How Are Booze, Snacks and Politics Good for the Country?

Booze and politics make strange bedfellows but are proving to be good for the economy. Pundits say Wednesday’s presidential debate is going to give the country a boost—and for a reason that might be surprising.

“It’s a contest and people like to watch contests,” Eric Shepard, executive editor of the trade journal Beer Marketer’s Insights, says in SmartMoney.

Turns out the debates create a micro-economy of its own. While the candidates are on stage Wednesday night trading barbs over domestic policy, it’s what viewers are doing—lots of eating and drinking, both at home and out in bars and restaurants—that industry experts say will bump up dining, snack food and beverage sales, according to SmartMoney.

To attract business, venues across America are hosting viewing parties. It’s a move that Rachel Feddersen, Patch’s chief content officer, tells SmartMoney is all about creating a sense of grassroots participation in the political process by bringing the tavern back to its true roots.

“The tavern was the crossroads of the community,” Feddersen said.

Who else can benefit?

Snack food maker Frito-Lay is vying for a piece of the action by inviting people to choose the next “Commander in Cheese” by casting a vote for a portrait of their favorite candidate rendered entirely in—wait for it—Cheetos.

The company announced in a press release Wednesday that Chester Cheetah tapped renowned artist Jason Baalman to create portraits of the president and the Republican challenger out of 2,000 individual Cheetos.

“During the presidential campaign season, Americans constantly turn to the polls to find out how their favorite candidate is stacking up along the way,” stated Ram Krishnan, vice president of marketing for Frito-Lay North America. “We decided to get in on the action by providing our fans with a truly cheesy way to add to the polling data.”

And bars are sure to like a drinking game suggested by PolicyMic for those throwing back a few while President Barack Obama and former Gov. Mitt Romney slug it out in Denver. Trigger words include class warfare, Bain, Forward, tax cuts, fair share, small business, Obamacare, and 47 percent.