Monday, May 05, 2008

Another NA (non-alcoholic) election day tomorrow.

Longtime readers have seen this one before, but it's appropriate to repeat these sentiments before each election. The text below is my latest reworking as published last week as a "Mug Shot" article for LEO (it appeared on Wednesday, April 30).

Needless to say: The Public House will not be open until 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6. Sportstime Pizza will observe regular hours beginning at 11:00 a.m., for what is destined to be an excruciatingly dry lunch. There'll be open seating at Prost from 6:00 p.m. to watch election returns on the big screen.

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In 2008, Indiana's primary election takes place on May 6, and Kentucky's follows two Tuesdays later on May 20.

In both states, Election Day brings with it roughly eleven hours of state-mandated prohibition against the sale of demon rum, and consequently the bars can't open until the polls close. Of course, one might drink continuously until 3:30 or 4:00 a.m. election morning, and then nurse a carry-out six-pack or a bottle of single malt Scotch during the comparatively brief time it takes to watch an Adam Sandler DVD before crawling off in a stupor to vote when the polls open at six.

Presumably, this unwelcome vestige of an otherwise discredited social policy serves as a bulwark against the horrific possibility that unscrupulous politicos or their conniving agents might swap half-pints of Kessler (or a similarly valued slopping spree at the community's on-premise watering holes) in exchange for a poor wretch's vote.

As there exists no commensurate prohibition against the sale of strong black coffee, chocolate-covered Krispy Kremes and hickory-smoked bacon, apparently the veiled but very real threat of breakfast-induced bribery is not worthy of the same scrutiny as that posed by the insidious grape and the grain.

If you're hopelessly intoxicated after ingesting that half-pint of Kessler, are you really any more destructive to democracy than the perfectly sober voter who is following instructions provided by a fundamentalist preacher, who in turn has promised not temporal inebriation, but a favorable reference when the time comes to take up residence in heaven?

I think not, and hope you had the foresight to visit your favorite package store on Monday night. Otherwise, remember that the taps open at 6:00 p.m., and to quote Groucho Marx, then there'll be "dancing in the streets, drinking in the saloons, and necking in the parlor."

5 comments:

Mat Gerdenich, Cavalier Distributing said...

This is a crazy stupid law! It total messes up our delivery schedule and our sales are always down on an election week (so much for helping the economy) . 48 other states do not have this stupid law! Only Indiana and Kentucky. Even Arkansas is ahead us on this one. Lets face it the world might just be a better place if most everybody had a drink before they voted. Even Hillary had a shot and a beer (probably not a craft beer) while on the campaign trail in Northern Indiana.

Mat Gerdenich,
Cavalier Distributing

David said...

In KY. liquor and wine distributors can deliver their product but beer dist. can not. Go figure.

Mat Gerdenich, Cavalier Distributing said...

It is legal for us Hoosiers to deliver beer on an election day. However almost all of our liquor store customers are closed that day.

Anyone want to start a pool as to which state will be last to sell beer on election day?

Mat Gerdenich,
Cavalier Distributing

Weight Loss Warrior said...
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When an alcoholic beverage is consumed it passes down the esophagus through the stomach and into the small intestine.

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