okcpulse to appear on News 9 in February

[okcpulse]

I was interviewed today by Amy Lester from News 9 concerning Oklahoma's liquor laws and why we cannot buy Budweiser, Coors and Miller strong beer brands from Oklahoma's liquor stores. The center of the interview was the petition I created online (www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/464166742) to give Oklahomans a place to express their opinion about Oklahoma's antiquated liquor laws. News 9 is working on a special story about Oklahoma's liquor laws and what should and will be changed this year. The story will appear sometime next month (February).

[floater]

We can finally put a face to a name...congrats, I'm sure it went well. Hopefully it will get people to sign up.

[metro]

will sign the petition, we need wine laws to allow it in grocery stores so we can get a whole foods and attract more of the creative class

[Keith]

You will certainly get a "creative" class if you put wines in grocery stores. So, instead of buying groceries for their families, they will buy wine to drown their sorrows. Wow, how creative!!

The liquor laws are fine the way they are. Enough people are already driving drunk and getting killed. Sure, let's make it easier to get hold of .

[metro]

I'm not saying I endorse it but developers and several in the city have made it clear we cannot attract certain types of "creative" people and companies such as Whole Foods without less strict liquor laws. People are going to do what they will regardless.

[metro]

on another note, okcpulse, let us know when you find out what day it will air, several of us were interviewed last evening at the AEP gala for OKC Business and the Gazette, I will keep you posted as well

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!!]

You will certainly get a "creative" class if you put wines in grocery stores. So, instead of buying groceries for their families, they will buy wine to drown their sorrows. Wow, how creative!!

The liquor laws are fine the way they are. Enough people are already driving drunk and getting killed. Sure, let's make it easier to get hold of .

To be honest, I don't think it would make much of a difference. I looked up some state-to-state stats (I could only find 2003, I'm sure stats for 2004 will be available sometime soon)....

http://www.madd.org/stats/1,1056,8716,00.html

According to this, Oklahoma is around the average nationwide for percentage of drunk driving alone. I really don't think that making alcohol "public" (for lack of better term) is going to affect our numbers that dramatically either way.

[Midtowner]

You will certainly get a "creative" class if you put wines in grocery stores. So, instead of buying groceries for their families, they will buy wine to drown their sorrows. Wow, how creative!!

The liquor laws are fine the way they are. Enough people are already driving drunk and getting killed. Sure, let's make it easier to get hold of .

Are you serious?

You are alleging that if wine is available in grocery stores, more people will drive drunk and get killed. Is that right?

How does convenience equal traffic deaths? That's a tremendous leap of faith.

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!!]

Are you serious?

You are alleging that if wine is available in grocery stores, more people will drive drunk and get killed. Is that right?

How does convenience equal traffic deaths? That's a tremendous leap of faith.

That's kinda what I was talking about. I mean, it's not like people can't get it anyway....

[1adam12]

I think he is serious, and he should be. How does convenience equal traffic deaths? You've got to be kidding! I think I can answer that one real easy. Mr. MidTowner and El Gato Pollo Loco, I would almost invite both of you to ride with me sometime when I have to work an alcohol related accident involving teenagers or young adults. I find teenagers that are drunk and can't hardly stand up, yet they are behind the wheel of a vehicle. Yes, they had no problem getting the alcohol, because many of these mom and pop convenient stores are selling it to them illegally. Many things happen in our city that never make the 10 PM news or the newspaper.

Sure, allowing wine to be sold in your local grocer would be more "convenient " for everybody, however, you don't look at the big picture. Do you know how many beer runs that we receive on a given evening? Right now they are happening at 7-11's, however, if they allow wine, etc.. in your local grocers, you will have these punks stealing the booze from there too. Even if they are buying it, many are drinking it on the way home, which is illegal. Have either of you been guilty of drinking and driving? If so, you need to spend a night in detox with a bunch of people around you throwing their guts up and wishing they were dead.

You guys have blinders on to the alcohol problem that we have here in the city. I don't need websites to tell me about the problems we have with drunk driving. I see it on a daily/evening basis. I am the one that has to speak with the parents when they show up at the accident site and have to see their teenager in critical condition, with a blood alcohol limit twice of the legal amount. I have seen more blood and guts as an officer than you guys will see in a life time. All of these accidents are avoidable, yet you still have the people who think they are invinsible, and get behind the wheel anyway.

Ok, I'll get off my soapbox. Just remember that selling alcohol to minors is illegal, as well as drinking and driving. Making it more easily available just increases the problem.

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!!]

I'm not saying it's not a problem. It obviously is a problem. I'm just saying that it doesn't seem to me that it really would matter either way they get it whether it's from Mom-N-Pop stores, stealing it from 7-11 or from their parents cupboards, regardless of the law. Kids will get it anyway they can. It's a problem nationwide, not just in Oklahoma. If it seems like I am condoning underage drinking or drunk driving, then I am sorry I am coming across that way, because I most certainly do not condone it at all.

