OKC Chamber now supporting grocery store wine/beer sales

[okcpulse]

Minnesota? Are you sure about that? They serve babies beer in bottles up there.

LOL. Yes I am quite sure. I have inlaws in Minnesota. It was a full table topic at a family reunion in Tulsa. Except they call it near-beer instead of three-two beer.

[okcpulse]

"Lots" of Texas folk drive here to buy liquor? You're killing me now. Seriously, you have a great sense of humor! Texas does have some bone dry counties, so I could see the desperate souls who live in those locales coming across the border to shop, but your general point is laughable.

Are you really suggesting that cities like Dallas and Austin don't have liquor stores with quality wine selections? If so, you should get out more.

Not sure if a lot of Texans make special trips to Oklahoma for liquor, but I can say a lot of Texans have told me that while visiting in Oklahoma, they notice a price difference in Oklahoma liquor stores. Many of their favorite brands are cheaper to buy in Oklahoma. I was surprised to hear that, but take it for what it is.

[Bunty]

So how much does it cost to buy a bottle of beer in a Dallas bar these days? $4 or $5, compared to around $3, maybe $3.50, in OKC?

[okcpulse]

So how much does it cost to buy a bottle of beer in a Dallas bar these days? $4 or $5, compared to around $3, maybe $3.50, in OKC?

My post was concerning package store prices, Bunty. Not what you buy at the bar.

[RadicalModerate]

"Minnesota? Are you sure about that? They serve babies beer in bottles up there."

Didn't we--as Oklahomans (like, on this board)--just scoff at the concept of that "fetal remains" thing the legislature wasted time on? [Oh. Wait. This is very different. Nevermind.]

But seriously . . .
No matter what the GroceryStore/Public Voters/Etc. does in this regard, The Cartel will "win" in court.
Check the record.

[wallbreaker]

"Lots" of Texas folk drive here to buy liquor? You're killing me now. Seriously, you have a great sense of humor! Texas does have some bone dry counties, so I could see the desperate souls who live in those locales coming across the border to shop, but your general point is laughable.

Are you really suggesting that cities like Dallas and Austin don't have liquor stores with quality wine selections? If so, you should get out more.

Yes, I'm sure. Worked in a liquor store for years. It's not due to selection, it's price. It's enough of a price that we'd have folks make special trips to buy $500-$1000 worth of liquor for their cabinet or for a party. Also had folks make similar purchases for Weddings. And I didn't work in a Byrons type discount store either.

Again, when you take away the strongest profit point of the liquor stores, then they'll have to make up the profit margin somewhere (either cut costs/employees, or raise prices on the spirits grocery stores can't sell).
It's not rocket science.

[bluedogok]

I believe the taxes on retail liquor in Texas are quite a bit higher than in Oklahoma, but then most of the price of liquor in the US is taxes. Why do you think they still go after bootleggers who make any kind of quantity, the "revenue man" wants "his" money. A liter bottle of Meyer's rum was just under $30 in Texas, I was paying around $22 in OKC before I moved, that same bottle is about $4.00 in Antigua. Texas adds taxes and/or fees onto everything they can since they have to make up for not having a state income tax....and don't get me started on property taxes down there, I am just glad we will be done with our Texas property as of Friday, we close on the sale of our house there then.

[wallbreaker]

I still say, the real liquor fight I'm interested in is cold beer in liquor stores, and 7 day shops. The grocery store thing is a distraction, and won't help me out as a consumer at all. I can get to and in and out of a liquor store a hell of a lot easier than wal-mart. I'm also not convinced that we'll suddently get costco's and trader joe's if we have liquor in grocery stores. Hasn't worked for Texas.

[Soonerman]

I still say, the real liquor fight I'm interested in is cold beer in liquor stores, and 7 day shops. The grocery store thing is a distraction, and won't help me out as a consumer at all. I can get to and in and out of a liquor store a hell of a lot easier than wal-mart. I'm also not convinced that we'll suddently get costco's and trader joe's if we have liquor in grocery stores. Hasn't worked for Texas.

They do have Costco's in Texas and I believe Fort Worth is getting a Trader Joe's.

[wallbreaker]

They do have Costco's in Texas and I believe Fort Worth is getting a Trader Joe's.

Ah, didn't know Trader Joe's was finally opening up Texas locations. Wonder what took them so long. If wine in grocery stores was the magic ticket, you'd think they would had been there for years...

[Larry OKC]

"Minnesota? Are you sure about that? They serve babies beer in bottles up there."

Didn't we--as Oklahomans (like, on this board)--just scoff at the concept of that "fetal remains" thing the legislature wasted time on? [Oh. Wait. This is very different. Nevermind.]

But seriously . . .
No matter what the GroceryStore/Public Voters/Etc. does in this regard, The Cartel will "win" in court.
Check the record.

