Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Did FDR Fuck Up By Ending Prohibition? [View all]JHB
(37,128 posts)39. Hell no!
First, a major impetus behind Prohibition was making a point of who was in charge: dry "real (Potestant) Americans" vs "wet" immigrants, Catholics and Jews. Teabaggers would have been right at home amongst the drys.
Second, you might as well blame the Prohibitionists for the problems you discuss, because they didn't permit a nuanced view of problem drinking. Even afterward, that "anyone complaining about booze is just another dry killjoy" attitude lasted for decades. It would have, FDR or not.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
66 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
His opposition to Prohibition was unquestionably one of the reasons he got elected
slackmaster
Apr 2012
#13
No kidding. I'd like to hear Al Smith clue some DUers in as to how "unified"...
WorseBeforeBetter
Apr 2012
#47
It has been reported that alcohol at the time accounted for 24+% of GDP - when Prohibition was
Hestia
Apr 2012
#21
While it is true that the President had no official Constitutional role in eliminating the 18th
customerserviceguy
Apr 2012
#25
So, basically you're asserting that is was a coincidence that Congress did what FDR wanted?
Edweird
Apr 2012
#31
I'm saying that when you get a 2/3 majority vote in each house of Congress
Motown_Johnny
Apr 2012
#53
What you had was FDR vigorously pushing a truly progressive agenda and LEADING Congress.
Edweird
Apr 2012
#59
From the stories my father used to tell us the prohibition was not working just like the War on
jwirr
Apr 2012
#30
Wow. That IS gripping. Thanks for the quote. I'm going to read that. I missed that program.
Honeycombe8
Apr 2012
#61
It's fascinating in that the effort to pass, and then repeal, spanned 100+ years...
WorseBeforeBetter
Apr 2012
#64
Prohibition was a total failure. Just llike drug prohibition is a failure now.
Honeycombe8
Apr 2012
#49