A government system, run by government people, that serves the government

"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."

I apologize for dragging Lincoln into this -- he's been dragged into everything lately -- but the parallels between that famous last line of the Gettysburg Address and the last lines of yesterday's editorial in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette were too good to pass up. Here's what they said about the continuing controversy over the PLCB's "charm school" contract:

Pennsylvania can run all the employee training sessions it likes, add Sunday hours to some stores and put a few outlets in supermarkets (separate cash registers, of course). But, in the end, it will still be a government system, run by government people, in a way that serves the government.

See what I mean? They nailed it. No matter how the PLCB dresses things up -- tux, tails, dancing with Gene Wilder -- booze retail run by the State is a monstrosity.