He has rationalized his alcoholism as a necessary requirement for the job. In order for Patrick to write:
1. He must be buzzed
2. He must be at the bar
The genius content he produces simply cannot be written under any other circumstances. Niki's poor dead dad worked his entire life, only to die early and pay for his son-in-law's "writing conditions".
The federal government gave him money to get drunk, write about space elephants, and then decide to abandon that. For a project called Christmas Carnage. Another round, it's part of my writing process!