Prohibition was a Progressive scam

[Votto]

How Taxes Enabled Alcohol Prohibition and Also Led to Its Repeal | Tax Foundation

From The Los Angeles Daily News interview with Lynn Novick, Burns’s co-documentarian:

“I had no idea how important liquor was to the federal government,” says Novick. “It started in the Civil War with the levy on beer and whiskey to help fund the war, and it never really went away. Some 30 percent to 40 percent of the government’s income came from the tax on alcohol. So Prohibitionists realized that the only way they’re going to have a ban was through income tax, which was a progressive cause and was really supposed to distribute wealth and to make things equitable during the robber baron era, where the wealth was being accumulated in a very small segment of the population.”


So essentially the Progressives decided to have a ban on alcohol knowing that it would prompt a movement to fund the government through an income tax. Then when prohibition came and they obtained their federal income tax, then they had no real interest in maintaining the prohibition, after which you saw state run liquor stores pop up all over the nation.

So it was a win/win/win for Progressives.

1. They obtained their federal income tax which forever dismantled federalism and the power of the states.
2. Let Prohibition come and fail and later blame it on evangelical Christians.
3. And later more or less corner the market on alcohol with state run liquor stores and higher sin taxes on alcohol.

 

[Votto]

Does anyone know that alcohol kills more people than any other drug every year?

Alcohol Kills More Than Drugs | Morningside Recovery

So is this fact a walking advertisement that legalizing such drugs is detrimental to the population at large?

Do any libertarians want to tackle this?

 

[Pilot1]

People are going to use drugs, and alcohol (which is also a drug) no matter what the government does to ban it, or make them illegal. Same with people using guns in violence. It doesn't matter what stupid laws get passed.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Does anyone know that alcohol kills more people than any other drug every year?

Alcohol Kills More Than Drugs | Morningside Recovery

So is this fact a walking advertisement that legalizing such drugs is detrimental to the population at large?

Do any libertarians want to tackle this?

Yes it is. As long as alcohol remains legal, other such drugs should be as well.

As libertarians, we think if you wish to kill yourself with booze or drugs you should well be allowed and it is not the government's place to stop you.

 

[Votto]

Does anyone know that alcohol kills more people than any other drug every year?

Alcohol Kills More Than Drugs | Morningside Recovery

So is this fact a walking advertisement that legalizing such drugs is detrimental to the population at large?

Do any libertarians want to tackle this?

Yes it is. As long as alcohol remains legal, other such drugs should be as well.

As libertarians, we think if you wish to kill yourself with booze or drugs you should well be allowed and it is not the government's place to stop you.

It is hard to fathom that alcohol kills more people every year when all you hear in the news is people dying by a rate of around 150 a day from overdoses on heroin.


So no matter how much higher that rate increases with legalized heroin, you are OK with it?

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Does anyone know that alcohol kills more people than any other drug every year?

Alcohol Kills More Than Drugs | Morningside Recovery

So is this fact a walking advertisement that legalizing such drugs is detrimental to the population at large?

Do any libertarians want to tackle this?

Yes it is. As long as alcohol remains legal, other such drugs should be as well.

As libertarians, we think if you wish to kill yourself with booze or drugs you should well be allowed and it is not the government's place to stop you.

It is hard to fathom that alcohol kills more people every year when all you hear in the news is people dying by a rate of around 150 a day from overdoses on heroin.


So no matter how much higher that rate increases with legalized heroin, you are OK with it?

Heroin and alcohol are not comparable.

 

[Votto]

People are going to use drugs, and alcohol (which is also a drug) no matter what the government does to ban it, or make them illegal. Same with people using guns in violence. It doesn't matter what stupid laws get passed.

The notion that a war on drugs can never work is a lie.

Singapore's policy keeps drugs at bay | Michael Teo

In Singapore, the drug abuse rates decline every year and is the lowest in the world.

The bottom line is, the US has no real interest in a real war on drugs.

My guess is the government refuses to secure the drug laden border because these same politicians are on the payroll of the drug lords.

In fact, during prohibition, Congressmen would sneak alcohol into the Capital itself in defiance of the prohibition they passed, so it would not surprise me if the illegal drugs of today are really supported by them as well.

 

[Votto]

Does anyone know that alcohol kills more people than any other drug every year?

