News-Record.com

I've been away from the computer for a couple days, and wandered back in this morning to find an item from the Politico referenced a couple times among the bazillion e-mails waiting for me:

The House of Representatives had been slated to take up important work this afternoon: celebrating the legalization of booze. Passage of the resolution, though, is in question today, as one of its two sponsors, Rep. Howard Coble (R-N.C.), might not make it to town in time to take part in the bipartisan celebration, an aide in the Democratic cloakroom says.

Co-sponsored by Michigan Democrat Bart Stupak, the resolution comes 75 years after the ratification of the 21st Amendment re-legalized alcohol. The resolution notes that "prior to the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, which established Prohibition in the United States, abuses and insufficient regulation resulted in irresponsible overconsumption of alcohol." The ban, though, "resulted in a dramatic increase in illegal activity, including unsafe black market alcohol production, organized crime, and noncompliance with alcohol laws."

[snip]

UPDATE: Coble is in town and ready to go forward, but a Judiciary Committee aide says that Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), ranking member of the committee, has concerns about the resolution and isn't ready to let it move just yet.

It seems the Politico didn't quite get it right. So just to be clear, I called Coble's staff this morning. According them, the skinny seems to be this:

• * Coble still thinks the repeal of prohibition is worthy of celebration.
• * He was in town in plenty of time for the vote that was probably scheduled before its time.
• * Coble has piped down about the bill because Smith, ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, doesn't drink and doesn't think we ought to be celebrating prohibition's repeal.

Coble, according to his staff, will still support the resolution when it comes to a vote, but won't be "the lead" republican on the measure.

For those who are interested, here's the bill, a nonbinding resolution that holds virtually no force of law.

And while I plan to celebrate prohibition's repeal in my own quiet way, my liver and some others might think there are topics more worthy of attention at time when the financial markets are melting down around our ears.

Update: As the headline might suggest, I think there's a joke in here somewhere about Coble having been around for the repeal of prohibition, but I neglected to go for it. You're welcome to try in the comments link below.