Remember when it was rumored that some drinks in New York City were costing as much as $10? Now, of course, cocktails can cost as much as $20 at a trendy District bar. But in this economy, things couldn’t possibly get worse, could they? According to the beverage giant Diageo, the answer is yes. From an email I received last night from my good friend Johnnie Walker (which Diageo owns):
I was then directed to a link to AxeTaxesNotJobs.com, which elaborates on the pernicious effects of regressive taxes even further. Seriously, I understand that the folks at Diageo, an empire of booze that includes Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanquerey, and Captain Morgan, has a stake in the current battle over financing health care reform. They’re not exactly impartial. But the fact is, the cost of drinking could go up, and people could lose their jobs. Even worse, the cost of drinking could go up. Isn’t that reason enough to proceed with caution? And no, I am not blogging on this to curry favor with Diageo. I happen to feel very strongly about regressive taxes. I think about it all the time, particularly when I come home from work, kick back, and pour myself a glass of Johnnie Walker Black Label-three ice cubes-and ruminate on the oak, the peat, and the ultimate smoothness of this exquisitely blended . . .
