This is good context, and I sympathize with the women whose lives and families were destroyed by alcoholic men. An issue like that should clearly be addressed, but prohibition created more problems and did not decrease alcoholism. There are more effective ways to address social issues than just getting big daddy government to ban stuff. Not that it sounds like you're defending that. Like you said, it was pandering that allowed the government to frame itself as a necessary protector and justify its own expansion of powers rather than a real solution.
the women voted for him in exchange for establishing Prohibition
Another example of their willingness to trade freedom for security
alcoholism was a huge problem back then
alcohol consumption was 3X what it is today
It was causing problems like domestic violence, crime, neglected families, economic ruin, disease, and death.
so they passed the 18th Amendment to pander to women who's lives were being destroyed and then the 19th Amendment to reap their gratitude
This is good context, and I sympathize with the women whose lives and families were destroyed by alcoholic men. An issue like that should clearly be addressed, but prohibition created more problems and did not decrease alcoholism. There are more effective ways to address social issues than just getting big daddy government to ban stuff. Not that it sounds like you're defending that. Like you said, it was pandering that allowed the government to frame itself as a necessary protector and justify its own expansion of powers rather than a real solution.