Miller Coors, Minnesota - A Confederacy of Dunces

One of the great book titles of all time is John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces.   It would make a fitting headline for a story in today’s Minneapolis Star & Tribune, although the Strib would never see it that way.

“The MillerCoors brewing company landed in the cross hairs of Minnesota's government shutdown Wednesday when state officials said it would have to stop selling its beer in the state because of expired licenses.

The Department of Public Safety told the brewer it must stop distribution in Minnesota and devise a plan to pull its product from the shelves, including Coors, Coors Lite, Miller Lite, Miller High Life and 35 other name-brand beers. That would decimate choices for consumers. MillerCoors supplies 38 percent of the beer sold in Minnesota.”

As the story details, licenses need to be renewed every three years.  So how did this slip by MillerCoors? 

“MillerCoors attempted to renew in mid-June, but, according to company officials, sent the state a check for more than the required amount [note: if you think getting the amount correct is easy, you haven’t done these sort of things before, trust me]. Green said the company followed up with a new check, which the state received June 27.

But on June 30, one day before the government shutdown, the company received a letter from the state that its brand licenses had expired. State employees who would typically renew those licenses have been deemed noncritical during the shutdown and laid off.”

Yeah those tea party people who want less government are clearly nuts.
http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/125526248.html