As many readers already know, last week Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Robert Garton bizarrely killed a painstakingly crafted small winery shipping compromise at the last minute, citing pending litigation as a deal-killer, and leaving reasonable people statewide scratching their heads in utter disbelief.
Courtesy of the Indiana Law Blog, here’s a link to perhaps the finest editorial I’ve yet seen on the matter, one that places Sen. Garton’s action in its proper context:
Ind. Law - Richmond Pal-Item Editorial: Garton's decision hurts state wineries.
Here are two brief highlight.
Consider the ramifications of Garton's position. Want to stop a bill, any bill, from making its way through the Indiana General Assembly? Apparently, all it takes is the filing of a lawsuit? Now consider the hypocrisy …
… Gov. Mitch Daniels needs to enter this fray forcefully and on behalf of the state's wineries, which are important to the state's tourism and economic development. The days of legislatively picking winners and losers among the state's diverse and competitive alcohol beverage interests must fall beneath the weight of open markets.
Open markets? Competitive? Diversity? Given the deadening grip of the three-tier distribution system, the grandstanding pettifoggery of elected officials like Robert Garton, and the menacing presence of the Prohibitionist and health fascism lobbies, it’s clear that the Richmond newspaper is speaking in revolutionary terms with yesterday’s editorial.
That our local newspaper might be as courageous!
Wonder if there's a bowling alley in Garton's district ...
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