Is the State of Washington Trying to Get Costco to Leave?

[PapaG]

Just saw the latest anti-1183 ad. They have given up the "Mini-Mart" lie, but now they are blaming Costco, which is based in the Seattle area, for opening up the hard liquor market?

Idiots.

 

[MARIS61]

Costco is the main backer of the initiative, and 1183 will definitely open up the hard liquor market.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

I'm voting yes on 1183.

 

[BrianFromWA]

my brother did a lot of the accounting and proposal work for 1100 and 1105 (iirc) and was flabbergasted at how many of the state senators didn't even bother to read them.

That 1% doesn't just own the Congress (housemoms in tennis shoes leading the SuperCommittee, anyone?), now they're seeping into the state houses and getting the populace to vote against corporate corruption. Or something.

There's no reason that a private company cannot sell alcohol over 25 proof. Especially when we have "private practices" selling unregulated "medical marijuana" in the state.

 

[Ed O]

The interests vested in seeing 1183 fail are willing to take shots at Costco if it helps them defeat the measure.

I don't think that this will drive Costco away, but it is a function of the short-sighted nature of much of today's politics.

Ed O.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Another thing that isn't mentioned is that, if places are starting to abuse their selling of alcohol (whatever the proof), cities can set up "Alcohol Impact Areas" that restrict the sale of certain brands/products over a certain proof. I helped White Center write up their proposal as part of the Safety Council. It's not that difficult.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

There's no reason that a private company cannot sell alcohol over 25 proof. Especially when we have "private practices" selling unregulated "medical marijuana" in the state.

Two wrongs don't make a right.

Also I can think of lots of reasons why selling unregulated medical marijuana is not as bad as the impacts alcohol have on society. Regulating alcohol is a good thing. How much is up to individuals when they vote, but I don't see the correlation between that and the access of medical marijuana.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Alcohol won't become the Wild West if you can buy it at Costco vice buying it at any one of a thousand State Liquor storefronts. IT's already done in Washington at every single military base in the state...there's no "state liquor board" controlling who buys it there.

What does "unregulated medical marijuana" have to do with "impacts alcohol have on society?" Regulating alcohol IS a good thing. Things like "no selling to anyone under 21" and ".08 lands you in jail" are great. Things like "we restrict the right for anyone else to sell it to you b/c we're running a business at a loss due to lower volume sales, lower infrastructure capability and lower margins, etc." are not good for business. And it's obviously not a "public safety" issue, b/c of the lack of Prohibition on alcohol and lack of there being an issue about the unregulated sales of substances that ARE prohibited to a vast majority of the populace.

 

[barfo]

Alcohol won't become the Wild West if you can buy it at Costco vice buying it at any one of a thousand State Liquor storefronts. IT's already done in Washington at every single military base in the state...there's no "state liquor board" controlling who buys it there.

And the phrase "drunken sailor" has never been uttered in the state of Washington.

barfo

 

[jlprk]

The measure will fail, deservedly so. The present socialist chain of government stores works just fine. There's one a block from where I live, neat and orderly. No lines. No sales deceptions. I just bought some rum there 3 nights ago.

Last election, Wal-Mart was blamed for paying for most of it, because they did. This time Costco's paying for most. They won't bother after this failure. Similarly, Industrial Insurance is state-run, much more efficient than the crazy chaos in California, where many private companies compete to get employers to use them. Socialism makes things so simple.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

The measure will fail, deservedly so. The present socialist chain of government stores works just fine. There's one a block from where I live, neat and orderly. No lines. No sales deceptions. I just bought some rum there 3 nights ago.

Last election, Wal-Mart was blamed for paying for most of it, because they did. This time Costco's paying for most. They won't bother after this failure. Similarly, Industrial Insurance is state-run, much more efficient than the crazy chaos in California, where many private companies compete to get employers to use them. Socialism makes things so simple.

Dont be so sure. The most recent polls have it being very close.
The state doesnt need to be in the liquor business... regulate it, yes... sell it, no. Reports/independent study's show that the state would get $279 million in increased revenue over the current system.

 

[Bob Dobalina]

I voted yes. Mainly because I don't have a liquor store a block from me. lol.

 

[Bob Dobalina]

60 percent of the early returns.

