideologies" by Andrew Heywood (2003)
The (German) Autobahn is the safest highway system in Europe, and the rate of accidents is no higher IN AREAS WITHOUT SPEED LIMITS THAN THOSE WITH SPEED LIMITS!(!!!)
I'd ask you how much relevance this clustercoitus of a post has regarding the rest of the thread, but this never appears to be a terribly pressing concern for you. Nor does posting these rants in their own thread, where the rest of us can simply avoid them altogether.
“A meritocratic society is one in which inequalities of wealth and social position solely reflect the unequal distribution of merit or skills amongst human beings, or are based upon factors beyond human control, for example luck or chance. Such a society is socially just because individuals are judged not by their gender, the colour of their skin or their religion, but according to their talents and willingness to work, or on what Martin Luther King called 'the content of their character'. By extension, social equality is unjust because it treats unequal individuals equally.” "Political Ideologies" by Andrew Heywood (2003)
There's probably nothing puritanical about it. It's probably strictly economic concerns. Beer with triple the alcohol content doesn't cost three times more and people won't drink as much. That could result in less beer sales.
There are twists of time and space, of vision and reality, which only a dreamer can divine
H.P. Lovecraft
Once again I am pointing out a very specific regulation that I believe is bullshit. Do you just support every regulation because it is regulation? Is there a good reason to outlaw imperial stouts and barley wine?
@Gauche, There certainly might have been some economic concerns from someone but it doesn't seem to be the primary reason. As far as I know, none of the major beer distributors had any real problem with the measure. Based on the rumors I have heard from what I consider a reliable source, it appears that the main people involved in getting it removed were Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Drug Free Action Alliance and pushed by our AG Mike Dewine (who has been on the warpath against high alcohol drinks). I don't know if some kind of deal went down between Dewine and the leaders of the conference committee. It was simply removed during the conference committee so there was no formal vote on the measure. Remember, Ohio is the home of prohibition and some counties are still dry. I wish it was simply economics, but the puritanical movement here remains pretty strong and some economic interests take advantage of that.
@ Kap,
Someone makes a 75% beer? Are you sure it wasn't whiskey?
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
I can think of one good regulation: outlaw continued breathing. A lot less people to worry about, that way.
Wild Turkey Bourbon, 150 proof. (Which is 75%)
Hadn't had such a pleasant levity in a long time before and never since -one of the benefits of an artificially low tolerance.
“A meritocratic society is one in which inequalities of wealth and social position solely reflect the unequal distribution of merit or skills amongst human beings, or are based upon factors beyond human control, for example luck or chance. Such a society is socially just because individuals are judged not by their gender, the colour of their skin or their religion, but according to their talents and willingness to work, or on what Martin Luther King called 'the content of their character'. By extension, social equality is unjust because it treats unequal individuals equally.” "Political Ideologies" by Andrew Heywood (2003)
Damn, now I'll have to stick with those 80 proof shots every time I want to get smashed!
/sarcasm
Optimism is reality, pessimism is the fantasy that you know enough to be cynical
I love that, "More jobs"
I love that bullshit. Yes it makes the stores richer and the booze companies richer. But that store clerk doesn't make shit and we all know they spend tones of money to insure the safety of the worker when they get robbed. And lets not forget that they pay for the workers health care.
You are just so full of shit trying to peddle big business as being compassionate and caring. They would put rat poison in your booze if they thought you'd get addicted to it.
"More jobs" Don't make me laugh. Big business is great at making money for itself, nothing more.
ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME
AND DONT even bother posting any response that implies that I hate the open market or all business.
YOUR ATTITUDE and the pay gap have always been my problem with you and people who think like you.
Poor Daddy Warbucks is crying that someone is concerned about his exploitation. Cry me a river.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
Most Imperial Stouts and other high alcohol content beers are brewed by specialty beer companies that are small businesses. In case you haven't noticed, Anheuser Busch and Miller-Coors the beer giants brew/push low alcohol beers. They are cheaper, quicker and easier to make in mass quantities. So I don't get how you tie my post in to "big business" unless your definition of "big" are companies that bring in a couple hundred thousand in revenue.
I don't understand your blindness to the fact that when a product is banned, the opportunity for jobs to make that product, sell that product and transport that product are all gone. Or when a new product is legalized, it creates opportunities to create/sell/transport that product. Imagine what would happen to your job if eggs were banned.
All jobs that in this case, would primarily be small businesses. And if adding another product line like high alcohol beers led to say a 20% increase in revenue, my business partner might decide to open another shop, thereby hiring another worker or two. Granted, not enough jobs to change the statewide economy, but two measly jobs would mean a lot personally to the people who got them. Are you saying that the workers would be better off staying unemployed than working as a clerk?
And the central question is who is getting hurt if we legalize high alcohol beer? Who is being exploited? It is an antiquated holdover from prohibition that ought to be removed. Legalizing high alcohol beer doesn't hurt anyone and would probably help several people, including yours truly, both because I enjoy drinking them, and I am invested in a business that would sell them.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
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Well, you are not alone for stupid intrusive hooch laws.
In the great state of Connecticut we have a law that you can't buy after 8:00 or on Sunday. Technically, it is not a blue law because the rationale was that a liquor store owner was robbed at 10:00 at night like 40 years ago.
Still, it functions like that. The last time that it came up for renewal, the legislator who killed it was an RCC.
Even so, there is a good bit of business from crossing state lines. That and if you are too far from one, there are bootlegger places where you can pay a couple of bucks extra to buy on Sunday.
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