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8-A LA PRENSA DE SAN ANTONIO 17 de marzo de 2013
escenario politico
Legislation to help the beverage
industry
For this week’s insights into
the Texas Legislature, I want
to discuss a topic of the utmost
seriousness: Drinking beer. And
whiskey…and tequila.
Perhaps you might expect
something more weighty, such
as education or the budget. Well,
rest assured, I’m hard at work on
those most important issues.
But actually, I consider beer
and distilled spirits to be pretty
serious subjects, too, because if
a package of bills related to the
beverages industry makes its way
through the Legislature and into
law, it will bring good jobs and
business opportunities to Texas.
In recent years, I heard complaints
that certain regulations
put in place shortly after Prohibition
ended no longer made sense
in our modern times. While these
laws may have been necessary in
the 1930s to prohibit monopolies
and mob influence, today they
are seen as inhibiting business
expansion and putting Texas
companies at a competitive
disadvantage with out-of-state
brewers and distillers. However,
several attempts to change these
laws in previous legislative
sessions failed because of disagreements
between different
segments of the industry.
So, about a year ago, I began
a series of stakeholder meetings
that brought these different
factions together. Producers,
distributors, and retailers did
exactly what we should do in a
democracy: They identified their
differences, figured out what
they could agree on, and looked
for solutions.
The end result has been a series
of bills that I helped author.
State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte
Gates addresses first bi-partisan meeting
By Laura Zapata
With regards to beer, Senate
Bills 515-518 would:
• Help production brewers
(such as San Antonio’s Ranger
Creek or Alamo Beer Company)
to sell a small amount of their
product on the premises of their
brewery
• Allow brewpubs (retailers
that brew their own, often restaurants,
such as San Antonio’s
Blue Star Brewing or Freetail
Brewing) to sell their products
off-premises
• Allow brewers under a certain
size to self-distribute.
These bills still keep our
“three-tier” system in place
(which requires separation between
producers, distributors,
and retailers) while acknowledging
that the beer industry
has changed in recent years and
that we must allow these small
brewers to expand. Maybe some
small Texas brewer will become
the next craft beer success story,
like Boston’s Samuel Adams
Brewing did!
This package of bills just
passed the Senate Business &
Commerce Committee. Hopefully,
it will eventually make its
way through the Senate, House,
and to the Governor’s desk.
I’m also trying to help other
artisans that have recently sprung
up in Texas: makers of quality
distilled spirits (San Antonio
examples include Ranger
Creek again, which also makes
whiskey, and Rebecca Creek
Distillery).
Much like the beer bills, my
SB 905 would allow distillers to
get their product directly into the
hands of consumers. If passed,
distillers could sell a limited
On Thursday, Bill Gates addressed
the first bi-partisan
meeting of the Freshman Class.
Gates and his wife Melinda
co-chair the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation where they
work to expand opportunity to
the world’s most disadvantaged
people by collaborating with
grantees and partners. The luncheon
was hosted by Republican
Freshman Class President Luke
Messer and Democrat Freshman
Class Co-Presidents Rep. Matt
Cartwright and Rep. Joaquin
Castro.
“It was an honor to talk to new
legislators about the enduring
commitment our country has
shown to improving the health
of the poorest people around the
world over the past 15 years,”
said Bill Gates, co-chair of the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
“American tax payers can
be proud that our representatives
have put aside politics in an
effort to work together for the
greater good.”
“Whether in business or his
philanthropic efforts, Bill Gates
is a model of what can be accomplished
with strong leadership
focused on measured results,”
said Rep. Luke Messer. “Hearing
from Mr. Gates was a great opportunity
for this newly elected
group of leaders who are eager
to make a difference. Working
together, I am convinced the
freshman class can contribute to
the national debate.”
“Mr. Gates’ view that we
must do the most good we can
as efficiently, and directly, as
possible borrows from the best
parts of our Democratic and Republican
values, and his desire
to alleviate suffering transcends
party lines,” said Rep. Matt
Cartwright. “I look forward to
amount of their product at their
distillery, and they could sell a
bottle or two of their product for
visitors to take home, much like
wineries may do now.
Two of my other bills, SB
642 and 652, would more easily
allow bulk sales of distillers’
products.
