# "states' rights"--why would minorities and women support?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-rights-why-would-minorities-and-women-support/641792>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [November 22, 2012, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-rights-why-would-minorities-and-women-support/641792 "2012-11-22T02:13:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-rights-why-would-minorities-and-women-support/641792/21 "2012-11-26T15:09:09Z")

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> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> I don’t recall what Reagan had to do with the drinking age other than, again, not vetoing the bill.

He [actively shilled for it](http://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/21/nyregion/reagan-calls-for-drinking-age-of-21.html) because he thought MADD would deliver him votes.

> [@](#):
>
> ‘‘Some may feel that my decision is at odds with my philosophical viewpoint that state problems should involve state solutions, and it isn’t up to a big and overwhelming Government in Washington to tell the states what to do,’’ he said. ‘‘And you’re partly right.’’
> 
> But he added that the problem of drunken driving was ‘‘a national tragedy involving transit across state borders,’’ and that it was one of a few ‘‘special cases in which overwhelming need can be dealt with by prudent and limited Federal action.’’
> 
> ‘‘In a case like this, where the problem is so clear cut and the benefits are so clear cut, then I have no misgivings about a judicious use of Federal inducements to encourage the states to get moving, raise the drinking age, and save precious lives,’’ Mr. Reagan said.

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