Save the Ales!

Hundred of Colorado small businesses were saved yesterday,

Beer drinkers will have to settle for shopping at the state's 1,650 liquor stores for full-strength brew.

A bill to let grocers and convenience stores sell high-alcohol suds went flat in committee late Wednesday on a 7-4 vote, with proponents warning they may take the issue straight to voters.

Bill sponsor Rep. Buffie McFadyen, who delivered 66,000 signatures from shoppers favoring expanded strong-beer sales, said she thinks the issue could end up on the 2010 ballot.

Despite McFayden's foot-stomping there is no outpouring of support for this legislation. The supporters of this bill are large national corporations as was clearly demonstrated yesterday by Colorado's 7/11 franchisee's.

Democrats should protect Colorado's small businesses and unique independent brewery scene and stop trying to knee-cap them at the behest of corporate grocery and convenience stores. If there was ever an example of a needless bill that was purely driven by special interest greed this was it.

That Rep. McFayden felt the need to threaten Colorado business owners and entreprenauers after seeing her bill defeated does not speak well of her charachter. I would hope such immature and childish behavior would be beneath our legislators.