[Midtowner]

I think he is serious, and he should be. How does convenience equal traffic deaths? You've got to be kidding! I think I can answer that one real easy. Mr. MidTowner and El Gato Pollo Loco, I would almost invite both of you to ride with me sometime when I have to work an alcohol related accident involving teenagers or young adults. I find teenagers that are drunk and can't hardly stand up, yet they are behind the wheel of a vehicle. Yes, they had no problem getting the alcohol, because many of these mom and pop convenient stores are selling it to them illegally. Many things happen in our city that never make the 10 PM news or the newspaper.

Sure, allowing wine to be sold in your local grocer would be more "convenient " for everybody, however, you don't look at the big picture. Do you know how many beer runs that we receive on a given evening? Right now they are happening at 7-11's, however, if they allow wine, etc.. in your local grocers, you will have these punks stealing the booze from there too. Even if they are buying it, many are drinking it on the way home, which is illegal. Have either of you been guilty of drinking and driving? If so, you need to spend a night in detox with a bunch of people around you throwing their guts up and wishing they were dead.

You guys have blinders on to the alcohol problem that we have here in the city. I don't need websites to tell me about the problems we have with drunk driving. I see it on a daily/evening basis. I am the one that has to speak with the parents when they show up at the accident site and have to see their teenager in critical condition, with a blood alcohol limit twice of the legal amount. I have seen more blood and guts as an officer than you guys will see in a life time. All of these accidents are avoidable, yet you still have the people who think they are invinsible, and get behind the wheel anyway.

Ok, I'll get off my soapbox. Just remember that selling alcohol to minors is illegal, as well as drinking and driving. Making it more easily available just increases the problem.

Alright, so some teenagers have a problem with alcohol. I don't think anyone will dispute that.

Kids choose beer because it gives them the best bang for their buck. It's also weak enough that they can drink for extended periods of time without any seriously negative consequences (as long as the consumption rate is moderated).

My thought on the situation is that if we were really serious about stopping people drinking while driving, we could just stop selling cold beer.

You've seen the results of alcohol abuse. That's always tragic. I really fail to see how the rate of abuse would increase if there was wine in grocery stores? If kids want alcohol, even you would probably agree that they really have no trouble getting it in most cases. Making that stuff available at grocery stores could be not only good for grocery stores, but the emerging Oklahoma wine industry.

Many states (most) have wine in grocery stores. I haven't really heard the outcry in those states about the ravages of wine available in grocery stores.

[HOT ROD]

Seems to me that the problem already exists, even though you cant buy hard in convenience stores. Sort of diminishes the arguments raised in this thread.

I think with proper enforcement, the law should be modernized. Many of the conservative arguments sound very similar in nature to those raised about the lotto - however such is usually scare tactics with very little merit other than fear of change.

While I respect other's views, let's stick to the facts when we make our laws. Oklahoma is a great place to live but OKC has become very progressive and laws need to follow that trend.

As a person of the creative class (an executive at Boeing to be exact), I would much prefer to have the convenience rather than going only to state regulated venues. It could be a boon for the local economy and if regulated and enforced - the "dooms day" that many are predicting should not be realized.

But hey, maybe that is why I do not live in Oklahoma! In my state, we dont have such restrictions as in OK and not near as much teenage fatalities/abuses.

Yet we do have WAY MORE creative class, aggregate income, disposable income, less homeless, higher property values - you name it.

Something to think about.

Continue the Renaissance (not just the surface, COMPLETE)!

[metro]

Alright, so some teenagers have a problem with alcohol. I don't think anyone will dispute that.

Kids choose beer because it gives them the best bang for their buck. It's also weak enough that they can drink for extended periods of time without any seriously negative consequences (as long as the consumption rate is moderated).

My thought on the situation is that if we were really serious about stopping people drinking while driving, we could just stop selling cold beer.

You've seen the results of alcohol abuse. That's always tragic. I really fail to see how the rate of abuse would increase if there was wine in grocery stores? If kids want alcohol, even you would probably agree that they really have no trouble getting it in most cases. Making that stuff available at grocery stores could be not only good for grocery stores, but the emerging Oklahoma wine industry.

Many states (most) have wine in grocery stores. I haven't really heard the outcry in those states about the ravages of wine available in grocery stores.

Indeed, most states already have wine in grocery stores and indeed there accident rates/ drunk driving rates are not significantly more. Oklahoma grocery stores already carry beer and other alcohols, adding wine is not creating a "problem" the problem is already there and the problem is "enforcement" we dont need to lobby against Oklahoma's emerging wine industry we need to lobby for stricter "enforcement" and no to answer your question, I do not, have not, nor ever will drink and drive !