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oregon brewers up in arms

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tuqueboy
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oregon brewers up in arms

Post by tuqueboy »


$
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Post by $ »

1900% increase in tax on a barrel of beer. Only government could be so stupid.
Government is the enemy of beer.

$
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Post by $ »

"alcoholism and “untreated substance abuse” costs the state $4.15 billion in lost earnings as well as more than $8 million for health care and nearly $1 billion in law enforcement-related expenditures. "

all caused by beer!

hey I know something that costs about 40% of most economies that should be cured- government. We could get the same "quality" and quantity of government service for half the cost if they got their act together and functioned more like a business. You know, a place where if you don't do your job you get fired. A place where your salary and benefits are based on the market. A place where you have to find efficiencies otherwise your competition destroys you.

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Belgian
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Post by Belgian »

$ wrote: We could get the same "quality" and quantity of government service for half the cost if they got their act together and functioned more like a business. You know, a place where if you don't do your job you get fired. A place where your salary and benefits are based on the market. A place where you have to find efficiencies otherwise your competition destroys you.
+1

100% accountability in government creates such efficiency.

A recession is not an excuse to screw the taxpayer, and then blame the taxpayer for it due to social ills.
In Beerum Veritas

$
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Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:12 pm

Post by $ »

just happened to find some more on this and other states:

http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/17293

(some highlights):
In Oregon, legislators have proposed raising the beer tax from the current $2.60 per barrel to $49.61

An editorial in The Oregonian says, "Excuse our cynicism, but we've sat through this particular barroom discussion enough times to know that it is leading nowhere" (and also notes that state funding for alcohol and drug treatment has been severely cut).

A proposal to more than triple the per-gallon tax on beer from 15 to 52 cents has passed its first test in an Idaho legislative committee.

In New York, Gov. David Patterson has proposed to raise the state tax from 11 cents to 24 cents per gallon of beer, prompting speculation that Anheuser-Busch would close its Lysander brewery as a result

A total of 24 states, including Massachusetts and Virginia, are considering higher alcohol taxes.

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JerCraigs
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Post by JerCraigs »

$ wrote: hey I know something that costs about 40% of most economies that should be cured- government. We could get the same "quality" and quantity of government service for half the cost if they got their act together and functioned more like a business. You know, a place where if you don't do your job you get fired. A place where your salary and benefits are based on the market. A place where you have to find efficiencies otherwise your competition destroys you.
A place where you can completely defraud investors and get away with it! A place where you eliminate all the services that are not profitable no matter how necessary they are. (massive eye roll). Anyone who believes the fallacy that the private sector is inherently better than government is clearly not familiar enough with either.

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Belgian
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Post by Belgian »

It's not either / or though. One city in the United States went for an experiment - 100% accountability.

The city was able to function as well or better with massive savings to taxpayers. Such an experiment should be applied every few years in city governments, and beyond in Provincial and Federal. We already know they CAN do a great job while being more efficient. (In fact accountability creates a work culture that promotes the best, brightest people.)

Of course this would meet much resistance. However, just seeing the political will to openly criticize & review all government functions would be literally awesome.
In Beerum Veritas

$
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Post by $ »

JerCraigs wrote: A place where you can completely defraud investors and get away with it!
Ya, uh, isn't government supposed to do something about that?
A place where you eliminate all the services that are not profitable no matter how necessary they are. (massive eye roll).
Go open an unprofitable business. Best of luck! (massive eye roll).


Anyone who believes the fallacy that the private sector is inherently better than government is clearly not familiar enough with either.
Sounds more like you just don't want to accept it. The evidence is there, it's documented and has been known for decades.
Give me efficient accountable government and there's not much of a problem. Too bad it rarely happens.

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Belgian
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Post by Belgian »

Belgian wrote:It's not either / or though.
I was trying to say:

Private sector is not 'inherently better' than govt, but govt could learn some good things from private sector. The answer perhaps lies not in opposites, but above the two.

(All adversarial thinking relies on an artificial sense of polarity, and leads to no understanding.)
In Beerum Veritas

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JerCraigs
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Post by JerCraigs »

$ wrote:
Anyone who believes the fallacy that the private sector is inherently better than government is clearly not familiar enough with either.
Sounds more like you just don't want to accept it. The evidence is there, it's documented and has been known for decades.
Give me efficient accountable government and there's not much of a problem. Too bad it rarely happens.
Documented where exactly??? (rant deleted since you haven't actually made a point...) If you really think that private sector companies are inherently efficient and better than the public sector nothing I can say is going to change your mind, its an ideological rather than empirical choice on your part.

$
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Post by $ »

funny - I'm sitting here eating a chocolate with a regional government logo and slogan on it, very efficient chocolate public-private cooperation for such an essential service...don't worry, pot holes in the road will get filled one day.

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