Alcohol Kills More Than Drugs | Morningside Recovery

So is this fact a walking advertisement that legalizing such drugs is detrimental to the population at large?

Do any libertarians want to tackle this?

Yes it is. As long as alcohol remains legal, other such drugs should be as well.

As libertarians, we think if you wish to kill yourself with booze or drugs you should well be allowed and it is not the government's place to stop you.

It is hard to fathom that alcohol kills more people every year when all you hear in the news is people dying by a rate of around 150 a day from overdoses on heroin.


So no matter how much higher that rate increases with legalized heroin, you are OK with it?

Heroin and alcohol are not comparable.

in terms of death tolls they are.

I thought murder was illegal, or do you think it should be legal?

When discussing these substances you could argue that you are allowing people to be murdered all across the country, but I reckon that so long as they have their consent on some level, even though they may not really understand what they are doing, it is OK.

 

[Pilot1]

People are going to use drugs, and alcohol (which is also a drug) no matter what the government does to ban it, or make them illegal. Same with people using guns in violence. It doesn't matter what stupid laws get passed.

The notion that a war on drugs can never work is a lie.

Singapore's policy keeps drugs at bay | Michael Teo

In Singapore, the drug abuse rates decline every year and is the lowest in the world.

LOL! Ever go to Singapore? I have. It is a POLICE STATE, not a semi free society like the U.S. Very poor analogy. Spit on the side walk or chew gum in Singapore and see what happens. They will arrest you and then CANE YOU. Do you even know what caning is?

 

[Harpy Eagle]

in terms of death tolls they are.

I thought murder was illegal, or do you think it should be legal?

When discussing these substances you could argue that you are allowing people to be murdered all across the country, but I reckon that so long as they have their consent on some level, even though they may not really understand what they are doing, it is OK.

Murder is something you to do someone else, once again it has nothing to do with the discussion.

 

[Votto]

in terms of death tolls they are.

I thought murder was illegal, or do you think it should be legal?

When discussing these substances you could argue that you are allowing people to be murdered all across the country, but I reckon that so long as they have their consent on some level, even though they may not really understand what they are doing, it is OK.

Murder is something you to do someone else, once again it has nothing to do with the discussion.

So if you are selling a drug to a person that you know will either kill them immediately or in the near future, it is OK?

 

[Moonglow]

The article is incorrect since it was George Washington who put a tax on liquor producers, it started the Whiskey Rebellion in which Washington sent troops to quell the uprising.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

in terms of death tolls they are.

I thought murder was illegal, or do you think it should be legal?

When discussing these substances you could argue that you are allowing people to be murdered all across the country, but I reckon that so long as they have their consent on some level, even though they may not really understand what they are doing, it is OK.

Murder is something you to do someone else, once again it has nothing to do with the discussion.

So if you are selling a drug to a person that you know will either kill them immediately or in the near future, it is OK?

clearly it is since we sell alcohol to alcoholics.

are you suggesting we should ban booze yet again?

 

[petro]

Does anyone know that alcohol kills more people than any other drug every year?

Alcohol Kills More Than Drugs | Morningside Recovery

So is this fact a walking advertisement that legalizing such drugs is detrimental to the population at large?

Do any libertarians want to tackle this?

Yes it is. As long as alcohol remains legal, other such drugs should be as well.

As libertarians, we think if you wish to kill yourself with booze or drugs you should well be allowed and it is not the government's place to stop you.

No shortage of liberals or republicans wishing to control behavior.
Cut from the same cloth. Supporters of the Nanny State.

All anything prohibition or bans accomplish is further expanding the true free market known as the Black Market. Unregulated, uncontrolled and able to meet every demand.

 

[Moonglow]

in terms of death tolls they are.

I thought murder was illegal, or do you think it should be legal?

When discussing these substances you could argue that you are allowing people to be murdered all across the country, but I reckon that so long as they have their consent on some level, even though they may not really understand what they are doing, it is OK.

Murder is something you to do someone else, once again it has nothing to do with the discussion.

So if you are selling a drug to a person that you know will either kill them immediately or in the near future, it is OK?

Must be ok since pharmaceuticals and doctors are drug dealers.

 

[Pilot1]

in terms of death tolls they are.

I thought murder was illegal, or do you think it should be legal?

