Stories From The Nanny State: Black Markets and Loko Smugglers

Today the Four Loko ban came into effect. You can no longer buy Four lokos in Washington State. But for those that live in eastern Washington you can buy them in Idaho and for now Oregon. 

This ban will hopefully serve as a lesson in free market economics.
Besides this ban being a great marketing tool for Four Lokos what else has it accomplished?  Before the ban took effect a large number of people stocked up on Four lokos for resale and others for person consumption. What was worth under three dollars could now be sold for five dollars or more under the table. (Better Return then buying Government Bonds...). This ban also created incentives for people to go on Loko runs to Idaho or Oregon to supply college students with the sweet chemical fruity taste of Four Loko. Just with prohibition, this ban has created a underground market for the drinks.

A lesson in history: Not to long ago Idaho's drinking age was 18 which meant people could cross the boarder from Washington state and get a frosty brew three years before they could in Washington State. This effect caused law enforcement officers to spend a large part of their time enforcing underage drinking laws and not stopping more dangerous crimes. This led to a drain in their local budgets. In the end federal government withheld highway grants and funds from the state unless they changed there laws. Which they later did.

The ban on Four Loko will not stop people from abusing alcohol nor acquiring alcoholic energy drinks. This ban in fact created  incentives to deal the drink illegally and tax free. Will law enforcement go on Loko busts? Will the government be able to stop the transportation of Lokos across state boarders? The obvious answer is no.  They will have about as much luck in apprehending the trade of Four Lokos as they do at stopping underage drinking.  I just hope this is a wake up call for the legislature to see how useless this bans really is. 

Thank you Washington State Liquor Board you created a new market for Four Lokos, popularized the consumption of Four Lokos with underage drinkers and hardcore party animals. And forever proved you inability to understand human nature. By turning Four Lokos into the "forbidden fruit" you just drastically increased the value and sale of Four Lokos. 

It's Not You It's Me: Obamas Political Revelations

With the new elected officials settling into their new positions in congress, the media and political circles are waiting to see what the dynamic of federal government will be for the next two years. With their be bipartisanship? Will the Republicans and the Democrats work together for the betterment of American?

With drastic loses in congress Obama has been trying to draw attention away from the democratic failures and instead focus the blame on himself. The goal of this approach would seem to be an attempt my the President to glaze over the losses and thus more foreword with his agenda. If he can get the general public not to focus on why they lost, but on were his party is planing on going they might be able to regain the momentum they had before this election.

So far this is working with the Democrats but not Republicans. Lately at a number of the press conferences, the president has been attacking the republicans for there inability to "compromise" and has been losing any support from the right. Obama has attempted to make some friends by "trying" to put a end to earmarks, which the Republicans are avidly against. But will Obama be able to win some of the republicans over? So far its not looking good. Look at bills like the START arms treaty with Russia, Obama is having trouble building steam and forging allies on the right. (To learn more about the START arms treaty go to: Washington Post)

The question arises will Obama be able to regain the trust of congress and of the people. Will he be able to moderate the tough choices that will soon come to congress? Or will it be same story as usual.

Better Buy Me Dinner First: TSA patdowns

Looking Towards the Future

From the Evergreen Freedom Foundation

Stories From the Nanny State: Red Light Cameras

In the name of safety the local city council in Bellingham is deciding to put up red light cameras to increase "safety". Sadly red light cameras have nothing to do with safety, in fact they create more problems then solve them. In cities where red light cameras have been added to intersections, the amount of car accidents in those areas actually increase. Why you might ask? On average where ever red light cameras are located the state has a habit of reducing the length of the yellow light in order to get more tickets thus increasing state revenue. Studies show that if you increase the length of the time of the yellow lights you actual have less collisions. So adding red light cameras actually causes more accidents. So why are some counties putting up cameras across the state? Its quite simple, they want more of your money.

In Bellingham, WA a local college group the Young Americans for Liberty, are fighting to have the community have a say in whether or not they add red light cameras to certain parts of there community. The group is lobbying to have a public hearing about the cameras they want to put in their city.    


On Monday, November 22nd, the Bellingham City Council will decide whether to contract with American Traffic Solutions and install red light cameras in six intersections in Bellingham. Young Americans for Liberty have been working on this issue since September when the issue was first presented. On September 27th the Council voted unanimously to hold Public Hearing. Bellingham government sent an email to concerned citizen November 10th denying Public Hearing.  

