When Josh let me know the Senate was serious about a tax on beer in their most recent revenue proposal, I flew to my calculator in a cold sweat. How much would this tax punish me at the cash register of my neighborhood gas station circa 1:55 a.m. Friday night?



This proposed tax is 50 cents on one gallon of beer, and although a gallon a week might seem like a lot, it's not. Let me illustrate: One gallon is 128 fluid ounces, and that’s about ten and two-thirds 12-ounce beers. If I drink four nights out of the week and have 6 beers each night (a light night), I’m already at 24 empty cans, or 2.25 gallons of beer in one week. That means I could pay nearly $1.13 extra a week just to party. Believe me, that's not good news when your living off a PubliCola "stipend." $1.13, that’s two bags of Lay’s salt and vinegar potato chips at 2:30 a.m.

Is it clear to you, dear reader, that this is an assault on youth? It smacks of injustice, and I encourage all of you to make your own calculations and write your Senator asking them to reimburse you.

Action must be taken. After happy hour, of course, which is right now. After that—action. Together we are strong.