Ken Burns's "Prohibition" on PBS

[Occurrence]

There is nothing wrong with the war on drugs.

You can't be serious.

[Lowell]

It was really interesting to see how the income tax was created to eliminate the government's dependence on tax revenues from alcohol sales

That point stood out for me too. Something like 70% of federal revenue derived from liquor taxes. Oddly enough our capacity to drink and self-destruct formed a cap on government spending. Passing prohibition was like killing the goose that laid the golden eggs. Without the income tax the government would have to try to do the hopeless task of enforcement on staggeringly diminished revenues.

The empowering on un-elected individuals that the controversy created was also interesting. The power of Wayne Wheeler of the Anti-saloon society was remarkable. He had influence over presidents in unparalleled proportions that would make even the most ardent Tea Party operative jealous.

[Gistok]

There is nothing wrong with the war on drugs.

Yeah... those billions and billions of dollars [[not to meniton all the prisons built to incarcerate) have been really worthwhile, haven't they... I mean look at all the drugs and drug crimes that are no longer on the street... [[rolling eyes emoticom).

[MSUguy]

The effects Prohibition are still being felt today it killed the brewing of quality beer in this country for decades. It killed off tons of smaller breweries only leaving large scale producers like Millers and Busch to dominate the market. There were only 40 or so breweries in this country before microbreweries started booming in the late 80's/early 90's compared to 1,700 today

So this recent story on the decline in market share to big brewers brought me some joy

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44460121...-longer-drink/

[Occurrence]

American beer companies are awful. I prefer microbrews, but they usually cost more.

[RaumVogel]

It was really interesting to see how the income tax was created to eliminate the government's dependence on tax revenues from alcohol sales

Yep, and now we have both.

[ordinary]

Notwithstanding my previous comments, I watched all three parts of this documentary and kind of felt like Burns phoned this one in. It lacked the detail and narrative of his other documentaries. His group of "expert" commentators also seemed of lesser quality. Plus, it seemed largely pro-alcohol, until he thuddingly mentioned at the end of the 3rd part all of the negative effects of alcohol.

I haven't seen it yet. Don't know if I will after I watched his Baseball documentary a few years back. I felt he really dished some dirt on Detroit in that one.

[Danny]

Now that's a lesson we Americans learned. Prohibition on human morality is a illusion. People need get high on Beer and Wine. Let them destroy themselves and their loved ones in the process.



No man in America can ban the sale of exotic cigarettes.

No man in America can ban the sale of legal narcotics.

No man in America can ban the sale condoms.

No man in America can stop people from having sex.

No man in America can stop anyone from cheating.

No man in America can stop anyone from being greedy.

Prohibition of all sale of alcohic beverages lead to crime and death. Most people still a drink regardless. It's their decision. A person must change for themselves if they want to quit alcohol. These temperence groups from 150 years ago went through extreme mesures even to full extent to law to keep people from drinking and ruin their lives and others. They tried their best won and lost. However they will keep on fighting not to proposal a constitutional law to ban all beer and wine products. But to start rehab programs to free one person at a time from the evils of alcohol abuse.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

Because human beings need morality to survive for Neda's sake.

[JBMcB]

American beer companies are awful. I prefer microbrews, but they usually cost more.

So you prefer microbrews from other countries? Or American microbrews that aren't from American breweries?

[maxx]

"[Ken Burns] asked the historian Shelby Foote why the Civil war had happened. He said: 'Americans like to think of ourselves as uncompromising people. But our real genius is for compromise, and when it broke down we murdered each other in great numbers.'..."

[Personally, I don't see how one compromises on slavery. A person is either a slave or s/he isn't.]

"Prohibition is another moment in which the civil conversation broke down. We collectively decided to look for villains instead of solutions...." from USA Weekend, Sept. 30, 2011