Posted on 02/21/2006 4:35:52 AM PST by Calpernia
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. --New Hampshire lawmakers are saying no to a proposal to lower the legal drinking age for members of the military on active duty.
The bill to reduce the legal drinking age to 18 for members of the armed forces was rejected Wednesday by the House Judiciary Committee.
The committee voted to recommend that the full House kill the bill.
Rep. James Splaine, D-Portsmouth, a sponsor of the bill, says it's not fair to send 18-to-21-year-olds to war, but then deny them from drinking an alcoholic beverage.
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(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
That was my experience as an early adult. I'd only date wimmin over 25, something happens about that age, and they were significantly and very noticeably more mature.
Of course, my other take on the matter is that anyone who's liable for taxes should have the vote... which means everyone.
I'd go you one better. No Taxes. No Vote.
Eighteen is good for soldiering, so if we're going to use them that way then we owe them full adult status as a matter of basic fairness. In fact, I'd say that the same 'basic fairness standard' requires us to give adult status to anyone we expect to pay taxes -- which is everybody. As a practical matter, though, the country would be a little more responsibly governed if the voters were all 25 or older.
I'm not especially conflicted about this; it seems to be a situation where there is no ideal solution but none of the alternatives is all that bad, either.
I like your thoughts on MIL = full adult status
I was one of many who served in Viet Nam
BUT was denied a right to vote because I wasn't 21.
I could drink, overseas, but could not vote.
Thanks for the ping!
My feeling as a guy, is that if a guy can survive until the age of 25 (that is kind of the cutoff age I always use) then he has a good chance of living into his fifties onward.
Most of the crazy, stupid, dangerous, irresponsible stuff I have done was under that age.
That said, I have always thought the legal drinking age SHOULD be 18. If you are old enough to fight and vote, you are old enough to drink. You may not do it responsibly (I sure as hell did not) but...that is the way I feel.
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