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/nov/08/washington-voters-approve-privatized-liquor-sales/

 

[MARIS61]

This is great news for Northern Oregon!

With California booze always privatized, Southern and Beautiful Central Oregon have never had much of a problem with drunks lurking about. They tend to go where the booze falls from trees.

But Portland is too far from California for most drunks to even get a bearing on never mind undertake the actual journey there. Most any drunk can stumble across the bridge to Vancouver, where they'll eventually take up residence of a sort.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

This is good. out here in California, only ghetto areas have liquor stores. once the groceries and costcos push the pure liquor stores out of the burbs, you'll have a much nicer enviornment overall. only trash buys their liquor at liquor stores. they are dens of scum.

true alcoholics are too self conscious for the costcos and fred meyers to buy their booze while wasted.

 

[jlprk]

here in California, only ghetto areas have liquor stores. once the groceries and costcos push the pure liquor stores out of the burbs, you'll have a much nicer enviornment overall. only trash buys their liquor at liquor stores. they are dens of scum.

That's what I'm thinking. In Washington, liquor is currently sold in clean little mini-malls, spaced about 2-3 miles apart. The line is at most one person in front of you, and all they're buying is one bottle, so you wait about 15 seconds.

Now, in the red-light district in the alley behind the whorehouse, you'll have to stand in line behind the stoned welfare queen miscounting her food stamps while the murderer behind you breathes down your neck.

This is a real vote for stupidity. Things have been so nice and simple. The small stores sell only one thing, liquor, and everything's laid out and organized. Every product has a similar label with per-liter cost in the same corner of the label so you can compare fast.

 

[jlprk]

Look at the signs in the picture. You walk in, you walk straight to the type of liquor you want, the line is 20 seconds, you're out in less than a minute.

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/nov/08/washington-voters-approve-privatized-liquor-sales/

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Just saw the latest anti-1183 ad. They have given up the "Mini-Mart" lie, but now they are blaming Costco, which is based in the Seattle area, for opening up the hard liquor market? Idiots.

Check the article and get back to us as to who's the idiot.

Costco Wholesale Corp. had committed $22 million to supporting the measure — $6 for every registered voter...Costco was the primary funding source, with the next largest donors, Safeway and Trader Joe’s, giving just $50,000. The spending was the largest ever from one donor in Washington

 

[Bob Dobalina]

I'm hoping we'll end up with something more like a BevMo.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

I'm laughing at all the crystal ball reactions some of you are coming up with. Drunks everywhere! 24 hours a day! An infestation of drunk zombies! Run for your lives!!!! Nothing is gonna change except the state will make more $$ and booze will be cheaper for consumers and restaraunts. No brainer.

 

[julius]

I'm laughing at all the crystal ball reactions some of you are coming up with. Drunks everywhere! 24 hours a day! An infestation of drunk zombies! Run for your lives!!!! Nothing is gonna change except the state will make more $$ and booze will be cheaper for consumers and restaraunts. No brainer.

Did you know the way to get rid of drunk zombies is to give them coffee?

 

[BrianFromWA]

Hypocrisy much?

Tom Geiger, communication director for the union representing more than 700 workers in state-run liquor stores, said he thought the results raised questions about democracy itself.

"If a private company decides to spend tens of millions of dollars to pass a new law, to buy an election, can they do it?" Geiger asked. The results in this case, he said, suggest they can.

I just pulled this from a website, so it could be all jacked up b/c it's right-leaning. But the Teamsters , at least, have quantified some of their funding.

Here’s a breakdown of what some of the top unions donated to the Democratic Party in the 2008 and 2010 election cycles:

