Wine sales proposal will hurt small businesses

My spouse works in a small wine and liquor shop, a shop owned by a single mother of two. Opened earlier this year, it was her dream and it is her livelihood.
  
Gov. David Paterson's proposed budget item to allow wine sales in grocery stores is well-intended, but would effectively kill this business and negatively impact the lives and economic status of these four individuals.

Now, think about number of other mom-and-pop shops just like this one across the state. And the people who own them and the folks who work for them.

I understand that the current state of affairs is a result of a monopoly and self-serving legislation designed to keep the liquor lobby happy.

But these people aren't part of that lobby. How do you explain to them that instead of working to save small business, you are willing to throw a subset of them under the bus?

Convenience usually comes at a price to someone.