Wednesday, December 05, 2018

Perplexitites

J. Christian Adams, over at PJMedia examines the federally mandated drinking age and  argues that it should be lowered to age 18.  He has a good discussion of the issue, and I agree that it deserves a second look.

I have long held that we should have one age of majority.  If, at some point, the state decides that a person is competent to enter into contracts, buy and sell property, enter into marriage, obtain the right to vote, and serve our military, then that person should also have the right to walk into a bar and buy a beer.  It's a simple concept.  Either you're an adult or you're not.

Other arguments can be made that the states are more properly the custodian of the question, that it is simply not the province of the federal government to decide such issues.

Interestingly, one of our local municipalities is this weekend,  deciding a local ballot measure that would change the city from basically dry to basically wet.  There are five options on the ballot that voters will address, basically from a strict prohibition, through low-alcohol package sales to high-alcohol package sales, to drinking in restaurants, to wide-open bars.  Historically, this town has been "dry", but enough citizens got together a petition that the city was required to put it on a ballot.

These are interesting questions, indeed.  Let freedom ring.

4 comments:

Old NFO said...

Interesting, and I can remember the 18 year drinking age in Louisiana. Sigh...

Dave said...

Don't forget purchasing handguns at the age of majority, since that currently has a higher age requirement as well.

Jonathan H said...

I agree that there should be one age for everything - I'm open to debate for what that age is however; I'm not sold on either 18 or 21. My best thoughts so far are 19 or 20. To me, too many 18 year olds aren't ready for adult life (though to be fair, that is often their parents fault - shielding and protecting your kid does them no favors later in life).

Steve said...

Either you're an adult or not. They can't even decide if there are only two genders...and you want them to recognize adulthood? Heh, when your "child" can stay on your health insurance till they are 27; then that shows to me, this is a political situation.

Steve