Wednesday, November 7, 2012

The Election's Over, It's Time To Get Back To Work

The PLCB clerks have a "Save the PLCB" page on Facebook -- can't blame them, but they're standing in the way of progress toward modernity -- and this was just posted early this morning:
"Back to the subject the time to promote modernization is today! New reps need our input! Modernization is the way we move forward! Write, call, visit your Reps new and old. Strike while the iron is hot!"
We need to meet this. PLEASE reach out to your legislators (almost all of them were re-elected, so don't delay: HIT IT NOW) today and congratulate them, and let them know that you're counting on them to come up with and support a solid plan for privatization, NOT "modernization."  
Privatization IS modernization: that needs to be our slogan. The thing is...the PLCB's "modernization" plans are untested, their execution on modernization in the past has been problematic at best (the wine kiosks are only the most visible failure), and really...why would you go to an agency that has so many issues with customer service and central command-itis for ideas on how to "modernize"? 
Privatization IS modernization. There's nothing untested about private retail, it's not only how most other states (and countries) sell booze, it's how Pennsylvania supplies food, clothing, books, housewares, fuel, electronics...everything else people buy. Total Wine knows how to sell booze, Joe Canal's knows how to sell booze, almost every drugstore in Maryland knows how to sell it: it's not rocket science, and it's definitely NOT so dangerous that the state has to do it. 
It's also not really about revenue: the taxes will continue to come in, and all the Legislature will have to come up with is less than $100 million out of a $27 billion annual budget. I think there are some cuts in the Harrisburg establishment that could neatly cover that...and it's well worth it to stop treating Pennsylvanians like children. Besides, border bleed will go down significantly and we'll actually get MORE tax revenue. 
Privatization makes more sense than "modernizing" a system that most Pennsylvanians would really rather do without. Solve it all, simply, and you'll actually create jobs. Sure, the jobs of the PLCB will be largely lost, but they'll be replaced by jobs in the private liquor stores. 
Write your legislators. Today. Tell them you want privatization, not modernization.   

5 comments:

Lew Bryson said...

I sent my email. I challenge you to do the same:

(To Governor Tom Corbett, Lt. Governor Jim Cawley, Sen. Robert M. Tomlinson, Representative Frank Farry)

I'm very glad to see that the Legislature is still firmly in Republican control, because this is the time to finally, after more than 75 years, to privatize wine and liquor sales in the Commonwealth. Last session's opportunity was lost on a flawed, gutted bill; please make it work this time.

A recent Inquirer poll found that 55% of Pennsylvanians favored privatization (and only 28% opposed it). We need to see a good, fair proposal that doesn't favor one set of businesses over another, increases the number of licenses, and includes input from the beer retailers and wholesalers. People want beer and wine in grocery stores, and it doesn't cause huge problems in other states.

What we do NOT want is the PLCB's "modernization" program. That's just more bad ideas from the folks who brought us the wine kiosks. Privatization IS modernization, the modernization we've needed since 1935.

Now is the time. There are organized forces against it, but they are small groups; the citizens want this. The Governor has stated that privatization is a top priority; let's work together and give it to the people.

Sincerely,

Lew Bryson

Anonymous said...

I see you are one of those tea party people. Good luck with your war on reality.

Lew Bryson said...

Don't know where you get that. I'm a realist: Republican control of the Legislature is the ONLY way that privatization will happen. Democrats in PA do not vote for it.

And standing for privatization of state-controlled booze retail is hardly a "war on reality." You may not have noticed, but Washington State just went private this year. That's reality, and you can take a big old slug of it.

Anonymous said...

How many showed up for this forum?

Lew Bryson said...

What forum would that be?