Repeal Day! I’ll drink to that

Today is the 74th anniversary of the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which reversed the Eighteenth Amendment — that is, today is the anniversary of the end of Prohibition. After thirteen years, Americans could once again legally make, manufacture, and sell alcoholic beverages.

Dewar’s Scotch has used this as an advertising campaign this year, culminating in celebrations today. They made a couple of amusing videos:

There’s a lot of irony in today’s celebration for those of us who spend time in Allegheny County. Yesterday, the Allegheny County Council voted for a new 10% tax on poured alcoholic drinks. According to the Post-Gazette, these are the council members who voted for this tax:

Supporting the drink tax were council President Rich Fitzgerald, D-Squirrel Hill, and members John DeFazio, D-Shaler, Dave Fawcett, R-Oakmont, James Burn Jr., D-Millvale, Bill Robinson, D-Hill District, Michael J. Finnerty, D-Scott, Joan Cleary, D-Brentwood, Charles Martoni, D-Swissvale, Robert J. Macey, D-West Mifflin, and Brenda Frazier, D-Stanton Heights.

If you live in Allegheny County, please vote these dummies out of office at the next election. Also remember to vote out County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, who supported this tax. I hope that we will soon be able to toast the repeal of this inappropriate and short-sighted tax.

For today, let’s at least enjoy the fact that we can legally buy a drink at all. I’ve read that the Twenty-first Amendment was ratified at 5:32pm EST, but I think we can start to celebrate at any time.

Looking for an appropriate drink for this special occasion? The many and assorted blogs that contributed to this month’s Mixology Monday had Prohibition as their theme, so that would be a super place to start. To your health!