<p>Just going to chime in here that one of Madison’s (Wi) biggest money makers are the fees and costs associated with busting underaged drinkers on campus. There is absolutely no financial incentive to lowering the drinking age when your municipality seems to be raking in the money due to weekend partying. </p>
<p>I’ve given up thinking any of these laws are for the benefit of our kids. When they raised the drinking age to 21 it was to end drunk driving and had nothing to do with binge drinking. They tied it to financial incentives from the federal govt (hiway funds) and I think Louisiana was the last hold out on the 18 law. The culture has changed and it’s no longer alright in anyone’s mind to drink and drive - although plenty still are stupid enough to do it. But it sure is a different attitude out there. Lowering the drinking age isn’t going to change the new culture of not drinking and driving, but perhaps it could change the culture of binge drinking when at 19 you can actually have a drink legally in a bar or restaurant instead of having to dubiously procure the stuff. </p>
<p>I think keeping it out of the HS age group is smart, and that’s why I think 18 might not be the best answer, but at 19? Fine by me. What I’d like to see get consistent is DUI laws. Make the consequences severe enough and consistent enough and even a stupid kid would know better than to try and get away with it. But that’s the thing… for the most part, kids today already know this! That particular learning curve was our generation’s!</p>
<p>Then too, I think the whole gay marriage thing has nothing to do with “morals” and everything to do with taxes and marriage benefits. Call me a cynic.</p>