SB 642 would allow food producers
— such as, say, a barbecue
sauce maker that wants to use
whiskey in the sauce — to buy
in bulk directly from an in-state
distiller. Currently, they must
buy from a retailer, an arrangement
that is expensive to the
food producer and has cost our
in-state distillers some lucrative
contracts. Hey, why shouldn’t
a Texas barbecue sauce contain
all Texas ingredients, instead of
being forced to use whiskey from
Kentucky or Tennessee?
Similarly, SB 652 would allow
Texas distillers to sell in bulk
to one another instead of being
forced to buy from out-of-state.
The bill also allows a distiller to
buy directly from a brewer —
this would save money for Texas
distillers, such as those who may
want to buy Texas beer to use in
the production of their whiskies.
Both SB 642 and 652 passed
the Senate on Wednesday, and
now head to the House.
When you look at it that way,
you can see this is actually quite
a serious topic. These bills are
about more than a drinking
a beverage — they’re about
growing Texas businesses, putting
people to work, and buying
Texan!
State Senator Leticia Van de
Putte represents District 26 in
central Bexar County.
working closely with my freshman
members—Republicans
and Democrats alike—to set the
clear goals and bring about the
positive, measurable change that
Mr. Gates spoke so eloquently
about.”
“I truly believe that our freshman
class came to Washington
ready to take on the big issues
of the day and move our country
forward,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro.
“After two months in office,
many of us have crossed party
lines in an effort to do what is
best for the country. As we came
together to listen to a man whose
organization is dedicated to
improving people’s lives, I was
encouraged to continue working
with all of my colleagues to put
Americans first.”
The luncheon was attended
by over 60 of the 84 freshman
members of Congress and is the
first of several bi-partisan events
of the freshman class.
AVISO A AGRICULTORES O
GANADEROS HISPANOS Y
A MUJERES AGRICULTORAS
O GANADERAS
COMPENSACIÓN POR RECLAMACIÓN DE DISCRIMINACIÓN
Si usted o alguien que usted conoce considera que el Departamento de
Agricultura de Estados Unidos (USDA por sus siglas en inglés) le negó
indebidamente beneficios de préstamos agrícolas entre los años 1981 y
2000 por ser hispano o mujer, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos
para solicitar compensación.
Solo reclamaciones enviadas por correo y fechadas por el servicio
postal el 25 Marzo 2013 o antes pueden ser consideradas para pago
en efectivo o alivio de deuda.
Si usted considera que califica para solicitar compensación, por favor
llame al Centro de Llamadas para Agricultores y Ganaderos o ingrese a
la página web:
1-888-508-4429
www.farmerclaims.gov
political scene
Appreciating American politics
At a moment when competing
budget plans and debates
over gun control legislation
consistently remind the US
public of the difficulties that
the Democratic and Republican
parties sometimes have in
finding common ground, it is
worth appreciating some of the
positive aspects of the country’s
political system. For this
purpose, reflecting on Italy’s
recent parliamentary election
is valuable.
Three facts should be noted
firsthand. First, Italy has had
literally dozens of governments
since the Second World
War, whereas the United States
has only had 13 presidents
(including FDR who died before
the war’s end) during the
same period. Second, Italy’s
political spectrum is a hodgepodge
of center-right, fascist,
avowed communist, populist,
leftist, and even regional parties.
Needless to say, the range
of ideologies represented in the
US Congress is much narrower
and legislators must manifest
their diverse beliefs within
one of only two parties. Conversely,
there are currently 14
parties represented in the 630
member Chamber of Deputies
and a similar number are in the
319 member Senate of Italy’s
parliament.
Third, Italians have a much
higher level of political participation.
The turnout last month
was the lowest in a legislative
election since World War II,
but it was still about 75%.
Conversely, US presidential
elections rarely garner close
to 60%.
Some readers may be familiar
with political satirist Steven
Colbert’s attempts to become
a viable presidential contender,
either as a Democrat or an
Independent. While he never
succeeded, Colbert’s Italian
counterpart has. About onefourth
of Italian voters just cast
their ballots for a new party, the
Five Star Movement (M5S),
created by a comedian named
Beppe Grillo. His strident
anti-establishment criticisms
proved effective with a public
disgruntled with austerity and
disillusioned with their political
officials. Though the M5S
came in third place behind two
broad coalitions, some opine
that it will be the kingmaker
in selecting the new prime
minister. In the alternative,
new elections must be held if
no party can garner enough
support from smaller parties to
obtain a majority of seats and
form a new government. That
is no easy task and requires
multi-partisanship on a scale
rarely seen in the United States.
