The following is part of a series of real-time responses to the empty rhetoric made by Secretary Tom Wolf during tonight’s Pennsylvania Chamber Gubernatorial debate with Governor Tom Corbett.

TOM WOLF ON LIQUOR REFORM

WOLF CLAIM:

Wolf opposes reforming Pennsylvania’s outdated liquor laws for consumers.

RESPONSE:

Tom Wolf opposes choice and convenience for Pennsylvanians when it comes to alcohol purchases by ending the state-run monopoly on liquor and wine.

“Tom Wolf, the Democratic candidate, does not support liquor privatization and would likely block any effort to extract the state from the liquor business if elected.” – Morning Call, 07/07/2014

Tom Wolf supports turning Pennsylvania into a national liquor and wine conglomerate, expanding liquor sales into other states, but doesn’t support the state competing with his kitchen cabinet distributor.

Asked if he didn't agree with the premise that government shouldn't operate, say, a kitchen cabinet business (the same kind of business on which the Wolf family has built a very profitable enterprise), Wolf didn't see much wrong with the state running a giant liquor business. In fact, he talked of expanding Pennsylvania's existing cluster-cluck of a monopolistic system to supply other states. Given Pennsylvania's volume buying power, Wolf sees the Keystone State as something of a regional, if not nationwide, liquor broker and reaping a huge windfall. “Pennsylvania, State of Liquor”? Think again. – Tribune-Review, 08/30/2014

Tom Corbett joins a majority of Pennsylvanians in believing we should turn the liquor business over to the private sector where it belongs to provide the choice and convenience enjoyed by 48 other states. Tom Corbett has made historic progress on reform, getting a bill through the House and onto the floor of the Senate.

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