A Republican Congress Should Make Obama Lower the Drinking Age

[Coolidge/Dawes '24]

Article here.

Certain legislating moralizers will likely complain that repealing the drinking age is akin to giving teens permission to drink. To them, I would point out the obvious: Teens are already drinking (in unimaginable excess), and because the police can arrest them for it, they do their drinking as far away from public scrutiny as possible - in the very places where they are most likely to be in danger (i.e. stranger's basements). Other students who are willing and able to break the law and avoid the cops become the gatekeepers to teen drinking, rather than the local bartender. Which sounds preferable?

 

[acptulsa]

The last time it got lowered people were shamed into it because service members were being expected to fight and die and find out firsthand that war is hell without even being allowed to get shitfaced once in a while. Which is inhuman. And every time it gets raised is during a time of peace (yes, children, we used to have times of peace).

If you want this done, that would be the proven argument. And since it looks like peace is a thing of the past, like dirigibles and organic food and living wages...

 

[jmdrake]

Drinking ages aren't a federal issue. They are set by states.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._history_of_alcohol_minimum_purchase_age_by_state

Why bring the federal government back into the alcohol prohibition business?

 

[phill4paul]

Drinking ages aren't a federal issue. They are set by states.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._history_of_alcohol_minimum_purchase_age_by_state

Why bring the federal government back into the alcohol prohibition business?

However, the Federal Government coerces states by with holding highway funds.

23 U.S. Code § 158 - National minimum drinking age

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/23/158

 

[acptulsa]

However, the Federal Government coerces states by with holding highway funds.

Along with blood alcohol content threshholds, minimum driving ages, speed limits, roadblock checkpoints, and a whole host of other things the federal government has no business at all mucking about in.

So next time you see me say that eliminating the federal fuel tax would go no small way toward ending federal tyranny, y'all will have a clue why I say it.

 

[presence]

The government shouldn't be involved in regulating personal habits. This should be a family issue.

 

[acptulsa]

The government shouldn't be involved in regulating personal habits. This should be a family issue.

It is.

It's being settled by The Motherland and Uncle Joebama Stalin.

Careful what you say next, comrade. There's not a lot of food to spare for the gulag-bound.

 

[Ronin Truth]

Not enough drunk teen drivers for you?

 

[acptulsa]

Not enough drunk teen drivers for you?

Haven't noticed a lot of change in that department. If anything, there are more than ever since none of the kids have bartenders to call cabs for them.

Drunken teens behind the wheel are still even more numerous than guns in 'gun-free zone' schools.

 

[jmdrake]

However, the Federal Government coerces states by with holding highway funds.

23 U.S. Code § 158 - National minimum drinking age

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/23/158

Interesting. I should have read the article.

The limit was dreamed up in the 1980s as a bit of political posturing by then-secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole. It has been a disaster. College drinking hasn't been reduced; it has just moved out of bars and into dorm rooms, fraternities/sororities and house parties. The result has been a boom in alcohol problems on campus.

No chance of this going anywhere. But undoing the work of Mrs. Dole would be a good thing.

 

[jmdrake]

Not enough drunk teen drivers for you?

Haven't noticed a lot of change in that department. If anything, there are more than ever since none of the kids have bartenders to call cabs for them.

Drunken teens behind the wheel are still even more numerous than guns in 'gun-free zone' schools.

Acptulsa is of course right, but Ronin Truth has identified the sentiment that would be thrown around if this was ever a serious proposal.

 

[Bastiat's The Law]

The Feds will deny states their federal highway money if they try this.

 

[CaptUSA]

Drinking age - Law #43,896 to which I never paid attention.


I try not to allow my freedom to be dictated by the "laws" of politicians.

 

[Danke]

Drunk teens are not all that bad.

 

[acptulsa]

The Feds will deny states their federal highway money if they try this.

Way past time the states denied the feds their federal fuel taxes.

I think a lot of people--not just us--are sick of the feds overreaching in revenue collection, taking their cut, and apportioning that revenue back to the states not according to need but according to said states' willingness to jump through federal hoops.

Sucks having one's money held hostage.

 

[Ronin Truth]

The last time it got lowered people were shamed into it because service members were being expected to fight and die and find out firsthand that war is hell without even being allowed to get shitfaced once in a while. Which is inhuman. And every time it gets raised is during a time of peace (yes, children, we used to have times of peace).

If you want this done, that would be the proven argument. And since it looks like peace is a thing of the past, like dirigibles and organic food and living wages...

Easier fix, raise the fighting and dying age.

 

[TheCount]

Thread title is kind of strange... it's entirely within Congress's power to change.

I completely agree with the idea, but can't imagine Republicans actually doing it for fear of offending certain religious groups.

 

[fr33]

I completely agree with the idea, but can't imagine Republicans actually doing it for fear of offending certain religious groups.

Yeah, let's not forget what groups support things like the drinking age and other types of blue laws.