Wisconsin wants to lower drinking age for state's soldiers

[savafan]

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/...tml?ESRC=eb.nl

Associated Press
June 1, 2005

MADISON, Wis. - 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.

A federal law ties federal highway dollars to compliance by the states with the required drinking age of 21.

"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.

Pettis admits his proposal will be a tough sell unless Wisconsin gets the federal government's approval - or at least permission to start a pilot program to prove it will not cause more accidents or other problems opponents associate with a younger drinking age.

Wisconsin transportation officials say the federal government has told them there is no process to apply for a waiver from the drinking age requirement, and creating one would likely take an act of Congress.

The bill would create an exemption for 19- and 20-year-old soldiers from Wisconsin - but not for soldiers from out of state. A valid military ID along with a Wisconsin driver's license or identification card would be required.

A committee is expected to send the bill to the full Assembly for consideration next week, and Gov. Jim Doyle has said he supports it - as long as Wisconsin does not lose any federal highway money.

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.

[registerthis]

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/...tml?ESRC=eb.nl

Associated Press
June 1, 2005

MADISON, Wis. - 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.

He's right, you know.

They can go off to kill people, and put their lives in extreme danger for their government...and can't drink a beer.

[Puffy]

word.

[savafan]

Personally, I have no problem with this at all. I'd go so far as to lower the drinking age for everyone. Europe has a lower drinking age, and much lower DUI numbers. Of course, they have stronger DUI laws, which I feel that we need here as well.

[westofyou]

Europe has a lower drinking age, and much lower DUI numbers.

They don't have a car culture either.

[savafan]

They don't have a car culture either.

True

[919191]

20 years ago, or so, when the states with the lower drinking age raised the law to 21, it met no resistance from the young people affected. Maybe if they had become active and made their voice heard, the laws would have remained the same. I was on who "lost" his drinking privileges after having been legal. Was federal funding and the threatened loss of it behind this? I don't remember.

[Puffy]

20 years ago, or so, when the states with the lower drinking age raised the law to 21, it met no resistance from the young people affected. Maybe if they had become active and made their voice heard, the laws would have remained the same. I was on who "lost" his drinking privileges after having been legal. Was federal funding and the threatened loss of it behind this? I don't remember.

Highways - they tied the money to highways. That is the reason Hawaii was the last state to implement the higher drinking age. Hawaii has no interstate highways (obviously) so they could afford to hold out.

[RedFanAlways1966]

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.

I am not arguing whether I agree with it or not, but the ACLU and a lot of others will go crazy if this is enacted. Your job decides whether or not you can legally buy beer? Pretty discriminatory. Then think of the lawsuits by 27-year-old former GIs who claim the gov't helped lead them to the road of alcoholism. With the strength of groups like MADD, I cannot believe this will ever pass or receive the okay by the Fed. Gov't relative to the highway funds.

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

If true, then should the voting age be changed? Or perhaps just more gunpowder for the director of MADD's gun? I'd think the latter.

[RBA]

Highways - they tied the money to highways. That is the reason Hawaii was the last state to implement the higher drinking age. Hawaii has no interstate highways (obviously) so they could afford to hold out.

The H-1, H-2, and H-3 are all interstate highways. Granted they only go thru one state. Actually, only one island, but they are funded by the interstate highway program.

If you have the time, drive the H-3 from Pearl City to KBay, It's one of the most scenic Highways ever built. It's like driving thru Jurastic Park, without the dinos.

[REDREAD]

20 years ago, or so, when the states with the lower drinking age raised the law to 21, it met no resistance from the young people affected. Maybe if they had become active and made their voice heard, the laws would have remained the same. I was on who "lost" his drinking privileges after having been legal. Was federal funding and the threatened loss of it behind this? I don't remember.

Yeah, I was one that "lost privilledges" as well. The problem was that the states were blackmailed by the federal government. If they didn't raise the drinking age, they'd lose their highway money. (I really despise how the federal gov blackmails states like this, BTW).

At least in NC, when the age was raised, nothing really changed. It wasn't enforced, we still went to the bars and bought beer at the grocery store. Even the ABC store didn't card sometimes.

IIRC, it took about 5-6 years before they really started enforcing it..Probably due to MADD or something like that.

Sadly, I don't really think the federal gov would care if all 19-21 year olds rose a stink about the drinking age being raised. People that age tend not to vote. They probably gained a lot of votes from MADD fanatics and senior citizens by raising the age.

[registerthis]

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/...tml?ESRC=eb.nlShe also said research shows the brain has not fully developed until people reach age 21. "It's for their own protection," Kinnard said.

I hate this argument, if only because we're sending 18- and 19-year olds over to Iraq and Afghanistan armed with automatic weapons, tanks, missles, and all assorted types of weapons in order to KILL and BE KILLED, and then some MADD spokesperson comes up and says 19 year olds can't drink because their brain isn't fully developed yet? What an absolute load of rubbish this is.

If the government trusts you enough to hand you a gun and tell you to go kill people, then surely they can trust you with a beer.