I'm not sure what to make of this. It's kind of funny, in a way. It's long decried as unfair that you can fight and die for your country three years before you can legally tip back a cold one. So on Monday a bipartisan (but mostly Republican) bunch of Wisconsin legislators introduced
Assembly Bill 141, which would lower the legal drinking age to 19 for active-duty military personnel stationed in Wisconsin. (Legislation junkies can click the link at the top of that page to download a PDF of the text of the bill.)
There's literally no news coverage on this besides a brief mention on one of the local newscasts this morning, so I apologize for not supplying a link to a story. I've half a mind to make a few calls and write a story myself. My take on it below the fold.
In the Assembly, the bill is sponsored by eight Republicans and three moderate Democrats. Five Senators also signed on, including two Republicans and three Dems. I don't know much about the sponsors, since none of them does anything newsworthy very often. It was just introduced into the State Affairs Committee Monday, and I really have no idea as to the chances of passage. Only one of the cosponsors sits on that committee.
In order to enact the legislation (if it passes) without losing federal transportation funds, the state would have to get a waiver from the federal government or participate in a federal "pilot program." Does anyone know if such a "pilot program" exists?
I can't think of any reason to do this other than as an incentive for military recruitment. It seems disingenuous, since we don't have many active military personnel stationed here, and most of them are the full-timers at National Guard and Reserve posts, who are older than 21 (recruiters, trainers, administrators). Besides, it wouldn't cover some kid who gets shipped to Fort Knox or Coronado or Iraq. And really, if some shmuck is going to join up just to get beer, is that the kind of soldier we want?
I'm just not sure what to think. What do you all make of it?