Why is the ABC Commission Still a Thing?

Nic Haag, Libertarian candidate for state Senate 44, had this op-ed printed in the Lincoln Times-News:

The Old North State, one of the 13 original colonies, and home to the 82nd Airborne, is one of the most proud and patriotic states in the nation. Yet the North Carolina government promotes an economic practice more likely found in Stalin’s Russia than a pro-business right-to-work state, the Alcoholic Beverage Control commission.

The ABC commission is not just a government run monopoly, but an overly complicated web of embedded government employees making decisions for the public based on their own personal preferences, economic loyalties and occasionally even bribery. The concept of ABC commissions is a relic of the post-prohibition era, in which the North Carolina government controls every drop of spirit sold in the state. This is to ensure all due taxes are collected and exercise control over a product the government only begrudgingly lets people consume.

Read more here


Showing 2 reactions

Please check your e-mail for a link to activate your account.
  • Jessica Fairchild
    commented 2016-11-08 05:10:37 -0500
    Yes they control every drop therefore they should pay the price for all bad done from the sale of each drop as well. Including but not limited to Drunk Driving, millions of other horrible things that it causes. How bout you scan the license for the alcohol like you do for Opioids,, which are actually prescribed for a specific reason and not originally prescribed for recreationional use. Those products you have to fight the doctor for and then you have to find a pharmacist that will fill it while having to go to 7 different pharmacies because apparently they can charge whatever the hell they want. Alcohol can just be bought at whatever frequency and quantity wanted without question. Great Government control legalize Pot and I promise the number of alcohol related deaths and abuse will be dramatically dropped I guarantee It.

    Another thing would be the fact that there is a damn liquor store on every corner which is the government trying to kill us all because it is not the drinker that suffers its the families just look at the amount of people enrolled in alonon and see what drinking has done to these people. The government controlling anything is a bad idea especially when they cannot pay a teacher what they are worth yet they will benefit from money from the liquor store and whatever drugs confiscated are also used to catch more drugs. The Drug problem in this country is not as bad as you make it out to be and I also guarantee this would not even be an issue if the mental health providers would quit playing tug of war with our medicine. Give the people the medicine that works for their particular ailment or health condition and I swear to you the amount of illegal drugs purchased would drop nearly half of what it is now. Stop giving humans the power to destroy others lives and maybe just maybe this country can begin to prosper instead of being filled with a bunch a selfish inconsiderate people that don’t think twice about the hungry or homeless let alone will they even reach a hand out if you fell right in front of them. That’s the problem with this country. No a woman should not run a country it is a poor decision and even with Bill on her side it is a recipe for disaster for their marriage and for this country. Clinton has ran umpteen successful business’s and he has employees of all levels so to say he is for the rich is not true. You have to look at this country as a business forget the people and run the damn business the people can take care of themselves and just require the same opportunities as the I know him you know her. The country needs more money make it damn the exchange rate its not important. I could care less about the exchange rate when I am using silver to buy gas for my car. For the love of god get rid of the onboarding bullshit I can do the same job as any CEO with a college degree and just because I was not fortunate enough to be born with a silver spoon I cant afford to go to school anymore but I assure you I can run a business just as well as Trump. I would be honored to go into business with Trump because he is not gonna put up with petty bullshit. Yes build the wall but build it to protect the other countries from falling into the americans selfish egotistical ways. Those people come here to help their families but they risk their lives to come here to make next to nothing in which they have to send it all back home leaving them with nothing and we wonder why they are drinking and driving or why they are sneaking around I could imagine being terrified to operate a motor vehicle as an illegal it has to be the most irritating thing ever. I know several illegals that have been here since they were merely a few months old, Those individuals should never be dropped off in another country let alone one they have never lived in before nor do they even speak the damn language it is inhumaine and just digusting. I would personally go and extradite all those people back here and compensate them for our stupidity. Common sense with some knowledge of the human race learn how to read people and this world would be a much better place.
  • C.L. Cooke
    commented 2016-02-20 09:19:32 -0500
    Nic, I believe ABC is fully supported by sales, thus a non budget item, and all salaries come from profits, employees are not state employees, and in other states when liquor and whiskey sales were privatized the social impacts have not been positive. Just sharing what I have been told .
Get Involved Volunteer Donate