Stocking up

 Quick quiz: what do Maryland, Alaska, and Rhode Island have in common? 

Beside "seafood," it's beer!

As in, we are one of the three states where beer drinkers can't ankle into a grocery store and stock up on suds. We are also among the group of ten states where one can't buy wine and Worcestershire sauce at the same time. No oenophile, I, so it hardly makes a Ripple of difference to me.

We finally have a governor, Wes Moore, who sees the error in all this. He's going to ask his Buds in the legislature to straighten out this Schlitz and support a proposal that would allow beer and wine  purchases in grocery stores. It's an issue that comes up every year or so here.

“We are the only of our neighboring states to ban the sale of either in grocery stores — resulting in less consumer choice and putting our stores at a disadvantage,” Moore said in a statement. “Lifting this ban puts the consumers first, and ensures fair competition in the marketplace.”

Maryland law restricts alcohol sales to liquor stores owned by Maryland residents.

Quick quiz # 2: who would oppose making it easier for us to buy the beer and wine we enjoy with dinner? Ah. That would be the people who own liquor stores.  Of course they're fighting the governor on this, because if I can grab my Natty Boh along with my nectarines and Navy beans, I won't need to stop at Hi-Price Discount Liquor on the way home. 

Everyone loves capitalism until they don't. So here's my free advice to the soon-to-be-heartbroken liquor store owners: sell me my beer for less than the grocery store does! Maybe you'll have to cut your vacation in the South of France down from two weeks to one, and hang on to the Bentley for another year, but let's crack a cold one to celebrate your decision to stay in business!