A Great Idea

Some have revived the (too) long-dormant practice of linking alcohol and voting.

That's right, revived. In the early days of the Republic politicians would routinely offer whiskey, beer, hard cider, or all of the above to their constituents on election day as a show of good faith, and an attempt to gain votes. President Washington, during his run for the Virginia Legislature early in his career, gave out enough free booze to have induced alcohol poisoning (in those with weaker constitutions, anyway); as he owned and operated a distillery, he handed out something like an average of 20 shots to each of the men at one of his rallies.

Alchohol has had a long-standing relationship to politics and its brother, debate (think Plato's Symposium). This continues in some circles, as does the practice of smoking tobacco. Sadly, since health has become our society's number one priority and demi-god, these circles grow rarer. It is hard to explain the simple joy of debating over a stiff drink and a pleasant smoke. It is repulsive when people literally run from drink and smoke as if it were some sort of booger-man.