Anti-Microbrewer Group Reiterates Support of Perry

Today, the Wholesale Beer Distributors of Texas, a lobbying group, reiterated its support of Texas Gov. Rick Perry for reelection. WBDT, of course, is the powerful group that keeps blocking legislative bills that would legalize on-site sales for microbreweries. WBDT made a similar endorsement last year during Perry's primary contest against Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Therefore, I think it's time we revisit this post.

Obviously, some things have changed since that posting: Perry, of course, got the GOP nomination; Bill White did, in fact, switch from a U.S. Senate run and became the Democratic nominee; and Kathie Glass is the Libertarian candidate. However, my opinions of WBDT and Perry have not changed.

I just sent an e-mail to the White campaign asking for their opinion regarding on-site sales. As of this posting, they haven't yet replied, but I suspect this photo offers a hint. I'll also ask Glass her opinion; I would assume allowing on-site sales would be the logical Libertarian stance.

An Anti-Endorsement

On the whole, I try to keep politics out of this blog, even though my day job is political reporter for Austin's alternative weekly newspaper. Here, I want us take a break from the bitterness that occupies so many other places on the net.

So I'm not gonna use this forum to tell you who to vote for. But I just got some news that compels me to at least tell you who NOT to vote for. Texas Gov. Rick Perry, running for re-election in 2010, just got the endorsement of the Wholesale Beer Distributors of Texas. Therefore, that makes Perry the enemy of craft beer lovers in Texas.

If you read this blog earlier in the year, you know that WBDT and its lobbyist, Mike McKinney, single-handedly killed off a bill during the 81st Legislative Session that would have allowed microbrewers to sell their product on the premises of the brewery — a sales-boosting opportunity afforded to Texas wineries, but not to beermakers. They also killed a similar bill in 2007 during the 80th session. The wholesalers have a stranglehold on how beer gets from the brewing tanks to you. Understandably, they don't want that stranglehold taken away, but the legislators (and Governor) ought to be serving the public, not the lobby.

So if WBDT is getting whole hog behind Perry, then you can guess how things are gonna go in the unlikely event an on-site sales bill ever reaches his desk.

Now, I'm not going to be disingenuous here: For what it's worth, I'm a big flaming Democrat, and wouldn't vote for Perry anyway. However, I'm not gonna single out one of his opponents for the official I Love Beer endorsement. If you love good beer, vote for whoever you damn well please, just so long as it's not him.

In the Republican primary, Perry is being challenged by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Larry Kilgore, and Debra Medina. In the Democratic primary, declared candidates are Kinky Friedman, Tom Schieffer, and Hank Gilbert, and Farouk Shami is expected to declare soon. Among Libertarians, you have Jeff Daiell, Kenneth Griffith, and Steve Nichols (no relation to yours truly, as far as I know). Fran Cavanaugh is an independent candidate.

It's been rumored that Houston Mayor Bill White might switch from the U.S. Senate race (to replace Hutchison) and jump into the gubernatorial contest. His campaign firmly denies it, but if he did, I think this photo shows why he would quickly jump to the front for my vote.

Is Your Congressman In the Small Brewers Caucus?

Mine (Michael McCaul, TX-10) is not. And he really ought to be, because his district stretches from Austin to Houston. The former has the highest concentration of microbrewers and brewpubs in the state, and Houston has Saint Arnold's.

What is the Small Brewers Caucus? Here's info from the Brewers Association (sorry that some of the formatting is a little screwy):

Support the Community of Beer Enthusiasts and Small Brewers:
Contact Your Congressional Representative

Dear Beer Enthusiasts and Homebrewers,

We’re asking you to contact your U.S. Representative and ask him or her to join the House Small Brewers Caucus. What is the House Small Brewers Caucus?

The U.S. House of Representatives Small Brewers Caucus was formed in 2007 by interested Members of Congress. Their mission is to gain a better understanding of all aspects of small, amateur and professional craft brewing, from business and regulatory issues to the brewing process and history of the small brewing community. The members of the Caucus are passionate about small brewers and craft beer. Co-chairs Representative Peter DeFazio (OR) and Representative Denny Rehberg (MT) have themselves been homebrewers and are avid beer enthusiasts.

Currently, only 49 Representatives belong to the Caucus. To put that in some perspective, 344 Congressional districts are home to at least one small brewery and we assume every one of the 435 districts is home to homebrewers and beer enthusiasts.

You can help by asking your U.S. Representative to join the Caucus. Help assure that you have the strongest voice possible speaking on your beer behalf in Congress.

You’ve come to appreciate the flavor, diversity and quality of your homebrew or locally brewed beers from America’s small breweries. In these uncertain economic and legislative times you can imagine how important it is to educate Congress about the community of homebrewers, beer enthusiasts and small brewers.

Ask your Representative to join the Caucus. Following are resource materials to assist you, including a brief message you can use to make your contact, either sending it “as is” or modifying it to add your personal message.

Thanks for all you do in support of America’s small brewing community.

