Great column on why an increased beer tax just ain't fair

Tom Purcell has a great column in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (that's been picked up and re-published across the country) on why an increase in beer tax is a bad and unfair idea.

Here's part of it, a part I fully endorse (except the "beer-slugging" part...but I'd be a liar if I said I didn't knock back beers pretty heavily in college myself):

I'm not entirely against paying taxes to fund government programs. I like driving around on the wide-open highways that my tax contributions helped build.
I'm grateful for the government-backed loans that got me through my beer-slugging days at Penn State (to paraphrase comedian Frank Nicotero, I graduated with a 1.2 ... blood-alcohol level).
I'm happy for the government agencies that protect our borders, track down criminals across state lines and make sure our food and water are safe.
But higher taxes on beer? Why not increase taxes on hot dogs and apple pie while we're at it?

That's right, Tom. Take a look. It's a fairness issue.