Senator Who Nationalized The Drinking Age At 21 Passes Away
Pictured: Senator Frank Lautenberg and a Jonas brother discussing how to best restrict sexual intercourse to those over the age of 20.
I’m not here to disrespect the dead, even though I’m sure quite a few commenters will have less than kind things to say about a Democratic Senator from New Jersey whose legislation inhibited their ability to drink and caused a fair portion of their criminal history. Still, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg was the Senate’s oldest member, the last Senator to be a World War II veteran, and a huge proponent of the G.I. Bill, so there’s that. He was 89.
Otherwise, the guy was unsurprisingly liberal, considering he was a northeastern Democrat. Quite a bit of his most famous legislative accomplishments were restrictive in nature, such as the national drinking age requirement, even if some were definitely for the best, like banning smoking on commercial airline flights.
Political alignment aside, the guy was admittedly an adept politician. Technically, keeping the drinking age a state issue by simply threatening to cut 10% of federal highway funds to any state that did not comply with the 21-years-old suggestion was clever, though Lautenberg’s justification for changing the drinking age to 21 across the country is certainly ironic, given his ultimatum.
He argued that the change would save lives by ending “a crazy quilt of drinking ages in neighboring states” and prevent those under 21 from driving over “blood borders” to get drunk and then try to drive home.
I definitely understand his desire to cut down on drunk driving, but you know what else causes deadly car accidents? Shitty roads, which become shitty because there isn’t enough money to repair them. I don’t really care though, because after you turn 21 you immediately stop giving a crap if people younger than you can drink or not. Besides, without Mr. Lautenberg’s legislation I wouldn’t have any sweet jail stories. For that, Senator Lautenberg, I thank you. RIP, sir.
[via The New York Times]
Dick
12 years ago at 12:38 pmI commend you for taking the high road, Bacon.
12 years ago at 12:39 pmHowever unlike Bacon I would rather not take the high road, and disrespectfully say, fuck this guy.
12 years ago at 3:26 pmThan your a dumbass disrespectful geed. You don’t have to like his policies, I know I don’t but he served his country in World War II he was the last vet in office, and that deserves a little respect considering a vet who died for our freedom just died.
12 years ago at 7:52 pm^hey, dumbass, he didn’t actually die for our freedom…since, you know, WWII has been over for a while. I’m not sure if you knew that or not.
12 years ago at 1:34 amBut seriously, fuck liberals.
12 years ago at 12:46 pmSince he is gone does this mean 21 isn’t the age?
12 years ago at 12:47 pmI don’t see why not
12 years ago at 12:54 pmRest in piss
12 years ago at 1:00 pm^lawls
12 years ago at 4:06 pmSo you’re telling me that this law was the fault of those damn liberals even though it passed through the Republican-controlled Senate and signed into law by His Holiness Ronald Reagan? OK buddy, keep on thinking that.
12 years ago at 1:08 pmInsomuch as Lautenberg was the guy who pushed hardest for it, yes. Try not to get so worked up, chief.
12 years ago at 1:34 pmJust gonna commet on this one here Bacon, didn’t Reagan start the un-winnable war on drugs too?
12 years ago at 2:07 pm*comment
12 years ago at 2:08 pmTimes Ronald Reagan was mentioned in this article: 0
Times I insulted liberals: Maybe 1, maybe.
Mostly I just summed up what the guy did with his political career, which was to pass a lot of restrictive legislation, some of which I agree with, as I said. I don’t think I was all that political in this piece, unless you consider pointing out the irony of his legislative ultimatum to be political, which I don’t, because irony is irony.
12 years ago at 2:52 pm80s Congress was controlled by Dems bro. Repubs didn’t take over till 94′
12 years ago at 4:06 pmYou are definitely on the wrong fucking website to be speaking with that Democratic mouth InHoc..
12 years ago at 7:39 pmBacon, in my opinion you were very respectful of his work and life and you were informative and funny as well. Great job.
12 years ago at 6:58 amLooks like I no longer need my fake anymore!
12 years ago at 1:09 pmI hate this man with a passion.
12 years ago at 1:11 pmI thank him for his service, but you would think this guy would have known better that if you’re old enough to give your life for your country you should be old enough to have a damn beer
12 years ago at 1:15 pmOr 10…
12 years ago at 6:45 pmShow some respect for the deceased. He passed a law in an attempt to cut back on drunk driving. Sure, he went about it the wrong way and created a law that I totally disagree with but he had good intentions. Good try Senator, RIP.
12 years ago at 1:24 pmHe used federal legislative power to blackmail the states, in doing so decreasing state sovereignty. The ends hardly justify his means. Therefor, fuck him. Sometimes time alone waters the tree of liberty.
12 years ago at 2:03 pm^Yeah he definitely could have gone about it in a better way. Threatening funding for roads was a dick move for sure. I still stand by my statement that trying to eliminate drunk driving is a good cause, but I agree he was flawed in his method.
12 years ago at 4:49 pm