(Jackson, MS) – Things are once again looking bleak for beer down south…
Two separate Mississippi news publication polls show that 97% and 79% of voters, respectively, are in favor of a bill to raise the state’s alcohol limit to 8% ABW. Despite these results, local politicians aren’t budging. From the Hattiesburg American:
“It’s frustrating because it’s reasonable. All you would is bring our laws in line with every single other state. As it is, you’re limiting choice. We have one brewer (Lazy Magnolia) in Mississippi. They’ve had to turn down brewing contracts because the recipe would have resulted in a higher alcohol content. They have literally lost business because of this law. I haven’t given up on these, but if it has anything to do with alcohol, (Lt. Gov.) Phil (Bryant) doesn’t want to see it.”
Bryant said in an e-mailed statement that he did “not see a reasonable public benefit to increasing the alcohol content in Mississippi.”
Sen. Dean Kirby, R-Pearl, chairman of the Finance Committee, confirmed that the beer legislation stood zero chance of making it out of his committee, and that he wouldn’t introduce it.
“I really don’t want to put my committee members in an uncomfortable position in an election year,” he said of his reasons for not bringing the bill to a vote.
Apparently in Mississippi, politicians aren’t elected to serve their constituents and make changes that those constituents want. From what Kirby says, you might as well shut down the legislature in an election year. State taxpayers would never want these politicians to feel “uncomfortable.”
Anheuser-Busch was the sixth largest donor to the coffers of Mississippi politicians in 2009, the last election year. $2,000 of that was donated to Kirby.
Mississippi is known as the Magnolia State. The name, “Magnolia,” is said to mean dignity and nobility among other things.
What’s wrong with our beer, it drink pretty good?
Thanks for covering this. We need all the exposure and press we can get. We also need support to fight this battle, so I hope everyone will check us out at RaiseYourPints.com and on Facebook and Twitter. Please consider joining up and supporting the cause to bring better beer to Mississippi.
Great article! Keep up the good work! Hopefully, the politicians will listen to their constituents.
Bryant has got to go!
Keep up the hard work Butch. Maybe next year we can get these knuckleheads to act right.
Politicians DON’T listen to their constituents – they believe they are the ELITE and above the common man.
Thanks Butch for your efforts, and thanks Adam for covering this.
To any who would like to see these laws changed: Please consider donating to Raise Your Pints. Their lobbying efforts take money to keep them going. Anything helps.
Thanks!
Wesley
As an out of state supporter I’d be willing to write to your officials in charge of tourism. I love the beaches and casinos in MS, but I’ll keep going to Alabama now that I can get my favorite beers. To whom can I write such a letter? If a bunch of people from outside the state bring this up will it hurt or help?
I feel really bad for the folks who live in central Mississippi. If you live on the coast, you can just cruise on over to Slidell or Mobile and pick up your favorite beer. This is ridiculous. Politicians are lining their pockets from the big guys in the beer industry, while the citizens of the state have to spend their money to “work around” their “laws.”
You know what’s ironic? Politicians are hiding behind morality to be immoral. Sickening
I just moved to S. MS and must say, Mississippi beer laws are ridiculous. How can a low ABV beer be sold next to a powerful whiskey? This makes no sense and drives my reasoning to spend my hard-earned money in the better state…Louisiana. Grow some balls MS politicians!