Beerconomics?

Conventional wisdom says that the beer and liquor industries are near recession-proof.  Recent numbers from the industry suggest that the beer industry is at least recession resistant.  Check out this weeks story from

NPR's "All Things Considered"

"the beer industry is one of the few sectors not having its worst year since the Great Depression.

...Sales are up 10 percent in January," says Josh Wilson, .... "And I think perhaps people are giving up other things before beer."

With that as a backdrop, please help me reconcile today's call of action from the Brewers Association:

With the introduction of HR 836, the Brewers Excise and Economic Relief Act of 2009, seeking a 50% reduction in the federal excise tax rates for all brewers, America’s small brewers have an unparalleled opportunity to influence policy and strengthen their businesses. We need to build as much support as possible for this bill to give it the best chance of becoming a reality. Please contact your U.S. Congressman and ask that he/she sign on as a co-sponsor of HR 836.

I'm all for tax relief where there is an opportunity to stimulate the economy in a meaningful way, but it seems there are other sectors of our economy that are more desperate for stimuli.  Smells like InBev trying to accelerate their ROI on the A-B acquisition.

Pardon my rant...

-D