Friday, October 23, 2009

Unholy Alliance.

In Indiana it is against the law to buy alcohol for off-premises consumption on Sunday. It is also against the law for anyplace other than a liquor store to sell cold beer (although cold wine is apparently a-okay.)

So when legislation comes up that would overturn both these provisions, who do you get opposing it? An unholy alliance of churches who are apparently afraid that people will sneak out before the benediction to get a sixer of Bud before the Colts game kickoff, and package store owners afraid of losing their cold beer monopoly and getting beaten down in fair competition by Kroger.

Politics makes for some unnatural bedfellows.

23 comments:

Fiftycal said...

Wow. Tanks for the tip. I once was stuck in Arkansas on a Sunday. They have a similar law. Bummer. Now I know to bring my own booze.

Ian Argent said...

Soemtimes known as the Baptists and Bootleggers Alliance. One of the few ways NJ is more free than PA. (Possibly the only one).

Anonymous said...

warm beer + standard size cooler + ice to part-way fill + 1/2 lb salt = strong brine solution = cold beer in 10 minutes.

Do not dump strong brine solution outside on grass or plants, it will kill them.

No matter how many beers you drink, remember to keep beer in containers in brine solution.

Joe Huffman said...

Ian said essentially what I was going to contribute.

I used to frequently go to Kansas on business and the locals told me they would have the "blue laws" as long as the Christians and the drunks could stagger to the polls.

Rob K said...

That same alliance has kept many Kentucky counties dry for years and years. I would hope Kroger, Marsh, Wal-Mart, and Target could push this through.

Regolith said...

That's one of the things I like about Nevada: You can get a pack of cigs, a bottle of Jack Daniels, take a few pulls on the slot machine, and stock up on TP all in the same place.

(Actually, I don't tend to do any of those things, but I like having the choice if I should wish to do so).

og said...

It's all horseshit. It's not like selling beer in a 7-11 on sunday will turn Indiana into a communist shithole. Hell, Illinois has had beer sales on sunday and they're not a communist shi.....

Okay, bad example. Hell, I don't even drink, and I think these laws are bag-of stupid hammers dumb. Still, having lived wiht them so long, I think everyone knows to stock up ahead of time. And illinois-border-beer-runs are a time honored tradition. used to meet friends at the border and exchange sunday beer for indiana taxed smokes.

Ancient Woodsman said...

Kentucky and such areas with "dry" counties are only legally & theoretically dry, not actually dry. Remember that. Folks that would/do outlaw alcohol to reduce drunkeness have about as many brain cells as those who think that gun control reduces crime

Tam said...

Og,

Thanks to Prohibition, most states have dumb alcohol laws of one type or another and, sure, people do learn to adapt to them, but just because we're used to it doesn't make it right. There's no more excuse for it than dumb gun laws.

og said...

Couldn't agree more. And I am as opposed to this bs as you are, on the same principles. Minor inconvenience just isn't a hill I'm willing to die on.

Anonymous said...

I currently live in Indiana.

No beer Sundays does indeed suck, but it is easy to work around for residents near the borders, or for those who plan ahead. I always make sure to have 2-3 extra cases on hand, or in the dedicated garage beer fridge. If I want to get blotto on Sunday, then I will do so the proper way:

1. Get out of bed.
2. Set grill up on driveway in front of house.
3. Drink beer, grill meat, and watch the religious folk drive by with sour looks on their face on their way to church.

All women hate me. All men want to be me.

It's better than Wisconsin. You can buy beer and liquor any day of the week, just not between 9PM and 6AM, or some bullcrap like that. Now that sucks. Once again, who was behind that - bible thumpers and the tavern league.

Tangalor said...

Haa!

In Sunny Florida, you can buy it on Sunday... at 7:01am! Any day!

I don't usually adhere to the 'it's 5 O'clock somewhere' nonsense, but I did a stint of overnights for 3 months about 3 years ago, and... dude... trust me, you'll drink at 7:30am. I only drank 2 or 3 before I was too tired to function, but, by God, I still drank...

The best part about it was going into the 7-11 at 7:12 in the morning and buying a 6 pack. It was me, a clean-shaven nice lookin' cat, in line with a bunch of day-labor dropouts who looked like they'd just as well rob the place than shop there.

I have a rule, though, unless those types of circumstances arrive: Nothing (no matter what day, no matter how many days off in a row) shall I have before 12:00pm. Ever. I usually wait until 5:something, but if it's a good day, even if I won the fraggin' lottery, no way will I start before 12 noon. It's just... wrong.

Robert McDonald said...

It's just another example of stupidity in large numbers. I have to deal with it here in Alabama. Luckily we just recently managed to push through legislation that lets us buy and sell beer with higher alcohol contents. It was a small victory, but a start to getting rid of some stupidity.

Noah D said...

they would have the "blue laws" as long as the Christians and the drunks could stagger to the polls.

Just the schismatics. I drink the stuff every Sunday morning, in the church. Twice a day, every day, if I wanted to.

Just as gun laws had their roots in racism, temperance laws have their roots in religious bigotry.

WV: comsesse - what the Indiana booze laws are lacking, said after a few too many trips to the communion rail...

Anonymous said...

In Colorado, the Sunday sales bill was apposed by many small liquor stores - it meant they had to be open on Sundays, increasing their costs with not a lot of extra sales.
OldeForce

dave said...

It's a real PITA for those of us who live out of state and would like to pick up a keg to take home.

I'm thinking of you, Alcatraz Brewery. I miss my Birdman Brown!

Ken said...

Much like the coalition that coalesces to oppose casino gambling here in Ahiya every time it hits the ballot:

1. Horse tracks (not the 800-pound gorilla they used to be in this state, but they still get their calls returned, as I understand it).
2. The state lottery interest (shhhh, no one's supposed to know).
3. Casino interests outside Ohio.
4. Mother Church (alas!), and a collection of moral scolds.

tjbbpgobIII said...

Tam, I live in one of the worst states in the nation for the citizenry, Alabama, but I remember growing up in Tennessee, the blue laws there meant you couldn't even open a grocery store on Sunday. You are probably too young to remember that but it hasn't been that long since you couldn't even get a mixed drink on the Lords day (for some). You had to learn where the bootleggers were and I could find one in any neighborhood I went to. Mostly white liker, but some of them sold bonded (stamped) whiskey and beer. The only way to get a real drink then was at the VFW and other service clubs Elks, Eagles etc. Sorry to ramble on but blue laws always piss me off, still.

Comrade Misfit said...

In CT, you can't buy booze for off-premises consumption on Sunday or after 8PM.

A year or two ago, when the legislature was considering changing all that, the most vocal opponent were the owners of package stores, who didn't want to have to stay open longer and they liked their days off.

perlhaqr said...

I plumb hate people who just gotta push somebody else around.

Anonymous said...

"It's a real PITA for those of us who live out of state and would like to pick up a keg to take home.

I'm thinking of you, Alcatraz Brewery. I miss my Birdman Brown!"

So, ummm, buy it on Saturday.

O.K., so if I want a beer on Sunday like at a blogmeet, I go to a tavern or restaurant. No big deal.

It's not like the bill won't be back next year.

Shootin' Buddy

NotClauswitz said...

No crazy beer, wine, and liquor laws here in California - what wever y9ou want 27/7. Just stoopit gun laws with big holes in 'em.

Tam said...

"O.K., so if I want a beer on Sunday like at a blogmeet, I go to a tavern or restaurant. No big deal."

There ain't enough lipstick to make this pig of a law look purty.

At least the ones about spitting on the sidewalk or having a guy with a red flag running in front of your car have some basis in reason.