A bitter election calls for a cocktail—and a lesson in the lunacy of price controls.
The presidential race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris is bitter, strange, and, especially if you’re a libertarian, more than a little bit depressing.
On the one hand, much of the back and forth between the two candidates has been vapid: Harris has flip-flopped on numerous positions, and resisted detailing many of her proposals. Trump, meanwhile, continues to brainfart ideas into the ether, with varying degrees of seriousness. Defenders of both candidates have argued, at times, that you don’t have to worry about their terrible ideas because they probably wouldn’t be implemented. The specifics of how either would actually govern remains something of a mystery.
On the other hand, whenever this election has touched on the issues, the two camps seem to be converging on a new policy consensus, a set of neo-populist, neo-mercantilist ideas and agenda items. There is much that separates Trump and Harris, but they and their parties are both skeptical of global trade and immigration and intent on using government muscle to prop up (or tear down) industry. And they have both flirted with policies that sound a lot like price controls, of the sort that could wreck industries–or at least cause serious headaches for consumers.
On any given day, in other words, the race swings between no ideas and terrible ideas. It’s enough to drive a person to drink: If you’re going to end up with a headache, you may as well enjoy the prior evening.
Looking for something to imbibe? Let me recommend a thematically appropriate sip of Green Chartreuse, a high-proof, semi-sweet, herbal liqueur based on a secret recipe and produced by capitalist booze monks in France.
Like this election, it’s bitter, mysterious, and more than a little bit weird. Unlike this election, it’s a strange delight, whether sipped on its own or included in a mixed drink.
And it might prepare you for what comes after either Trump or Harris wins the presidency, since finding a bottle means navigating high prices, top-down government controls, and frustrating supply shortages.