When discussing these substances you could argue that you are allowing people to be murdered all across the country, but I reckon that so long as they have their consent on some level, even though they may not really understand what they are doing, it is OK.

Murder is something you to do someone else, once again it has nothing to do with the discussion.

So if you are selling a drug to a person that you know will either kill them immediately or in the near future, it is OK?

Have you ever heard of personal responsibility, and also ever heard of human nature?

No response to Singapore and caning huh? Being an alcoholic is illegal in Russia yet most men clearly are.

 

[Votto]

in terms of death tolls they are.

I thought murder was illegal, or do you think it should be legal?

When discussing these substances you could argue that you are allowing people to be murdered all across the country, but I reckon that so long as they have their consent on some level, even though they may not really understand what they are doing, it is OK.

Murder is something you to do someone else, once again it has nothing to do with the discussion.

So if you are selling a drug to a person that you know will either kill them immediately or in the near future, it is OK?

clearly it is since we sell alcohol to alcoholics.

are you suggesting we should ban booze yet again?

I think most people are OK with alcohol simply because it does not seem as harmful to people as other drugs such as heroin. The social acceptance of alcohol I think is what makes it so bad. People really think it is harmless and fun.

Conversely, I think we all have been effected personally on some level with heroin users. We see how they decline rapidly or die immediately, and we understand just how harmful it really is.

However, if it becomes legalized, will it gain more social acceptance like alcohol? And will this devastate the country further?

Currently, I'm not proposing a ban on anything, just making observations and working through things is all.

 

[Votto]

in terms of death tolls they are.

I thought murder was illegal, or do you think it should be legal?

When discussing these substances you could argue that you are allowing people to be murdered all across the country, but I reckon that so long as they have their consent on some level, even though they may not really understand what they are doing, it is OK.

Murder is something you to do someone else, once again it has nothing to do with the discussion.

So if you are selling a drug to a person that you know will either kill them immediately or in the near future, it is OK?

Have you ever heard of personal responsibility, and also ever heard of human nature?

No response to Singapore and caning huh? Being an alcoholic is illegal in Russia yet most men clearly are.

My biggest problem are children. They are not old enough yet to make such decisions, and are influenced by parents who make such bad decisions, or are tricked into taking these substances themselves.

There is no divorcing the children from the culture, so it should make us want to make the culture as child friendly as possible.

See, this is why I'm a conservative and not a libertarian. As Ben Franklin aptly said, “I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such: because I think a General Government necessary for us, and there is no Form of Government but what may be a Blessing to the People if well-administred; and I believe farther that this is likely to be well administred for a Course of Years and can only end in Despotism as other Forms have done before it, when the People shall become so corrupted as to need Despotic Government, being incapable of any other.”

Put another way, you give me a group of people who have good moral fiber and put them in the most dysfunctional government as possible and they will fix it. But put a group of amoral people in the most perfect form of government and they will screw it up.

At the end of the day, people who desire freedom must govern their own moral behavior, or the state will be forced to do it for you.

It is really your choice as a society.

That is why I think the Left has been at war with our moral fiber for some time. They recognize the fact that if you destroy the moral fiber of society, then society will devolve to the point that all you can do is build a fence around everyone and hire a warden.

But then, prison is a Left winged utopia. Everything is free, meals, health care, food, etc, you have 100% equality, and every day is gay pride day.

Most importantly though, no guns allowed in jail.

 

[Disir]

“It started in the Civil War with the levy on beer and whiskey to help fund the war, and it never really went away.

We can ignore the Whiskey Rebellion. https://www.history.com/topics/early-us/whiskey-rebellion

The Women's Christian Temperance Movement was behind prohibition. They were just one of the reform movements that had picked up steam by the time prohibition was passed. Even Hollywood which was in New York at the time moved to California and started it's own self censorship to keep the government from censoring them. I don't think it was a plot. I think it was heavily divided. You could drink and you could buy it with a prescription from what would later become Walgreens.

 

[Pilot1]

It is already ILLEGAL for children to buy alcohol and nicotine products. It is already illegal to buy most drugs except for Marijuana in most states. (still illegal everywhere on the Federal level). Yet kids still get alcohol and cigarettes (and vaping) illegally and certainly buy Marijuana and other drugs ILLEGALLY.