AP story on lowering the drinking age

[PAhunter]

Anyone else think this is nothing more than the liberal higher education system at work. link
If we can't enforce it then lower the age so we won't have to bother.

Jack

[dc dalton]

Actually I have to disagree with you here, I grew up with the 18 year old drinking law (and remember when they changed it) and when they raised it I had to ask one question:

If they can fight and die for their country, if they can vote, then why can't they drink.

[pex]

Anyone else think this is nothing more than the liberal higher education system at work. link
If we can't enforce it then lower the age so we won't have to bother.

Jack

Some are simply in the belief that the government ought not regulate the possession and physical use of such a thing.

Don't lower it. Abolish it.

[knighthawk06699]

At the age of 18 you can die for this country in battle. My opinion is that if you are old enough to take a bullet then you are old enough to have a drink.

[Dredly]

I really think it is pointless to be honest. Kids always drink under age anyway. Keep the driving laws. If you are caught DUI you lose your license until you are 18. IF you are over 18 and you get caught DUI you lose it for a year.

How much easier would that be?

[jsb889]

Some are simply in the belief that the government ought not regulate the possession and physical use of such a thing.

Don't lower it. Abolish it.

We did that once, it didn't work.

I'm all for lowering it, but get harder on DUIs. Tax it to hell. You want to up your chances of killing yourself as well as others, lose your license instead. Kill yourself another way, don't drag innocent people into your death.

I hate alcoholism with a passion, but abolishing it won't keep people from getting it. We'll just have a secondary war on drugs...and sadly, the harder the government tries to make it to get, the easier it is at a younger age. Ask me how I know.

[ChuckS]

Some are simply in the belief that the government ought not regulate the possession and physical use of such a thing.

Don't lower it. Abolish it.

We did that once, it didn't work.

I think you took it the wrong way.

I would agree with Pex...just abolish it (the law) and punish the bad actors, i.e. public drunkedness, DUI, etc.

[PAhunter]

Actually I have to disagree with you here, I grew up with the 18 year old drinking law (and remember when they changed it) and when they raised it I had to ask one question:

If they can fight and die for their country, if they can vote, then why can't they drink.

At the age of 18 you can die for this country in battle. My opinion is that if you are old enough to take a bullet then you are old enough to have a drink.

Agree with you both, been there done that, I too felt the same way at 19. I don't believe these institutions of higher learning are using the same argument.

My original thought was more along the line of liability on the campus.
After looking at the chart citing deaths among students the thought crossed my mind that lawsuits must be pretty common. The families of those that died probably look to hold the school liable to some degree. I saw it as just a way for the administration to get out from under the burden of policing the law on their campus.

Jack

[dc dalton]

My original thought was more along the line of liability on the campus.
After looking at the chart citing deaths among students the thought crossed my mind that lawsuits must be pretty common. The families of those that died probably look to hold the school liable to some degree. I saw it as just a way for the administration to get out from under the burden of policing the law on their campus.

Jack

Understood so let's look at that point of view for one second.

Kids are going to drink no matter what the law says, we all know it. So along with the ability to vote and serve their nation we give them the right to drink at 18 ... now we all know the courts are WAY overloaded with lawsuits, many of them utter BS so saying they can drink at 18 removes the possibility of said lawsuits.

Now I know there would be parents screaming left and right about kids drinking BUT, once again, doesn't this come down to THEM being parents and teaching them the dangers of drinking instead of, once again, neglecting being a real parent and whining for the "state" to care for their kids.

Lastly at 18 they are considered adults in every other way but that (and gun ownership in many states) .. they commit a crime they do adult time .... it's time to stop having "ma and pa government" raising our kids and get these lazy assed parents to do it!

[ReefBlue]

At the age of 18 you can die for this country in battle. My opinion is that if you are old enough to take a bullet then you are old enough to have a drink.

Fine. If someone presents a military ID and is under the age of 21, they should be able to drink legally. Otherwise, back to your parent's basement and sneaking mike's hard lemonade.