Charlie Papazian
Charlie Signature
President, Brewers Association

Gary Glass

Director, American Homebrewers Association

_________________________________________________________

Below is a list of the 49 U.S. Representatives who are currently Small Brewers Caucus members. If your Representative DOES NOT appear on this list, please take a moment and email your Member of Congress about joining the Caucus.

If your Representative is already a member, please email him/her a brief thank you for their support of both small brewers and you, the craft beer drinker and enthusiast.

Please visit the official U.S. House of Representatives web site http://www.house.gov/ to access your Representative’s personal web page and contact information – just enter your zip code in the “Find Your Representative” search box in the upper left-hand corner and then click on your Representative’s name on the page that displays to enter his/her personal web page.

House Small Brewers Caucus Roster (as of July 28, 2009)
District Representative District Representative
AR-02 Vic Snyder MT-AL Denny Rehberg
AZ-05 Harry Mitchell NE-02 Lee Terry
CA-01 Mike Thompson NY-12 Nydia Velazquez
CA-02 Wally Herger NY-17 Eliot Engel
CA-06 Lynn Woolsey NY-22 Maurice Hinchey
CA-49 Darrell Issa NY-24 Mike Arcuri
CA-50 Brian Bilbray OK-03 Frank Lucas
CO-01 Diana DeGette OK-04 Tom Cole
CO-02 Jared Polis OR-01 David Wu
CO-03 John Salazar OR-02 Greg Walden
CO-05 Doug Lamborn OR-03 Earl Blumenauer
CO-07 Ed Perlmutter OR-04 Peter DeFazio
GA-05 John Lewis PA-06 Jim Gerlach
HI-02 Mazie Hirono PA-08 Patrick Murphy
IA-02 Dave Loebsack PA-15 Charles Dent
KS-03 Dennis Moore SC-01 Henry Brown, Jr.
MA-01 John Olver TX-23 Ciro Rodriguez
MA-09 Stephen Lynch TX-25 Lloyd Doggett
MA-10 William Delahunt VA-05 Tom Perriello
MI-01 Bert Stupak VT-AL Peter Welch
MI-02 Peter Hoekstra WA-02 Rick Larsen
MI-04 Dave Camp WA-04 Doc Hastings
MI-06 Fred Upton WA-08 Dave Reichert
MI-11 Thaddeus McCotter WI-02 Tammy Baldwin
MO-03 Russ Carnahan

Suggested letter for your U.S. Representative

Dear Representative _____________,

As your constituent, I am writing to ask you to join the House Small Brewers Caucus, co-chaired by Representatives Peter DeFazio and Denny Rehberg.

The purpose of the Small Brewers Caucus is to provide Members of Congress and their staff an opportunity to learn about activities of the American craft brewing community, which includes over 1,500 small and independent American brewery businesses, and beer and homebrewing enthusiasts that participate in and contribute to local community activities and economies. The Small Brewers Caucus also offers opportunities to learn about the science and art of beer and brewing, the dynamics of running a small business as a brewery, the associated regulatory and societal issues and the value of craft beers and small brewing activities.

As a beer enthusiast and ardent supporter of America’s small professional and amateur brewers, I appreciate the many contributions their small, independent businesses make to their local communities. From their flavorful and distinctive locally brewed beers to their community involvement, small breweries are important economic and social hubs in their local communities.

Please contact the Washington office of either Representative DeFazio (202-225-6416) or Representative Rehberg (202-225-3211) to learn more about the Small Brewers Caucus and to join. Thank you for considering my request.

Sincerely,

The Beer Summit

Yes, I know, I'm way behind in making a comment on the beer story of the week, the sharing of brews between President Obama, Henry Louis Gates, and police Sgt. James Crowley. I'll avoid the political aspects and just say this: Damn, Bud Light, Mr. President? I'm so disappointed.

Actually, I'm not. Picking the everyman's beer was the obvious politically shrewd thing to do, especially when his approval rating has been sagging lately.

Which is why I'll likely never make a good politician. I've often contemplated making a run for office (my actual job is covering politics for an Austin newspaper), but faced with Obama's circumstances, I would have said "hell no" when my advisors suggested Bud Light. Public image be damned, I'm ordering some Saint Arnold or Real Ale or Boulevard, or if I really want to kick it into gear, some Breckenridge 471 Double IPA or Stone Arrogant Bastard! I suppose if I really felt like I needed some "common man" cred, I'd at least insist on some Shiner Bock.

But hey, I could probably spin it. After all, after the InBev sale, Obama was committing the rather unpatriotic act of drinking a Belgian beer. All those beers I just named were brewed by U.S. companies! God bless American beer!

Go to the Flying Saucer and VOTE

I could have added this to my "combining my passions" series as well — politics and beer. Beginning Sept. 3 at 7pm, you can go to the Flying Saucer and "vote" for your favorite candidate by purchasing the pint glasses ($5) you see above until election night. Votes will be tallied and updated each day, and customers can vote as many times as they like (presumably, you have to continue shelling out the five bucks each time, but hey, vote-buying is nothing new, right?).

The pint glasses will be available at all Flying Saucer locations.

(Erm, why do they depict Obama wearing lipstick on his glass?)