The World According to Nick
My take on Software, Technology, Politics, and anything else I feel like talking about.
Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Why Not Go a Step Further? 

A Wisconsin Assemblyman is trying to pass a state law which would allow members of the military who are 19 or 20 to drink:

One Wisconsin lawmaker figures if the U.S. military trusts 19-year-olds with a $10 million tank, then the state should trust them with a beer.

State Rep. Mark Pettis, a Republican who served in the Navy, is pushing a bill that would drop the drinking age to 19 for Wisconsin soldiers — but only if the federal government agrees it will not yank an estimated $50 million a year in highway aid.

Oh that's right... if Wisconsin were to pass that law, then the Federal Government would yank highway money since Constitutionaly they have no right to force states to set a drinking age through any method other than blackmail.

"We're treating these young men and women as adults when they're at war. But we treat them like teenagers when they're here in the states," he said.

Let's go through the list one more time of things you can do before 21 except drink. You can drive a car, smoke cigarettes (at least for now), sign a contract, serve in the military, vote... shall I continue? Hell... depending on the crime you commit, you can be sent to adult court at 16! But you can't drink?

The Wisconsin chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving has lobbied against the bill. Its executive director, Kari Kinnard, said statistics show there have been fewer highway fatalities, injuries and other problems associated with alcohol since the mandatory minimum went into effect in the 1980s.

She also said research shows the brain has not fully developed until people reach age 21. "It's for their own protection," Kinnard said.

Just out of curiosity... what research by who? And also... has that same research shown that alcohol is determinental to that development, or is that just your assumption? I firmly believe in lowering the drinking age for everyone to 18, not just members of the armed forces.

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About Me



Name: Nick
Home: Wauwatosa, WI, United States

I'm a Software Consultant in the Milwaukee area. Among various geeky pursuits, I'm also an amateur triathlete, and enjoy rock climbing. I also like to think I'm a political pundit.


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