Then again, maybe not...
http://news.yahoo.com/horrifyingly-g...122643765.html
http://www.statesman.com/news/nation...h-2343509.html

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — South Korea has seized thousands of smuggled drug capsules filled with powdered flesh from dead babies, which some people believe can cure disease, officials said Monday.
The capsules were made in northeastern China from babies whose bodies were chopped into small pieces and dried on stoves before being turned into powder, the Korea Customs Service said.
Customs officials refused to say where the dead babies came from or who made the capsules, citing possible diplomatic friction with Beijing. Chinese officials ordered an investigation into the production of drugs made from dead fetuses or newborns last year.
The customs office has discovered 35 smuggling attempts since August of about 17,450 capsules disguised as stamina boosters, and some people believe them to be a panacea for disease, the customs service said in a statement. The capsules of human flesh, however, contained bacteria and other harmful ingredients.

[bille]

So why is it so important to keep 3.2% beer alive and well? Or is it simply a well accepted cultural tradition to have 3.2 beer around and will be as difficult to get rid of as the Oklahoma law that bans car sales on Sunday?

The last part. The 'low point', 'non-intoxicating', '3.2' law has been in effect since the repeal of prohibition.

A little background: The 18th amendment banned 'intoxicating liquors' but it was the Volstead Act that defined what 'intoxicating liquors' were. Prior to the 21st amendment (repealing the 18th) the Cullen-Harrison Act was passed that allowed the sale of 3.2% (by weight, 4% by volume) liquors since it was determined at the time that alcohols up to that level were thought to be, or rather, considered to be 'non-intoxicating'. One recount of the court proceeding I read referenced a 'trusted source' they used for proof. Several people testified that this source had drunk 40 or 50 beers and was still sober! Lol, I can only imagine what it would have been like to be in the court room for their silly claims and justifications. Then again, at this point in history nearly everybody was for the repeal of prohibition and passing the Cullen-Harrison Act was merely allowing them to produce, transport, and sell alcohol until the 21st amendment came long.

As mentioned there are several states like OK that still use this seemingly arbitrary 3.2 number for defining 'low-point' alcohol. It would be great if everybody opposed to (and for) changing the liquor laws were aware of how we came to have the laws as well as their specifics. Moreover there should be specific times when a law is passed that it is revisited to update it (if necessary) to account for current changes, definition changes, etc. to make sure the law even makes sense any more. There are way too many stupid laws in the books that were passed when things were ran way differently than they are now.*

*disclaimer- I apologize in advance for my ignorance in politics, law-making, etc. I'm certainly talking out of my ass in that regard if that isn't obvious in my post.

[Questor]

What's that thing Neal Degrasse Tyson is fond of saying... eye-witness and expert testimony is regarded as the highest form of information in the legal system, but is the lowest form of information when dealing with matters of science and fact....

What you said reminds me of that TV show "Mad Men." Maybe compared to everyone else in the room the guy who'd just had 50 beers was pretty sober....



Is the Oklahoma Supreme Court still reviewing the language of the proposed state question?

[ljbab728]

One step closer.

http://newsok.com/oklahoma-supreme-c...rticle/3688393

[GaryOKC6]

One step closer.

http://newsok.com/oklahoma-supreme-c...rticle/3688393

I can certainly see both sides. I personally am for the changes. I think that it is great that we can let the voters decide.

[BoulderSooner]

not sure why they can't get the signatures in time for this election ... 2014 is still a long way away

[betts]

not sure why they can't get the signatures in time for this election ... 2014 is still a long way away

I agree. They need to ask for volunteers. I'd sit somewhere with a petition any time I had time off. I'm probably not the only one.

[Larry OKC]

Boulder: Absentee ballots have to be available/mailed something like a 45 days out from the election (so service members and folks living oversees have sufficient time), add to that the time it takes to get the signatures (I thought they already had them and that was what was being decided by the Court), then there is time for verification and protests etc. I don't know if when you add all of that up there is time...it might be cutting it very close. as it is 4 months plus change until the Nov election...3 months for sig + verification/challenges + 1.5 months for Absentee ballots, you are at a minimum of 4.5 months

[kevinpate]

not sure why they can't get the signatures in time for this election ... 2014 is still a long way away

It's not feasible for make the 2012 election due to the time frames that are involved with:

getting the signatures
reviewing/verifying the signatures
protest period
hear the protest(s)
decide the protest(s)

The election is within 150 days. Ballots need to be printed in advance of the election. Printing Ballots takes place only after challenges are beaten back, if indeed they are.

Patience Grasshopper. 2014 will be here soon enough.

[BoulderSooner]

It's not feasible for make the 2012 election due to the time frames that are involved with:

getting the signatures
reviewing/verifying the signatures
protest period
hear the protest(s)
decide the protest(s)

The election is within 150 days. Ballots need to be printed in advance of the election. Printing Ballots takes place only after challenges are beaten back, if indeed they are.

Patience Grasshopper. 2014 will be here soon enough.

except it won't happen in 2014 .... even if that gets passed .. it then takes a vote of the county to allow it and that won't happen until 2015 at the earliest

[Larry OKC]

True, I suspect they could get a special election called (unlikely), would it be until 2014 before the next statewide election comes up?

[kevinpate]

Can't recall if Questions even can go to special election ballots (probably can, just not recalling one way or the other.)

In any event, no politico comes to mind from our current crop of "i'm way more conservabot than anyone else here" that would vote to have an expensive special election simply to get wine into grocery stores a year or so earlier.

[Larry OKC]

It seems like they can as Gov Henry could have called for a special election on the Lottery but decided to wait until the next statewide general election???