...vowing to introduce a bill in two years—that is, after the initiative amendment sunset has passed—that would allow hard liquor to be sold in stores under 10,000 square feet? You know, to help small businesses, to give independent producers a shot in specialty stores, to help locally owned producers and retailers. You don't need to let every convenience store in the state sell hard liquor, of course, but surely you can find a way to loosen the grip of grocery giants so the little guys get a slice of the market. Also, while you're at it, how about closing the loophole that allows Costco and other warehouse-owning grocers to bypass that 10 percent tax on distribution?

True, allowing small stores to carry liquor would require Democrats to concede that their anti-convenience-store schtick was a canard ginned up to satisfy their alliance with alcohol lobbies. But hopefully they aren't so married to that shilltastic theater—or so caught up in their pride—that they would let it undermine their base in the long haul.