Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: greenspirit who wrote (13038)	10/19/2003 3:51:07 PM
From: Lizzie Tudor	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793707

I know all about the wine industry Michael, that is a completely different matter and has nothing to do with protectionism. The California wine industry does not block the sale of french wines in California to protect their market and prices. The wine industry, an arm of alcohol, has a complicated web of state laws to wade through that were put in place in the prohibition times (right when prohibition was lifted). Wine is a 3-tier distribution system, grower, distributor, retailer. Each of these tiers must pay a tax and in some cases the laws require the shipments to sit at the reseller overnight before going to the next tier. Then when wine finally arrives at the reseller, the local laws go into place regarding delivery. Some counties are dry. The wine industry is screaming about this system because the overhead is so cumbersome, it keeps the monopolies entrenched. So in that sense, there is an element of protectionism in the system but it is a symptom not the disease. The disease is the huge tax dollars coming in to local goverment from the movement of wine. If they shut down these arcane laws, no more money and there are some counties where an amazing 30% of revenue comes from alcohol "transport" taxes (I never verified that but I was told that from someone who should know). You know how I know this? I was once the chief architect of an online wineseller! A few years ago, funnest job I ever had. On that note, one of the reasons I wanted Arnie to win in California is because the dems keep raising the "sin taxes" which include wine to unsustainable levels. The wine industry is on its knees already, more taxes they don't need. I guess nobody in wine donated enough to Davis/Bustamante campaign.

To: greenspirit who wrote (13038)	10/19/2003 5:24:16 PM
From: Ish	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793707

<<I love peanuts, and they are way overpriced because of government interference in the U.S.>> The biggest suck holes in the Ag budget are peanuts, sugar, tobacco and welfare. Food stamps belong somewhere other than the Ag department. The sugar cane growers should be wearing masks. They make out better than the drug dealers. Peanuts and tobacco have one thing in common, you can only get the government funds if you have a registered farm. Registered way back. In Kentucky you can have 2 farms side by side, same soils, one's worth $500 an acre and the other $5,000 an acre. The high dollar farm is a registered tobacco farm. They can grow tobacco and the other can't. The big money is, the state will provide the plants, owner plants them and then plows them up to get the government gimme.