One Year Later...rehab edition

Remember last year when I posted this picture of the bar at my house and the feedback I received trended toward "Are you & Jeff saving your money or are you hoping to get a group discount at rehab?"

 Behold:  One. Year. Later.

After I removed the lamp to make more room we still had several bottles that didn't fit, so I shoved all my favorite vodkas in the spare freezer for safekeeping (chilled coconut vodka = heaven!).

I was also going to also post a picture of our wine rack and inside of our beer fridge, but I was afraid we'd have too many uninvited guests this weekend.  You know I don't like to share!

Cheers!

Coalition Kryptonite

Holy Buckets, people.  Senate Bill 10 Passed!  You can thank me later.   If don't live in Georgia, SB 10 is the proposal to allow local communities to vote on whether to allow retail stores to sell alcohol on Sunday (and oh, baby, do I ever love a referendum!).  It's not a slam dunk - the bill still has to clear the House of Representatives and the Governor has to sign it (he has already said he'll sign), but it's looking like this is the year Georgia finally stops kowtowing to the Christian Coalition and starts recognizing citizen's rights. All of which will give us...the same rights that 47 other states have.  Thanks, GA Senate, for bringing us into the 19th Century.

Holy spitballs, I love GA Legislature Crossover Day almost as much as I love coconut vodka (well may be not almost as much, but you get the picture).  Kind of makes me wish that the House &Senate would only meet three times a year: Once to introduce bills, once for crossover day to vote, and once more to vote on bills that come over from the opposite chamber.  Imagine how much would get done!  No time for posturing or debate, just read the bill and vote.  Does debating ever change anyone's mind?  I think not.

I'm so hoping that the county in which I live decides to have Town Hall meetings to discuss the issue.  Because guess what I am?  Christian Coalition Kryptonite.  My friends, I'm identical to the majority of the members of the Christian Coalition in every way except one: my beliefs.  So when they show up all squeaky-clean and ready for battle, my squeaky-clean ass will be right there with a defense (or an offense, depending on which side you're on).

Don't believe me?  Take a look at this:

Granted, this was a handful of years ago, but have you ever seen a more all-American couple?  I'm wearing flannel and we're posing with a glass of sweet tea for Chrissakes!  Jeff looks like a televangelist and I'm all Stepford wife.

Here's a recent one (and apparently someone's been hitting the Cheeto's a little too hard lately):

Look at that, Christian Coalition:  We're the people who want to buy booze on Sunday.  There's nothing to fear from us!

So when my well-scrubbed, over-educated, professionally-dressed, sober (I can do it, I swear) ass steps up to the podium at the next Town Hall meeting, they're going to think I'm one of them - because according to the Christian Coalition only godless, thieving, baby-raping-sons-of-bitches would buy a bottle of Pinot Grigio on the Lord's Day.  Certainly not long-married, professional college graduates who live in the burbs!  Like, say, me for example.

And then I'll remind them that they can't protect their rights by infringing on mine.  If Sunday sales become legal in the county in which I live, they still have every right not to buy beer, wine or liquor.  It's a win-win.  You still have your rights, but now I have mine. 

Time to dust off my favorite adjective and say that the future for Sunday liquor sales in Georgia looks....awesome!

GA Senate Flushes $$$ Down the Toilet

Today's AJC "Truth-O-Meter" featured the potential economic impact of Sunday take-out liquor sales.  For those of you who don't live in Atlanta, the Atlanta Journal Constitution  is our local newspaper and the "Truth-O-Meter" is a daily feature in which a reporter investigates the validity of a statement or opinion from a local politician or pundit and then rates the results.  The highest rating is "True" - for a quote or opinion that is proven to be correct.  The lowest rating is "Pants on Fire."  You can probably figure out what that one means.  It can be quite amusing.

Today's statement, compliments of the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S.:  "Sunday liquor sales could generate $3.4 million to $4.89 million a year in additional sales tax revenue for Georgia." 

The AJC rating: MOSTLY TRUE (it fell slightly short of a rating of TRUE because a handful of experts believe the additional revenue will be slightly less, but still substantial).

Regardless of whatever moral opposition or chickenshit excuse the Georgia Senate Republican Caucus has for not sending Senate Bill 10 to the Senate floor for a vote, they're flushing a potential cash windfall straight down the toilet.  Millions of dollars.  (Senate Bill 10 is the bill that would allow local citizens to vote on whether or not to allow Sunday take-out liquor sales in the area in which they live).  Is it possible that the Senate Republican Caucus isn't aware of Georgia's desperate need for cash?  They haven't noticed the joblessness?  The teachers and police officers and firefighters suffering from forced furloughs?  The general sense of economic despair?  May be they're more out of touch than I originally thought.

As I've stated in the past (ad nauseum), denying citizens the right to vote is a self-serving act of pandering to the Christian Coalition and the local liquor lobby. But at this point it's pretty clear that it's something else as well: Economically Ignorant.

I can't believe I voted for those assholes.  Shame on me.

Booze on Sundays: the final frontier

I was all stoked about the prospect of finally being able to buy alcohol at the grocery store on Sundays in Georgia until I received today's Atlanta Journal Constitution.  Right on page one (above the fold, no less) I read the headline I've been fearing: "Booze bill not a done deal."  Guess what the subhead is?  "Christian Coalition clear about opposition."

Curses!  My arch-nemesis is making their stand.

Here's what I don't understand: How does my desire to buy a 12 pack of Smirnoff Ice at the local Publix on a Sunday have any effect whatsoever on their desire to celebrate their personal brand of Jesus?  I just don't get it.

I think it's great that other people have faith.  Good on ya' peeps.  Go to church, sing some hymns, do your thing.  I, however, don't share your beliefs.  And when you tell me I shouldn't be allowed to exercise my rights on a Sunday because it violates your faith, well, we've got a problem. 

Yes, I can plan ahead.  I can buy my beer on Saturday or during my regular weekly grocery run.  But why do I have to?  Because of you & your God.  That's my beef.  I have zero problem with people whose religious beliefs differ from mine.  None whatsoever.  But when those other people's beliefs spill over into my everyday life?  Ding ding ding....problem!

I have a second point I'd like you to consider:  It's perfectly legal to buy liquor by the drink in bars and restaurants on Sunday in many parts of Georgia.  So say I want a drink, but my liquor cabinet at home has run dry (not likely, but stick with me here).  In order to get a drink, I have to get in my car and drive to the local watering hole.  And then I have to DRIVE HOME you jackwagons!  Do you see the problem here?  I'm not saying I go out drinking & driving every Sunday.  I don't.  But there are a lot of less organized folks out there who see only one way to drink on your Lord's day.  (I should note that I firmly oppose drinking & diving, and I generally cab it or walk home when I've been drinking.  However, many of my fellow soused citizens don't have the same restraint).

There is some resistance to Sunday sales from other groups, such as the liquor lobby.  To them I say this:  Nobody says you have to be open on Sundays.  If you don't think you'll make money, stay closed.  But don't deny me the right to buy booze on Sunday because it doesn't fit into your business model.

I guess my real point is that you can't protect the rights of one group (the Christian Coalition or liquor store owners) by infringing on the rights on another (me and my fellow tipplers).  Right?  But may be that makes a little too much sense for the legislature these days.