Booze Shipping Across Md Borders? Never Mind--maybe........

For those that continue to fantasize about a Beer-of-the-Month Club, Wine-of-the-Month Club, or ordering direct from Russian River or New Glarus or Port Brewing............  you may have seen recent indications that Maryland legislators may have been considering actions towards liberalizing the rights of Marylanders to buy booze (well, wine, at least) out of state and have it shipped home.

Yeah, well........... even if Annapolis cooperates, the Feds in the District of Columbia appear to have other ideas, according to Reason Magazine Online:

A bill that could wind up severly restricting interstate booze trade—thus raising prices, limiting selection, and generally making the world a dryer place, all while giving the Commerce Clause the heave-ho when it comes to trade in beer, wine, and liquor—managed to win a hearing today from the ready-to-get-outta-Dodge House Judiciary Committee. The legislation in question is the cheesily-acronymed Comprehensive Alcohol Regulatory Effectiveness (CARE) Act, which would make it easier for state alcohol wholesalers to protect their monopolies. From the Wine Spectator's Twitter feed, this lively little exchange:

HR 5034 CARE Act hearing: Rep. Towns: "I oppose cheaper alcohol." Rep. Conyers: "You just slid into an invisible minority!"