On November 2, Tim Eyman's Anti-Camera Proposition passed with 70 percent of the vote. Mukilteo voters overwhelmingly passed a measure that would require a public vote for any red light or speed zone camera in the city. After the election Bellingham City Council member Mike Lilliquist  was quoted "I am willing to make that decision without going to the voters"

There should be a large turnout at the City Council Meeting on the Monday 22nd. "We would like the city council to respect the wishes of the people," states Johny Weaver, President of the Young Americans for Liberty Chapter at Whatcom Community College.
 

To learn more go to the links below


http://www.yaliberty.org/posts/seattles-king-5-news-interviews-yal-at-wcc-president

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/227021.asp

Four lokos: Facts Behind the Ban

After doing some research on the subject, I discovered there is a process to fight the ban on Four Loko, the infamous alcohol-and-caffeine energy drink that’s been all over the news lately. I am not, however, supporting Four Loko or its parent company.
I do feel the situation involving their products at Central Washington University was mishandled. Sadly, the abuse of alcohol is not a new craze to hit college campuses. People have been making alcoholic energy drinks from vodka and Red Bull and other like products before Four Loko, and they will do so after.
The real problem that needs to be addressed is underage drinking, including educating minors on the subject. We should be focusing on education, not on government intervention. If the public views this ban as successful, that could open the door for other such bans in the name of public safety. It’s also worth noting a ban on alcoholic energy drinks has twice failed in the Legislature.

Having conducted some research on the topic, I have broken down the legal process to fight the ban and the overall impact of the band as well. See the links below for information—pro and con:
Governor’s press release on the subject
Gov. Gregoire joins Liquor Control Board chair to announce ban on alcoholic energy drinks
 Liquor board "facts" sheet regarding the ban
WSLCB Q & A
Press release from Phusion Projects (Four Loko’s parent company)
Press Release
Phusion Projects response to the proposed ban
Phusion Statement in Response to Washington State Ban on Caffeinated Alcoholic Beverages
If you’re interested in fighting the ban, here are a few things you can do. Create and submit a petition. Contact your legislator. Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper to get your concern out to the general public.

As it stands now, this ban will go into effect in nine days. This ban, however, is not permanent and a law will have to follow to make the ban permanent. To learn more about how to fight the ban, click on the link below.

Petition for adoption, amendment, repeal — Agency action — Appeal.

And here is a time line for the ban.

Projected time line for the regular rule making

·         Nov. 10: Board approves filing the pre-proposal statement of inquiry (CR 101)

·         Dec. 1: Code Reviser publishes notice; WSLCB sends notice to rules distribution list

·         Jan. 3: End of written comment period

·         Jan. 12: Board is asked to approve filing the proposed rules (CR 102 filing)

·         Feb. 2: Code Reviser publishes notice; WSLCB sends notice to rules distribution list

·         Feb. 23: Public hearing held

·         Feb. 23: End of written comment period

·         March 2: Board asked to adopt rules

Thank You for Smoking

This just in FDA health panel discovers smoking can kill you. In order to drive this issue home the FDA has crafted new labels to include on cigarettes. Lucky the cost of printing  billions of additional color labels will only help stimulated the economy. Thus helping smokers everywhere quit smoking and employ people in the printing business. (That last parts is a lie).

Honesty the FDA must be running out of idea for how to convince people and had to turned to Hollywood for inspiration. This idea was the underlining plot for the 2005 film Thank you for smoking. In the film after a comical and emotional debate between the lobbyist and the panel of senators. The idea is shot down after they discussed the including of  warning signs on air plans and on fast food. But this whole idea of having to include the pictures on the cigarettes containers to further inform the public about the problem, is just an over extension of government influence. Like they said in the film, "if you can label cigarettes what would stop you from labeling anything and everything from cheddar cheese to air planes"?

This example of the nanny state, further shows the over zealous nature of the governments control. Instead of educating people and giving them the means to decide for themselves. They go after the companies and not the motivations behind the actions of the people.

"The most oppressive leaders are those that believe that only through them will salvation be found. For they're not after the money of the people but there hearts and minds and will not be content until they controls both."--Martin Luther