The Human Effect

Last November, voters here in Washington passed Initiative 1183, which gets the State out of the liquor sales and liquor and spirits distributing business.  It is expected to drop the prices of liquor somewhat, by letting Costco sell me stock-up size bottles of Black Velvet, while also saving the state money(40 million ish), because they won't be running individual liquor stores anymore.

I voted yes for it, because I'm all for cheaper, bigger liquor and saving the State money.

Yesterday though, I had a moment of doubt.  I was swinging through the liquor store for some more free packing boxes, when I overheard a conversation between one of the checkers, and one of the 'regulars'.  When asked how he was doing, the check responded he was doing okay, but the job hunt was not going so well.

The 'regular' was surprised, since he hadn't followed I-1183.  I'm not sure how he hadn't heard of this...Costco spent more money on this Initiative(22 MILLION) than has ever been spent on one before.  Some Many people make me sad.

The clerk followed up, with yeah...as of May 31st, everyone at the state liquor store in Richland was getting a pink slip, and so far early searching for a job was not going good.

I just minded my own business, figuring that wasn't a good time to point out I had voted FOR the initiative.  It's possible I felt a little bad.  $40 Million looks like good savings on paper for the State...but then you realize that it IS going to effect individual peoples and families on some level. 

It was only for a few minutes though...sooner rather than later I came back to center, realizing that for YEARS this guy has been earning a pretty decent income with state employee benefits and a pension for being, well, essentially, a cashier.  I'm not trying to go all elitist because I am a highly trained and employable nuclear type...but, when your job skill is sliding a bottle over a scanner, and matching the right bottle to the empty spot on a shelf...well, I'm sure you can find something with those same skills at the going market rate at Wal-Mart.