Such complexity and uncertainty
highlights some of
the perhaps-underappreciated
By Carlos Castañeda
advantages of the presidential,
relative-majority system of the
United States. While it may be
less dynamic and the positions
of certain legislators are sometimes
boringly predictable, this
gives a political stability to the
world’s largest economy, which
investors cherish and Italy’s
system often lacks. The fact
that the stock market dipped
significantly after Italy’s election
on February 25th is a testament
to this fact.
The complex rules for apportioning
seats to parties in the
proportional representation system
are beyond the scope of this
article, but what is noteworthy
is the uncertainty and need for
political accommodation (critics
would call it horse-trading)
amongst various parties is a
feature that the United States
need not worry about. Gridlock
could always be much, much
worse.
Thus, though it helps to look
in the mirror from time to time
in order to objectively evaluate
the faults of one’s country,
looking abroad for some instructive
comparisons is also
worthwhile. While complaints
about a lack of bipartisanship
will continue, as will the needless
disparagement of party
“moderates” as part of demands
for ideological purity, there is
still plenty to like about American
government.
Cruz offers amendment
to defund Obamacare
From the Offices of
Senator Ted Cruz
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX)
Wednesday gave his first major
floor speech, offering his amendment
that defunds Obamacare in
the Continuing Resolution, the
“Restore Growth First” amendment.
He was earlier joined at a
press conference by Sens. Mike
Lee (R-UT), Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
and Rand Paul (R-KY) to discuss
the importance of passing this
legislation.
“Economic growth should
be our first priority and if we
implement Obamacare now, it is
certain to be destructive to economic
growth,” Sen. Cruz said.
“We have already seen more and
more small businesses reducing
jobs, dropping healthcare coverage
or forcing employees to work
fewer hours in order to avoid the
burdens and costs of Obamacare.
Every elected official should be
united in preventing a policy
which will lead to further job
losses and make it more difficult
for young people, Hispanics,
African Americans, single moms
and others who are struggling.
To implement Obamacare now,
when the economy has flat lined,
has potential to do enormous
harm and enormous damage to
the economy.”
Co-sponsors to the “Restore
Growth First” amendment cosponsors
include: Lee; Inhofe;
Paul; Marco Rubio (R-FL); John
Cornyn (R-TX); Ron Johnson
(R-WI); Jim Risch (R-ID); David
Vitter (R-LA); Tom Coburn (R-
OK); Tim Scott (R-SC); Dean
Heller (R-NV); Pat Toomey
(R-PA); Mike Johanns (R-PA);
Deb Fischer (R-NE); Johnny
Isakson (R-GA); Richard Burr
(R-NC); Pat Roberts (R-KS);
John Barrasso (R-WY); and Jeff
Sessions (R-AL).
“Nancy Pelosi famously said
we needed to pass Obamacare
to see what was in it,” Sen. Lee
said. “Now that we know what is
in it, it’s critical that we clarify
for the American, beyond a shadow
of a doubt, who does and does
not still support this complex,
expensive, and damaging law.”
President Obama promised
American families they would
pay $2,500 less for their insurance
premiums by the end of
his first term. Today, the average
premium has increased
$3,000—a $5,500 swing between
what was promised versus what
has happened.
Additionally, only 2 percent of
the health plans currently available
to consumers in the private
market offer the coverage needed
to satisfy mandatory government
requirements, according to
HealthPocket Inc., a technology
firm that compares and ranks
health plans. Obamacare also
includes more than 20 tax increases
that the Joint Committee
on Taxation estimates will raise
$1 trillion in taxes over the next
decade.
Numerous third parties have
voiced their support for Sen.
Cruz’s amendment to defund
Obamacare, including:
• Club for Growth
• Heritage Action
• National Taxpayers Union
• Family Research Council
• FreedomWorks
• Tea Party Patriots
• Americans for Prosperity
• National Right to Life
• Concerned Women for America
• Citizens Against Government
Waste
• Eagle Forum
• Americans for Tax Reform
• Independent Women’s Voice
• American Commitment
• Madison Project
• Senate Conservatives Fund
• Campaign for Liberty
• Virginians for Quality Healthcare
El Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados
Unidos es un proveedor y empleador que apoya
la igualdad de oportunidades.
United States
Department of
Agriculture