•The AFL-CIO, whose president Richard Trumka is orchestrating much of the protests in Madison this week, donated $1.2 million to Democrats in 2008 and $900,000 in 2010.
•The American Federation of State, County and Municipal employees donated $2.6 million to the Democrats in 2008 and another $2.6 million in 2010.
•The National Education Association donated $2.3 million to Democrats in 2008 and $2.2 million in 2010.
•The Teamsters union donated $2.4 million to Democrats in 2008 and $2.3 million in 2010.
•The SEIU donated $2.6 million to Democrats in 2008 and $1.7 million in 2010.
•The Carpenters and Joiners union donated $2 million to Democrats in 2008 and $2.1 million 2010.
•The Laborers union donated $2.6 million to Democrats in 2008 and $2.2 million in 2010.
•The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers donated $3.8 million to Democrats in 2008 and $3.2 million in 2010.
•The American Federation of Teachers donated $2.8 million to Democrats in 2008 and $2.7 million in 2010.
•The Machinists and Aerospace union donated $2.5 million to Democrats in 2008 and $2.1 million in 2010.
•The Communication Workers of America, which includes employees from several television and radio stations and other publishing platforms, donated $2.2 million to Democrats in 2008 and $2.1 million in 2010.
•The United Autoworkers union (UAW) donated $2.1 million to Democrats in 2008 and $1.5 million in 2010.
•The United Food and Commercial Workers union (UFCW) donated $2.1 million to Democrats in 2008 and $1.9 million in 2010.
Most unions gave a negligible amount, if anything at all, to the Republican Party over the past two election cycles.

Did Barack Obama "buy" the election? Or did he succeed in getting his message across to enough people who liked that message to vote for him? Seems like what happened in 1183.

 

[Bob Dobalina]

What I've found interesting throughout the process was that all I saw driving around Vancouver was "No on 1183" signs. Even the commercials were evenly split between No and Yes. I kept thinking to myself "where did all the money Costco spent go?"

 

[BrianFromWA]

The article said that of the 22M Costco donated, "only" 18M was used, so they're probably getting that back.

Honestly, I don't know what to make of that.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

What I've found interesting throughout the process was that all I saw driving around Vancouver was "No on 1183" signs. Even the commercials were evenly split between No and Yes. I kept thinking to myself "where did all the money Costco spent go?"

Probably went to various politicians and public officials to buy their support.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Speaking of companies "buying elections," here's the Federal-level donations being tracked:

 

[Ed O]

What I've found interesting throughout the process was that all I saw driving around Vancouver was "No on 1183" signs. Even the commercials were evenly split between No and Yes. I kept thinking to myself "where did all the money Costco spent go?"

I only saw "No" commercials here in Seattle... lots of them. I don't think that I saw anything regarding "Yes" other than one of my Facebook friends liking a "Yes on 1183" page. As for where the money might have gone: phone banking, ground work, etc. I dunno.

Ed O.

 

[porkchopexpress]

This is good. out here in California, only ghetto areas have liquor stores. once the groceries and costcos push the pure liquor stores out of the burbs, you'll have a much nicer enviornment overall. only trash buys their liquor at liquor stores. they are dens of scum.

true alcoholics are too self conscious for the costcos and fred meyers to buy their booze while wasted.

After spending 4 years in central NY where I had to go the liquor store to buy WINE, I love it out here in California. If I need a lot and have time to plan ahead, i go to costco. If I just need some now, I go to CVS, Rite Aid, Vons, Albertsons, etc and grab a bottle. I don't' think I can even think of a pure liquor store and I'm right in downtown SD. With all the other options, there's just no point.

 

[HailBlazers]

After spending 4 years in central NY where I had to go the liquor store to buy WINE, I love it out here in California. If I need a lot and have time to plan ahead, i go to costco. If I just need some now, I go to CVS, Rite Aid, Vons, Albertsons, etc and grab a bottle. I don't' think I can even think of a pure liquor store and I'm right in downtown SD. With all the other options, there's just no point.

That being said I could see a lot of mom and pop liquor stores going out of business in the NW if it passed.

 

[Ed O]

That being said I could see a lot of mom and pop liquor stores going out of business in the NW if it passed.

In Washington the liquor stores are owned and operated by the state. There are no mom and pop liquor stores to go out of business.

Ed O.

 

[jlprk]

What I've found interesting throughout the process was that all I saw driving around Vancouver was "No on 1183" signs. Even the commercials were evenly split between No and Yes. I kept thinking to myself "where did all the money Costco spent go?"

Same here. I'm shocked at the vote. It appeared that my side was in the vast majority. Elections are easily controlled now that we are forced to mail ballots with our names on them, and one Diebold computer guy does the counting.

Prices will go up now that profit's added into them. Government can be more expensive than private enterprise if the government employees are paid more, but in this case, the liquor store employees look like former AAers making minimum wage.

So liquor prices will go up, we'll wait in longer lines, and we'll have a more confusing search in a grocery store.