I know, I know, I know, most over-reported story of the year. But there’s one element of the story still deserving of attention. Allegedly U.S. Brewery Distributor execs were very upset that the  beers of choice were produced by foreign owned companies. One was heard asking, “What does this phrase ‘globalization’ of which you speak mean?”

Now, picture these execs sitting in a country club restaurant after 18 holes of golf. I’m going to go be presumptuous and guess that as well-to-do business executives they’re pro free market, pro capitalism, pro Milton Friedman. But when the invisible hand slaps them in the face and foreign competitors erode their market share, they whine and seemingly seek privileged status. 

Why is it that U.S. business execs sing the praises of free markets until they end up getting their asses handed to them by foreign competitors?